Stranger On The Shore - Out of place?

[Mike]

On the album “Keep Your Eye On Me” the inclusion of the song “Stranger On The Shore” seems a little out of place. The first 9 tracks are all a Dance/Fusion sort of thing. Then comes track 10, more of Jazz standard. I think Herb’s version of “Stranger On The Shore” is terrific, but would have fit better on another album of similar songs; that I’d happily have bought if it had existed. So… is it only me, or has anyone else felt it was out of place too?

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I don't know if I'd consider it out of place, but it was refreshing to see Herb do an old standard again. It seemed like a long time between them on his albums of that period. I guess I thought of the song as being a refreshing change of pace.



Dan

 

[Harry]

I always liked the way that KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME started out with the more frantic heavy beat stuff on the first side and mellowed out with things like "Pillow", "Our Song", and "Stranger on The Shore" on the second side. It's almost like a day/night thing that made the album an interesting listen.

Harry
NP: KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME, Herb Alpert

 

[bob knack]

I bet Mr. Acker Bilk didn't complain!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

"Stranger On The Shore" did absolutely nothing for me. I don't think it would've mattered which album he put it on. For me it was a throwaway song at best.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

Well, from what I've read and what the tracks on Keep Your Eye On Me consist of, it shouldn't be any suprise that Herb was trying to attract both a newer, younger audience and keep his present one, if most of the album consists of "Hip-Hop" material and also has a few songs reminiscient of his early days.

Dave

 

[thetijuanataxi]

I always liked Herb's version of "Stranger On The Shore". As for out of place or throwaways, I would have rather let go of "Pillow", or "Making Love In The Rain". The concept was great on "Diamonds", but three songs with that format on one album was a bit much. I would much rather have had another Herb version of a standard or perhaps his version of "Hello". But still a strong album and one of his best "Chops" albums.

David,
NP- "Keep Your Eye On Me" by Mr. Herb Alpert

 

[alpertfan]

I agree with Harry. As he said, if you notice, Side 1 consists of all dance songs and Side 2 slows it down. I like Alpert's version of "Stranger On The Shore". I made a CD-R of quiet jazz melodies and included it. I think it's a good song to relax to.

 

[Mike]

Since I’m more of a standard jazz kind of guy (give me Gershwin anytime) than I am a Fusion type, I usually play “Stranger On The Shore” first, and then play the CD from the beginning. It’s such a beautifully melodic tune that I don’t mind hearing it twice whenever I listen to the CD.

My definition of “Standard Jazz” is relative. Who really knows what “Standard Jazz” is?

 

[Tom]

It's rare for me to find a re-make of what I thought was the definitive/original song but Herb does it again for me with "Stranger On The Shore". It's beautiful. Acker Bilk's original is a classic, and I love it but Herb's is just as pretty. I remember playing the album for the first time, and I kept coming back to 2 songs..."Our Song", and "Stranger". Herb never ceases to amaze me with his ability. I guess I'm just a die hard Herb Alpert fan...always have been, and always will be. Every song he's done is a treasure, and I thank him for all of his works.

Tom

 

[Rudy]

I always liked the way that KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME started out with the more frantic heavy beat stuff on the first side and mellowed out with things like "Pillow", "Our Song", and "Stranger on The Shore" on the second side. It's almost like a day/night thing that made the album an interesting listen.

The Minneapolis production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis was red hot in those days, fresh off a Janet Jackson smash and countless other R&B projects at the time. I was a little surprised he did not have Jam & Lewis do the entire album, but I'm grateful for the four tracks he did record with them. (In fact, I was listening to the reunion album by The Time yesterday called Pandemonium, and it's still a big thrill to hear that huge Minneapolis synth sound going on, since Jam and Lewis rejoined the group for the reunion. ) Compared to their other work, I still feel that "Pillow" is a stronger song compared to "Making Love In The Rain".

"Traffic Jam" is sort of "out there"--anyone notice how it is similar to what Miles Davis was recording back around the same time (complete with the Harmon mute)?

 

[Captain Bacardi]

"Traffic Jam" is sort of "out there"--anyone notice how it is similar to what Miles Davis was recording back around the same time (complete with the Harmon mute)?

Oh yeah! "Traffic Jam" is my favorite song on KYEOM. I remember my first impression after listening to that tune, and Miles was the first thing I thought of. If I remember right Miles had just done Tutu, which I liked a lot as well. On "Traffic Jam" it sounds as if the open horn was a flugelhorn instead of a trumpet. I liked the fake crowd applause at the end of the tune as well.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[thetijuanataxi]

Let's not forget "Cat Man Do". Some of Herb's best high note playing on that song. I believe he goes to a D above the staff on that one. "Our Song" has always been one of my favorite solo Herbs as well. Always wondered why he didn't release it as a single.

David,
gettin' ready to practice......

 

[Mr Bill]

"Our Song" has always been one of my favorite solo Herbs as well. Always wondered why he didn't release it as a single.

He did! Twice! But it was as a B-side in both cases IIRC. Another song Herb overused as a single B-side was "Oriental Eyes" whihc was a B-side at least (seems to me) a dozen times!

--Mr Bill

 

[thetijuanataxi]

It wouldn't be the first time in Herb's career that his "B" side was stronger than his "A" side. If the song had only gotten some radio play.........

David,
thinking lightening might have struck twice.....

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Agreed about "Making Love In the Rain" vs. "Pillow." A classic case of the "name" (Janet) being used to sell a record, while the superior song goes unreleased.

I always thought of the KYEOM album as a kind of a turning point. Up to then, Herb pretty much had followed his own "muse." With this album, he turned the reins over to Jam and Lewis and climbed on the Minneapolis soul bandwagon with their hottest (and A&M's hottest) vocalist. Not that that's "bad," it just was a different direction than I ever expected him to go.

I also agree with Captain Bacardi, I never was a big fan of "Stranger."

The best song on the album overall is "Diamonds," but I just can't think of it as a real Herb Alpert tune. It's a Janet Jackson tune with Herb as guest star.

 

[Harry]

"Diamonds" sounds a bit more like a 'Herb Alpert record' in its Cool Summer remix form found on some of the 12" single releases (and on that VERY BEST OF HERB ALPERT disc from Canada/UK).

"Making Love In The Rain" also benefits by allowing us to hear more 'Herb' on the Instrumental mix found on the UK 12".

Harry
...liking more Herb and less Janet, online...

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I have that "VERY BEST OF" Canadian release. I'll have to check that out...maybe I've missed it!

 

[Harry]

I have that "VERY BEST OF" Canadian release. I'll have to check that out...maybe I've missed it!

It's not labelled as the "Cool Summer Mix" or even that it's a shortened version (3:50), but that's what it is.

The other solo tracks are also of interest on that disc. "Rise" is the shortened single version, as is "Rotation" and "Keep Your Eye On Me".

The last track, "Jump Street" is the single-length Yvonne de la Vega version.

An interesting disc, if only for those mixes, making it maybe a better compilation than the similarly-themed DEF. HITS.


Click above to order from amazon.com

Harry
NP: "Jump Street" from THE VERY BEST OF HERB ALPERT