Upon listening to the Rondor - Herb Alpert Portrait, it got me thinking that the original Tijuana Brass albums, Lonely Bull to Summertime, and excluding the Christmas album, by my calculations, each contain 5-7 covers, with 6 being the mode, with the rest being original songs i.e. composed by the Brass members or extended family (like Bacharach). I will at some point check out the solo albums ratio, or if this is at all interesting or meaningful, someone else might look into it. Makes me think of a bottom line per album for royalties going to Almo/Irving and/or the Brass and extended family. Or is it a coincidence?
Half and half
- Thread starter abstract_fan
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I think it was just the pattern of the times. This was one way Herb was bridging the generation gap. Rock acts had opened the door for singer-songwriters, so more acts were writing their own tunes. Herb managed to be in both camps, doing home-grown songs and covers.
As for the types of covers he chose -- that was pretty standard practice by MOR acts at the time. Show tunes, older songs, movie themes, and popular songs by other artists. You can look up albums by other MOR artists and find a similar mix of songs on those records.
As for the types of covers he chose -- that was pretty standard practice by MOR acts at the time. Show tunes, older songs, movie themes, and popular songs by other artists. You can look up albums by other MOR artists and find a similar mix of songs on those records.
On the solo albums, I think we would find that Herb and/or the album's producer(s) or main collaborators would be the primary focus since Herb had gotten away from a group concept. Rise and Beyond, for example, featured Badazz/Armer songs. John Barnes was prominent on one of Herb's solo albums, and of course the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis tracks on Keep Your Eye On Me. Eddie Del Barrio played large on Spanish Moon, and Juan Carlos Calderón on Fandango. Herb and Jeff Lorber, of course, were behind Second Wind.
There are covers scattered on a lot of the albums also. I agree it would make for an interesting comparison.
Agree—-except for MOR artists signed to Columbia Records, who by 1968 were pretty much doing albums of nothing but pop hit covers.
Way back when, before the Brass and the BMB became successful it was my opinion they would print the names of the songs on the album, many of them covers of popular tunes to entice a buyer to buy the album for the tune(s) rather than for the group. By SRO, the Brass sold on their name alone.
Which always puzzled me, because all you had to do was turn the album around to the back cover to see the track listing.
Also, Herb returned to doing that the very next album after SRO---SOUNDS LIKE---but that was the last:
A classic example of the Columbia Records approach. Do I want Andy Williams' LOVE STORY or Johnny Mathis' LOVE STORY?
BOTH have "Love Story", "My Sweet Lord", "We've Only Just Begun", "It's Impossible", "For The Good Times" and "Rose Garden".
By the way---Andy's was catalog number 30497---Johnny's was 30499. What was 30498, the one in between?
Making it three Columbia albums in a row with "Love Story", "Rose Garden", "It's Impossible", "For The Good Times" and "My Sweet Lord".
BOTH have "Love Story", "My Sweet Lord", "We've Only Just Begun", "It's Impossible", "For The Good Times" and "Rose Garden".
By the way---Andy's was catalog number 30497---Johnny's was 30499. What was 30498, the one in between?
Making it three Columbia albums in a row with "Love Story", "Rose Garden", "It's Impossible", "For The Good Times" and "My Sweet Lord".
There was no 30500---but 30501 was an Andre Kostalanetz album and 30502 was Percy Faith and both had "Love Story" (that was the title of Andre's) and other tracks in common with Andy and Johnny.
I'd post the album covers, but I'm losing the will to live.
I'd post the album covers, but I'm losing the will to live.
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Hmm, thanks for reminding me about the front cover listings on how to catch a customer's eye in the store, if necessary that is. Volume 2 - all songs listed with 6 covers.. SOTB - all songs listed also with 6 covers... Whipped Cream - 6 covers, 1 original... WNML- 6 covers, 2 originals... Sounds Like- 5 covers, 1 original. Warm, Without Her cover on the shrink wrap. Need a fact checker.Which always puzzled me, because all you had to do was turn the album around to the back cover to see the track listing.
Also, Herb returned to doing that the very next album after SRO---SOUNDS LIKE---but that was the last:
You are correct:
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No doubt, they thought highlighting the vocal would lure folks who liked "This Guy's In Love With You"
As much as I love WARM, it had to be a little confusing for shoppers---it says "and the Tijuana Brass", but it's the first TJB album since WHIPPED CREAM AND OTHER DELIGHTS not to have a picture other than Herb's on the front or back cover.
I remember that "Without Her" sticker. It was unusual for 2 reasons -- it was printed on clear plastic, rather than paper; and it said "Featuring the hit vocal," which pretty much told the world, "Our singles will have vocals now, folks!" Whether this helped or hurt the Brass's sales is up for debate but they were pretty much being overshadowed by rock'n'rollers and singer-songwriters by this time anyway.
I always thought it was interesting to note how often the TJB covers featured the whole band, or just Herb, and whether or not sales were impacted by those choices they made. I have always thought the "T.J.B." albums might have sold better if the covers were better, especially "You Smile - The Song Begins," which has one of the most boring covers in the history of music.
