Guess the "golden mystery group" (Poppy Family)

[Harry]

Clues:

- A same-last-name, boy/girl duo where he does all the composing, arranging, and producing, while she does the lion's share of the lead vocals, sharing an occasional lead and harmony vocal duties with him.

- Formed as a duo in the late 60's, though biggest successes came in the early '70s.

- Her vocal talents are considerable, with an expressive alto that can expand higher. His high tenor voice is competent, though nothing special, and works best in the overdubbed harmonies and backing vocal duties.

- First album relies heavily on home-grown compositions by him, while the second branches out into more cover material.

- Though having major hit records, the duo is today looked down upon as somehow un-hip or un-cool.

Harry
...wondering if anyone will come up with the answer, online...

 

[thestitch]

Hey, Harry, is this a trick question?!!!! The answer just seems too obvious!

Marilyn,
online and grinning ear to ear

 

[Harry]

Trick question? Me?

Harry
...awaiting some guesses, online...

 

[thestitch]

OK, Harry. You win! I'll guess the obvious: The Carpenters

Marilyn
who got the ball rolling ... and wondering where it will go!

 

[Harry]

That is an incorrect guess.

Harry
...not surprised, online...

 

[thestitch]

I'm not surprised either!!

Marilyn
who thinks Harry is being very devilish!!

 

[Harry]

Another useless clue:

- She recorded a solo album.

Harry
...purposefully obtuse, online...

 

[Rudy]

Oh jeez...rub it in why doncha!! :bigevil:

First album relies heavily on home-grown compositions by him,

Was it just him, or did he have a songwriting partner?

Why am I thinking this duo may be from Europe?

 

[Harry]

Yes, it was just he as the composer.

No, they are not from Europe.

Harry
...with real clues, online...

 

[LPJim]

You could be describing the Poppy Family, the husband and wife duo (since divorced) of Terry and Susan Jacks best known for their hit "Which Way You Going, Billy?."
Her singing was superb. After they split he had a solo hit with "Seasons in the Sun." Don't know what became of her.
JB

 

[Harry]

Hey hey! Congrats to LPJim. That's who I was referring to.

I ran across a reference to The Poppy Family on another forum not too long ago and remembered that I had their two albums on LP. The first, Which Way You Goin', Billy? (which had two different covers by the way, another obtuse reference I was going to throw out there), and their second and rarer, Poppy Seeds. There were four or five tunes from these two albums that I remember hearing a lot of on radio back then, and I liked them a lot. My favorites have got to be "That's Where I Went Wrong", "I'll See You There", and "Where Evil Grows", with a nod to their big hit, "Which Way You Goin', Billy?".

In doing some research on them, yes, Terry Jacks did indeed have a huge monster hit in the '70s with "Seasons In The Sun", a song that seems to be frowned upon these days -- it was overplayed to death. I also learned that Terry Jacks recorded some solo albums in the '80s for A&M in Canada, and culminated that relationship with a Poppy Family Greatest Hits album and CD for A&M Canada. I'd like to find that one.

Ironically, though they divorced, Terry produced Susan's solo album.

Her voice is often compared to Karen Carpenter's, and I have to admit, it does indeed compare favorably. The comparison comes up often on the reviews of their one compilation in print on Amazon.com, which combines much of those two albums as well as a few rarities.

I think the key to their quick demise is two-fold. Their name, The Poppy Family, was way too close to The Partridge Family, unfairly lumping the Jacks in with the pablum pop of that TV "family". Then there's possible confusion with another '70s groaner hit, "Billy Don't Be A Hero" by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods.

Terry's songs tended toward the dark side of things, often about longing for lost loves - some images are even darker than that, like the psychedelic "There's No Blood In Bone" track from the first album.

Harry
NP: The Poppy Family, Poppy Seeds

 

[Harry]

Her singing was superb. After they split he had a solo hit with "Seasons in the Sun." Don't know what became of her.
JB

This quote is from a Canadian music site, one of the few web pages devoted to the Poppy Family:

http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPagesP/poppy.html

She moved to Nashville in 1983 after signing a recording contract with a Nashville record label with second husband, CFL player Ted Dushinski, and her son. Since then, she's managed a publishing company and was Vice President of Operations for a computer consulting company. Susan Jacks is now part owner in, and Executive Vice President of, a successful telecommunications company in Nashville.

So it sounds like she's down in your neck of the woods, LPJim.

Harry
...on an incredibly rainy day, online...

 

[LPJim]

That's good to know.
"You Took My Moonlight Away" is my very favorite Poppy Family song, one that KC could have covered quite nicely.
I've got a 21-song CD compilation titled A GOOD THING LOST 1968-73, issued in 1996 by 'What Are Records?', a subsidiary of March Records of Chicago.
Great music, only exceeded by some outstanding photos of Susan.
Darned shame they split up.
JB

 

[Harry]

I've got that CD on order, so I've made do with just the old London label LPs. It'll be nice to hear my favorites on CD. I assume it's a decent-sounding CD? It's gotten rave reviews over at amazon.

I'm still amazed at the A&M Canada connection.

Harry
NP: Which Way You Goin', Billy?, Poppy Family

 

[thestitch]

That's what I love about this forum. I learn SO MUCH from you guys!!

That was fun, Harry. What's up next?!!!

Marilyn

 

[Harry]

That was fun, Harry. What's up next?!!!

Marilyn

All right, I've got Mark Rudolph of North Hollywood, California on the line. Mark, are you there?...

Harry
NP: "Our Day Will Come", Carpenters

 

[thestitch]

Aw. shucks, Harry! Not exactly sure what you're looking for here. These words were said by DJ Tony Peluso on the "Now and Then" album on the radio call-in segment highlighting the golden "oldies".

Marilyn, who just got her Harry Potter book this morning!

 

[Kathy]

Hmmm...I would have guessed The Canadian Sweethearts and Lucille Starr (She went Solo!) who made A&M LP 106 & 107/SP 4106 & SP 4107.

That's probably what "Mark Rudolph" would have guessed. You are WRONG!!!!!

My son hears Terry Jacks, Susan Jacks and The Poppy Family on the radio all the time!

I think he had the album Terry did with "Seasons In The Sun"; I hear him playing The Ray Conniff singers' version of it, though.

Kat

...Is That What Good Friends (and Mothers!) Do?...

 

[thestitch]

I think Harry is being purposely obtuse again!!

Harry, isn't Mark Rudolph Mary Carpenter's brother? I also seem to remember he had some kind of job for the Carpenters way back when, but can't jog my memory to come up with it. I realize this is off the topic of the "Golden Mystery Group", but thought I'd ask anyway!

Marilyn, online and enjoying the sunny day for a change!

 

[thestitch]

OK. Her comes ol' Marilyn with egg on her face again! I'm gonna guess Mark should have said the mystery group was the Beach Boys, not the Four Seasons!

 

[Harry]

I hope I haven't misled anyone in this thread - it was all about The Poppy Family - nothing else. The Mark Rudolph bit was just a quote from Tony Peluso's DJ shtick from the Carpenters' "Oldies Medley" (hence the title "Golden Mystery Group"). There is no other group that I personally wish to pursue in this thread. If anyone else does - feel free!

And Marilyn, wipe that egg off your face, you look silly!

Harry
NP:Radio at work

 

[thestitch]

Aw. shucks, Harry. And I thought you were asking a "new" question!

Marilyn, who still feels like she has some remaining egg on her face!

 

[Harry]

As a followup to this old Poppy Family thread, I thought I'd point out that I did INDEED find that old A&M Canada compilation on eBay. Ironically, there were two of them up there this week, both expiring on the same day. After a fierce bidding war with somebody else (who annoyingly bid on BOTH), I ended up with one as did he. It ended up being more than I really wanted to spend, but less than a 'fortune.' I'm happy.

Harry
...satisfied eBayer, online...