Our Least Favorites

[Harry]

This poll will determine which of the tracks listed are the most "skipped over", to use the most polite term I can think of. Assume that all tracks are commonly available on CD - don't use the excuse that you can't skip over it if it's not on CD.

Let it be said that some of these will end up being someone's absolute favorite, and there's no reason to ask why it's on the list. The other thread weeded out these tunes as nominees for the track that we're most likely to skip.

Please vote in the poll for what you consider the worst among them, then tell us why.

The poll will be open through the end of November.

 

[Harry]

I voted for "Tijuana Sauerkraut". As I mentioned in the other thread, it was once a song I liked, being a student of the German language back in school at the time, and it seemed kind of cute. It wore quite thin over the years, and the marriage of mariachi stylings with a German oomh-pah band just doesn't cut it anymore. It's the track I'm most likely to skip over.

Harry

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

I'm with you, Harry. I also voted for Tijuana Sauerkraut. I like your presentation of this topic, rather than how this matter was previously addressed. I know that everyone is most definitely entitled to their opinion as to whether or not they like a song, but I really don't like some of the negativity expressed. Especially knowing that certain people view our Corner, I wouldn't want anyone to be offended. Anything taken out of context and in some cases, decades later, could be misconstrued. Certainly not everything I created in my job was a "hit." I don't know why it could even be expected of Herb. After all, look at what he's accomplished in so many areas. I have always been my own harshest critic and I suppose that Herb is as well. And if he is not at peace with the release of certain items of his own work, it should be his choice. That's not to say that fans should not try to sway his opinion. Maybe the idea was that more people should have purchased Volume 2 when A&M originally released it on CD, so that now there would be some impressive sales numbers to support a re-issue.

 

[Harry]

Thanks Steve. I always try to look for the positives in everything and when discussing negatives, I try to be as upbeat as possible.

I also agree with the folks in the other thread about this list making a pretty decent compilation. After all, it's Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass! How bad can it be!?

Harry

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

I know this may be hard to believe, but Mr. A. was a head of the curve on Tijuana Sauerkraut. The music that has become popular with the new Mexican immigrants is called Norteño. This music uses a lot of accordian/concertinas, or as they call them, "sqeeze boxes". The sqeeze box sound was influenced by...you guessed it, the immigration of Germans into Mexico a couple of centuries ago.

When the song is in 4/4 with a two beat/polka feel it's called a Corrido. When it's in 3/4 like Tijuana Sauerkraut it's called a Ranchera.

I maintain Mr. A. was very sensitive to the Latino music of East LA back in the early 60's. That's why I've always thought that the "Lonely Bull" album sounded like bands I used to hear as a kid in South Phoenix.

Later...Jay

 

[Dave]

"Zorba" is my least favorite and "Hello Dolly" ranks a close second--for the reasons mentioned in the other thread... "Alone Again (Naturally)" is another I don't care for--not on the list, but that's OK, I don't "expect much from it" as I do the other two...

What exactly is the difference from the Lost Treasures version of"Alone Again (Naturally)" and the version on You Smile, The Song Begins, anyway?



Dave

...Standing by what I chose as my Least Favorite--or "Most Skipped Over!!" :goofygrin:

 

[Captaindave]

This is a challenging poll because it's hard to vote for just one.

So, it will be Close To You. There are a few others here that could be the so-called photo finish in this category, but I'll play by the rules...

Herb knew what he was doing when he gave that song to The Carpenters. IMHO, it should have stayed with them permanently.

 

[Mr Bill]

I voted for "A Quiet Tear." I can't get to the tonearm (or skip track button) fast enough. Comes close to nails on a chalk board for me... though I'd listen to it over anything post-Blow Your Own Horn (less Keep Your Eye...).

"And I Love Her," "Zorba" and "El Lobo" are a close second, third and fourth... (Like Harry says -- some of these are someone's favorites -- count "Talk To The Animals," "El Presidente" and "Close To You" among my faves)

--Mr Bill

 

[Harry]

I've come to really like Herb's take on "Close To You". It cooks!

Harry

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

WOW! I love El Lobo and Quiet Tear. (Maybe it's part of my Southwestern culture) El Presidente is very majestic and creates beautiful visuals for me. Hello Dolly is like a Tijuana Dixieland Band...it's just plain fun. I've seen da TJB perform Zorba live and it's total energy!!! Now, this is the reason I need meds. I like Talk to the Animals. Later amigos........Jay

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Tough to pick just one. There are multiple tunes here from LONELY BULL, and I skip over all of the songs on that album except TLB and AQT. Interesting about "Lonely Bull," I didn't like that one for the longest time and now I like it quite a lot.

"A Banda" is similar -- I've probably made a dozen or more TJB compilations over the years, have never included that song, but now I find myself humming it and replaying it. (My mother-in-law said it's one of her favorites, so maybe that has something to do with it too.)

There are a few here I would NEVER skip over -- "Quiet Tear," "Summertime," "Zorba." I'm gonna have to mull over which one is my absolute must-skip, though.

 

[Numero Cinco]

For reasons given earlier, "Sauerkraut" is my constant skip-over. Mike notes the heavy representation in this poll from The Lonely Bull; I find it interesting how many tracks are from Alpert's Ninth.

Memo to Harry (and Steve): Thanks for reframing my original challenge more positively. The intent was never to tear down the producers and performers, only to gauge the group's interest in certain songs, or lack thereof.

 

[daveK]

I can't imagine ever skipping any track on THE LONELY BULL. I think the vocal chorus on "Tijuana Sauerkraut" makes the song (and it's better than ever on the remaster) and "A Quiet Tear" is one of the most beautiful instrumental songs I've ever heard.
While I love "Talk To The Animals" I'm surprised that it's not out in front as the worst. I can understand what people don't like about it.
I have to vote for "Hello Dolly" as the worst of the bunch. To tell the truth, I wouldn't think of skipping most of the other songs on the list.
I made a list of songs in an earlier post that I have a greater appreciation for since acquiring the Shout Factory discs. I didn't list anything from NINTH because I meant to say that I appreciate this album more now as a whole. This used to be the LP that I never played. Now it's the CD I play all the time. I don't know why it didn't grab me before. I made a two-fer of it and BEAT OF THE BRASS and have really started to love it. I'm even warming up to "Thanks For The Memory" and "Carmen" after all these years.

 

[Stephen Vakil]

It's a difficult one as there are a few on the list I never want to hear again. In the end, I voted for Las Mananitas.

However, there are a number of songs on the list which I would go out of my way to hear and, imo, don't belong on this thread at all. How can anyone skip Without Her, You Are My Life, The Trolley Song, Hurt So Bad, Summertime, Close to You, Fire & Rain, and The Happening? If you knew how many years (decads?) I had to wait to get a clean copy oof the Summertime album...........partucularly to hear three or four tracks one of which was Hurt So Bad, yoiu'd realise it couldn't be on my "tracks to skip". To his each own I suppose!

Stephen

 

[Captaindave]

I always liked El Presidente because it is a version of Winds of Barcelona, which is probably my favorite early TJB song.

I probably wouldn't play Tijuana Sauerkraut over and over again, but it has a certain charm that fits in with the Lonely Bull album.

With TBAC album, I began to become less enthusiastic about the sound itself and the songs themselves. Some of the songs listed in the poll that come from the YSTSB and CI period are among my least favorites.

Perhaps some of my favorite TJB tunes came from Sol Lake.

 

[seashorepiano]

I voted for "Zorba the Greek." Just couldn't get used to the song, didn't like the arrangement. It's an instant skip-over.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I voted for "And I Love Her". That arrangement just tanked as far as I'm concerned. "Popcorn" was a close second. I skip over quite a few that's on the list.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Numero Cinco]

Biggest surprise (to me) so far: "Zorba" currently stands at a 17% skip-over rate. Given its "Greatest Hits" status (or selling-point), its apparent adoption as an encore when the band was in business in the '60s, and the sheer difficulty of its execution, this for me is a revelation.

 

[Rudy]

"Talk To The Animals" wasn't speaking my language...even when I first heard it as a new album on our then-new Magnavox console in the late 60s. It works well in the TV special, but IMHO, not as well on record. It's more a "visual" song.

Runners-up for me would be "Tijuana Sauerkraut" and "And I Love Her". Not that they're bad songs, but they just don't strike a good nerve with me.

I've come to really like "A Quiet Tear" after all these years--the arrangement may be a bit overkill, but the melody is one of Sol Lake's most haunting. I'm surprised nobody has covered that song by now!

"Zorba" is probably one of my all-time favorites. It's very faithful to the original version I've heard; it features a lot of intricate trumpet work, and the live rendition that closed the TJB concerts I saw would wake even the most comatose of concertgoers.

 

[Larry]

Well I voted for "Zorba". GP is one of my favorite albums and when I made my copy for the car I left off Z so I wouldn't have to skip it. For some reason or other I have never really cared for it. My second choice is "A Little Help From My Friends" with "El Presidente" coming in third.

 

[alpertfan]

I know we're only allowed one, but my picks for this topic are "And I Love Her", "Talk To The Animals", and "Without Her".

 

[thetijuanataxi]

I don't dislike any TJB songs enough to skip over them. However, I chose "Close To You" as my least favorite. I can't believe the butt kicking "Zorba The Greek" is getting in this poll. When we covered GOING PLACES, just about everyone agreed that there were no "turkeys" on that album. Personally, I don't see what's not to like about it, but I guess there are people out there who would not be excited about winning a milliion dollars either, so I guess maybe it's too sophisticated and advanced a song for some . However, I am glad to see only one title from VOLUME TWO Herb and Shout Factory!!!!!! Maybe V2 rates higher with HA fans that they thought! I honestly don't understand how some of these titles would EVER get skipped by a TJB fan.

David,
thinking "Zorba" and "The Happening" have no place on that list..........

 

[Dore Adler]

I'm AMAZED that the list doesn't start and end with Talk To The Animals. I don't skip any TJB except this one absolute turkey (pun intended).

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'm surprised too at the number of "Zorba" dislikers. I guess I wouldn't call it my favorite TJB melody by a long shot, but I just like listening to the playing -- both trumpet and guitar work, amazing stuff.

 

[Harry]

It is amazing. You know I almost "skipped" putting "Zorba The Greek" on the list, figuring that its nominator in the other thread was maybe a few crayons short of a box...

The fact that it's gotten as many votes as it has, tells me again that there are simply many widely differing musical tastes around here.

I also find it interesting that some have mentioned, but at this point not voted for "El Présidente". For me that's THE single reason to dig out SOUTH OF THE BORDER. It's such a majestic take on the song we also know as "Winds Of Barcelona".

Harry