DAN BOLTON
Well-Known Member
I was visiting the Billboard Hot 100 site a while ago, and came across the top 100 songs of 1961. Lo and Behold, there was "Mexico" , credited to Bob Moore and his Orchestra. I figured it had to be the same song that Herb recorded on The Lonely Bull, and I was right. Herb's selection of this particular song always puzzled me, because it was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and published by Acuff-Rose...some of the biggest names in Nashville(read: Country music). I never thought that anything out of Nashville would be Herb's cup of tea, so to speak.
I listened to the Bob Moore version, and sure enough, it was done in a mariachi style, with bold trumpets and a strong bass line. the overall orchestration is similar to Herb's take, but the feel is more of a street dance, maybe even something for Oktoberfest than Herb's arrangement, which is more haunting and gives one the feeling of children playing. Herb's take is more wistful, for lack of a better word.
I found a short bio on Bob Moore, and his credentials are rather impressive...primarily a session man, Bob played the bass; he was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame, and worked with such artists as Elvis, Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee and Pat Boone. The opening bass riff on Roger Miller's King Of The Road is Bob at his best. Moore also worked with Quincy Jones and Andy Williams, so his talent reached far beyond rock-and-roll.
The song Mexico was recorded in 1960, and the album was released in 1961. The song reached the charts in August of 1961 and spent 10 weeks in the top 40, reaching a high of #7. In October 1961, it reached #1 on the Contemporary charts, and stayed there for 1 week. Mexico charted on the R&B charts, too... it peaked at #22. Also reaching #1 in both Australia and Germany, the song sold 2 million copies worldwide.
I always thought Mexico had to be an obscure song that Herb stumbled onto by chance or something. Boy, was I wrong.
I wonder just how much influence Bob Moore had on Herb Alpert...
Dan
I listened to the Bob Moore version, and sure enough, it was done in a mariachi style, with bold trumpets and a strong bass line. the overall orchestration is similar to Herb's take, but the feel is more of a street dance, maybe even something for Oktoberfest than Herb's arrangement, which is more haunting and gives one the feeling of children playing. Herb's take is more wistful, for lack of a better word.
I found a short bio on Bob Moore, and his credentials are rather impressive...primarily a session man, Bob played the bass; he was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame, and worked with such artists as Elvis, Roy Orbison, Brenda Lee and Pat Boone. The opening bass riff on Roger Miller's King Of The Road is Bob at his best. Moore also worked with Quincy Jones and Andy Williams, so his talent reached far beyond rock-and-roll.
The song Mexico was recorded in 1960, and the album was released in 1961. The song reached the charts in August of 1961 and spent 10 weeks in the top 40, reaching a high of #7. In October 1961, it reached #1 on the Contemporary charts, and stayed there for 1 week. Mexico charted on the R&B charts, too... it peaked at #22. Also reaching #1 in both Australia and Germany, the song sold 2 million copies worldwide.
I always thought Mexico had to be an obscure song that Herb stumbled onto by chance or something. Boy, was I wrong.
I wonder just how much influence Bob Moore had on Herb Alpert...
Dan
