Teaberry Shuffle

stolfstolf

Well-Known Member
Ten years ago I was doing a podcast of old radio and TV commercials ("mini-tunes") and in one I recreated the Clark's Teaberry Shuffle commercial using the LP version of the Mexican Shuffle. Recently I upgraded this with a better-sounding 60-second spot and I also re-recreated a 60 second commercial. Now I had always assumed they took parts of the recorded version, added marimbas and flutes, boosted some things (like drums) and that was that. But in trying to find the pieces needed, I got to thinking that maybe they actually re-recorded a new 60-second track. When you see the deal with Clark described in print, sometimes they do say "re-record" but that could mean anything. Any thoughts?

 
The commercial version always sounded like a different recording to me, not a modification of the album or single version.
 
I know the commercial version has flute and marimba in it...


I'm guessing Julius Wechter on marimba and Bernie Fleisher on flute from The BMB might have played on the teaberry version that in my opinion could have also prepared the public for the debut of the BMB you never know but I love it all nevertheless
 
Seeing how early that was, I'd tend to think it was primarily session musicians since there wasn't even an official TJB yet. It most likely was Wechter on marimba since the first Baja album would be released the same year as South of the Border. (And I don't know if there was an official Baja until they were a few albums into it--we wouldn't see the real band on the jacket until Watch Out a couple of years later).
 
It was definitely a re-record. The commercial was the first version of the song I fell in love with, and I remember being disappointed in the South of the Border version because it sounded so different.
 
Seeing how early that was, I'd tend to think it was primarily session musicians since there wasn't even an official TJB yet. It most likely was Wechter on marimba since the first Baja album would be released the same year as South of the Border. (And I don't know if there was an official Baja until they were a few albums into it--we wouldn't see the real band on the jacket until Watch Out a couple of years later).
I probably should have said "PRE BMB" but nevertheless I knew it was the session musicians but still what I was saying is its possible the flute and marimba combination might have been a coincidence for what would become the trademark BMB sound later on.
 
Thanx for the replies...consensus is the commercial is a re-recording...I need to go back and re-record my commentary on my podcast. I also say Mexican Shuffle is the only TjB tune not recorded in stereo...well, I mean LP cuts, as there are of course 45-only recordings. But just for the record, have we ever heard "officially" that the commercial is a separate recording?
 
I also say Mexican Shuffle is the only TjB tune not recorded in stereo...well, I mean LP cuts, as there are of course 45-only recordings.
In the "raw audio" recording from the BBC Herb Alpert documentary, Herb is asked about that. He said that it was originally recorded in stereo but the multitrack tapes had been lost, hence all releases of it these days are in mono.

He talks a little about the Teaberry Shuffle thing, but he dwells mostly on the deal they made with Clark to use the song, and how it helped get the Brass' foot in the door -- he never mentions any re-recording. But even a casual listen reveals major differences between the two.
 
Personally, I've always thought that something ugly happened to the "Mexican Shuffle" stereo master. It could be any number of things.

Some wild theories:
- the tape was broken in handling before being backed up and not reparable.
- someone's cigarette was accidentally flicked at the tape, melting it.
- someone spilled a Coke or cup of coffee on the tape.
- and maybe it was just lost. I find that harder to believe that it was lost before it was ever used. But stranger things have happened.

The mono tape was likely untouched and was then slightly electronically channeled for the stereo album.

With nearly sixty years since it was recorded and no real stories coming forth, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
Or it could have been like "The Second Arrangement" by Steely Dan, which was recorded for the Gaucho album. An assistant engineer recorded over the multitracks. They attempted re-recording it but didn't like the remake, so they scrapped it.
 
Remember too that in 1963-64, stereo albums were still somewhat outliers. Most people had mono record players or hi-fi consoles. So an odd song that's not quite full stereo wouldn't be all that noticed. The stereo record cost a buck more, so the track had to at least have *some* sort of stereo about it.

Look at the stereo version of the Beatles' A HARD DAY'S NIGHT as released by United Artists in the US. The instrumental underscore pieces were true stereo, but the Beatles tracks from the film were all mono, re-jiggered to sound like stereo. It fooled people for years.
 
Remember too that in 1963-64, stereo albums were still somewhat outliers. Most people had mono record players or hi-fi consoles. So an odd song that's not quite full stereo wouldn't be all that noticed. The stereo record cost a buck more, so the track had to at least have *some* sort of stereo about it.

Look at the stereo version of the Beatles' A HARD DAY'S NIGHT as released by United Artists in the US. The instrumental underscore pieces were true stereo, but the Beatles tracks from the film were all mono, re-jiggered to sound like stereo. It fooled people for years.
I for one Remember the Beatles Hard days Night situation when EMI/Capitol bought The United artists group Eventually They Fixed that soundtrack and replaced the Fake Stereo Tracks with the Real ones and Left the instrumental pieces intact To me it was and is A wonderful but very much needed and long awaited correction
 
Clark released a "Teaberry Shuffle" single with four different versions of the tune. None of them were by Herb/TJB.
 
Clark released a "Teaberry Shuffle" single with four different versions of the tune. None of them were by Herb/TJB.
Yes, and they eventually started using a fake version in their commercials. Also, I have a vocal group doing ba-ba-ba "lyrics" to the tune and calling it the Cinnamon Shuffle, since I guess that was Clark's latest addition to the gum line. Can't recall who at the moment...Johnny Mann Singers maybe?
 
Yes, and they eventually started using a fake version in their commercials. Also, I have a vocal group doing ba-ba-ba "lyrics" to the tune and calling it the Cinnamon Shuffle, since I guess that was Clark's latest addition to the gum line. Can't recall who at the moment...Johnny Mann Singers maybe?
OK, I looked it up, it was them...only it was da-da-da not ba-ba-ba. T-Bones did an instrumental Cinna-mint Shuffle too. (I need the hyphen because somebody ...my computer?...this site?...keeps changing it to Cinnamon). Should have remembered, got the LP on both.
 
Back
Top Bottom