Herb's redux songs: Which are your favorites?

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toeknee4bz

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As of this date (October 2016), I count at least 20 songs which Herb Alpert has recorded at least two or more different versions and has released on more than one album. Here are the songs, with quite diverse arrangements:

The Lonely Bull (1962 & 2012) from THE LONELY BULL, STEPPIN' OUT
Let It Be Me (1962 & 2014) from VOLUME 2, IN THE MOOD
Spanish Harlem (1963 & 2014) from SOUTH OF THE BORDER, IN THE MOOD
Winds Of Barcelona/El Presidente (1963 & 1964) from VOLUME 2, SOUTH OF THE BORDER
I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (1964, 1992 & 2009) from SOUTH OF THE BORDER, MIDNIGHT SUN
Up Cherry Street (1964 & 1974) from SOUTH OF THE BORDER, YOU SMILE-THE SONG BEGINS
A Taste Of Honey (1965 & 1992) from WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS, MIDNIGHT SUN
And The Angels Sing (1965 & 2013) from !!GOING PLACES!!, STEPPIN' OUT
What Now My Love (1966 & 2011) from WHAT NOW MY LOVE, I FEEL YOU
Don't Go Breaking My Heart (1966 & 2016) from S.R.O., HUMAN NATURE
Flamingo (1966 & 1996) from S.R.O., SECOND WIND
Got A Lot of Livin' To Do (1967 & 2015) from SOUNDS LIKE..., COME FLY WITH ME
The Trolley Song (1967 & 2009) from HERB ALPERT'S NINTH, ANYTHING GOES
Belz Mein Shetele Belz (1968 & 2012) from THE BEAT OF THE BRASS, THE JEWISH SONGBOOK
Good Morning, Mr. Sunshine (1969 & 2013) from THE BRASS ARE COMIN', STEPPIN' OUT
You Smile - The Song Begins (1974 & 1981) from YOU SMILE-THE SONG BEGINS, MAGIC MAN
Besame Mucho (1978, 1981 & 2009) from MAIN EVENT LIVE, MAGIC MAN, ANYTHING GOES
Magic Man (1981 & 1999) from MAGIC MAN, HERB ALPERT & COLORS
Route 101 (1982 & 1997) from FANDANGO, PASSION DANCE
The Lady In My Life (1988 & 1999) from the "I Need You" single, HERB ALPERT & COLORS
I Can't Stop Thinking About You (1991 & 1996) from NORTH ON SOUTH ST., SECOND WIND

Now, just curious: Which versions do you prefer?
 
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First of all, they're all good recordings. This is just a 'preference' query (If you "had to pick")... For me, I prefer the original recordings and the original TJB arrangements on most of these songs, the only exceptions being "And The Angels Sing" and "Good Morning, Mr. Sunshine" (which I prefer the STEPPIN' OUT versions). "Can't Stop Thinking About You" was smoother on SECOND WIND. As for "Flamingo" and "You Smile-The Song Begins", I can't really make up my mind .
 
I haven't heard all of the "newer" versions since there are two or three of his jazz albums I don't own...but one "remake" I really like is "You Smile - The Song Begins." I love the trombone hook they put in there, and Herb's improvising on the newer version is out of this world. Out of the pairs on this list that I've heard both, that would be my pick for the best.

Some of the other remakes are very good too of course. I like the South of the Border version of "El Presidente" much more than "Winds of Barcelona." The overall sound of the recording is more to my liking, and that melody seems to lend itself better to the slower, more grandiose arrangement on Border.

Most of the TJB songs, I prefer the TJB version by far, but on the new album I really like the new version of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." There's no replacing the original, but this comes close.

I've made a pretty good sized stack of Herb Alpert home-made compilations over the years....it's about time now for a compilation of the best of his newer stuff. I have to admit, making a playlist compilation is definitely faster than making a CD, although the results are not as good because you can't tweak it as much. (Segues, time between songs, fade-ins and -outs of applause, and so on.)
 
one "remake" I really like is "You Smile - The Song Begins." I love the trombone hook they put in there, and Herb's improvising on the newer version is out of this world. Out of the pairs on this list that I've heard both, that would be my pick for the best.

Trombone hook? On the MAGIC MAN version of "You Smile..."? That sounds to me more like a low-octave electric guitar hook. Just sayin'.
 
Well if i had to pick I would say The original Tjb versions would be the choice for me and i prefer El presidente to winds of barcelona since i had the south of the border lp long before volume 2 .
 
Trombone hook? On the MAGIC MAN version of "You Smile..."? That sounds to me more like a low-octave electric guitar hook. Just sayin'.

Well it sure sounds like a trombone to me. I don't have the album in front of me so I can't look for a trombone player in the credits....anyone?

Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong about what something is on a recording, that's for sure.
 
Besame Mucho on the Herb-Hugh live album has always been my favorite though the version on Anything Goes I liked. The Herb-Hugh live version is one of my favorite songs, period.

Right up there with Besame is I Can't Stop Thinking About You on North on South Street.

Hon Mentions to Goodbye Mr Sunshine on Steppin' Out on Don't Go Breaking My Heart on Human Nature.
 
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