WARM by TJB

[nativo]

I was just thumbing through old records at the Goodwill and ended up buying another copy of Something Festive (in good condition...not mint though)...and
Warm by Herb Alpert and the TJB....i always wanted to hear that album because i was curious about hearing the vocal hit song "Without Her"....and also his version of Pretty World. ...and others...etc.. but right now i have been sort of in the middle of breaking up with someone....i find that song beautiful.....(i could do without the dramatic interlude's) but the vocal invokes an emotional response for somebody like me (who is trying to decide whether or not he should break off a one year relationship with someone that he really loves....but fights with an awful lot.) The Pretty World song really struck me at the beginning but then i found it too slow.....now i am sinking in to liking it slow and reliving the memories of the more sprightly Brasil '66 version.....which came out first? I am curious....i think of Alpert's version as almost a memorial to the other version....I liked the Sea is My Soil....cuz i was totally not expecting to hear an instrumental of what Mendes did vocally with it in the late 70's on the album "Horizonte Aberto."

So my concensus is that i like the album.....and i have enjoyed listening to it....and i will probably listen to it a few more times....and it gets shelved for future listening.

jim

 

[nativo]

That song on "Horizonte Aberto" that was also on the Warm album by Herb Alpert & TJB was not a vocal ...i rethought that one and realize that it was an instrumental...

j

 

[Harry]

Warm seems to be a fan favorite around here, in no small part due to the excellent rendition of "The Sea Is My Soil". As for Sergio, he recorded the song twice, once as you mentioned on Horizonte Aberto, but also more than a decade earlier on the Atlantic release of My Favorite Things. Doesn't matter though - Herb nailed it. No other versions necessary - ever!

I wonder how we fans would view the Warm album if it didn't include "The Sea Is My Soil."

Harry
...pondering 'what ifs', online...

 

[Rudy]

I think I'd still like it. Although I wonder what song would have replaced it.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

If I recall correctly, "Pretty World" was released as a single a few weeks before "Warm" came out. "Warm" and "Crystal Illusions"(the Mendes LP containing "Pretty World") are 7 catalog numbers apart ("Warm" is SP-4190, "Crystal Illusions" is SP-4197), so they may have been shipped the same week.

But remember that A&M was a small company at the time. Herb probably heard "Pretty World" in several forms (writer's demo, rehearsals, early takes by Sergio) before it was released to the public and (much like Richard Carpenter having been exposed to Carole King's "It's Going To Take Some Time" while Carole was recording "Music" at A&M) decided he could take it another direction. My bet is that Herb's version was recorded before even the single of "Pretty World" hit the streets.

---Michael Hagerty
NP: "Warm" (in my brain at my desk at work), online.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Interesting question, Harry. WARM without "Sea" would be like GOING PLACES without "Tijuana Taxi." There's plenty of other good stuff there, but without the distinctive kickoff, either one would suffer, I think.

Although I think WARM would suffer more than GP would. There's not a clinker anywhere in that whole album.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

I agree..."The Sea Is My Soil" is the mood-setter for the entire LP.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[nativo]

Well...you guys certainly answered my question...

Emotionally drained,
j

 

[Brasil_Nut]

My Father was a completest when it came to his audio collection. However, two titles that eluded him were Sounds Like and Warm. It wasn't until my teenage years that both albums found their way into our collection.

It took me a while to warm up to Herb's version of "Pretty World" -- I was so used to Sergio's treatment of the song. Herb's arrangement took me off guard, although I've grown to like it with time.

Jon

 

[daveK]

The more I've listened to WARM over the past 25 years, the more I've grown to love it. It remains my second favorite TJB album after "Going Places". I think there are 5 perfect TJB albums where every song is essential. The others are THE LONELY BULL, WHIPPED CREAM and WHAT NOW MY LOVE. I guess "The Sea Is My Soil" is my favorite track on WARM too, barely edging out "To Wait For Love". It's hard to imagine WARM without "Sea" but if it weren't on there, and there were only 10 tracks instead of 11, I'm sure I would still consider it a masterpiece. I'm surprised that WARM hasn't been cited as a more influential album in pop culture than it is. It's a shame that the TJB's success was waning by the time Herb hit this high watermark. I still think it would make a great Verve-By-Request reissue in one of those beautiful cardboard digi-paks.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I used to flat-out hate Warm because I thought it was just too much of an EZ listening album. I still think of it somewhat in those terms, but since hearing of others opinions of this album I tend to like it a bit more. I still can't take too much of Herb's singing, though. I do like "Sea Is My Soil", but I like "Marjorine" and "Zazueira" a lot more.

By the way Jim, if you're going to fight that much with your woman you may as well marry her and get it out of your system!


Capt. Bacardi
...single and lovin' it online...

 

[Dave]

Well, I love my WARM very much! I have a copy I just bought for $1.00 and it plays excellent. I have TO WAIT FOR LOVE on a '45' w/ Picture Sleeve and even WITHOUT HER/SANDBOX on a '45', also w/ Picture Sleeve. I agree that a few tracks ARE a bit too EZ listening: "Girl Talk", "Zazuieria", "Warm" and "Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da" (though the chorus is neat!).

Or to put it the way MY ex- said it "it sounds like something old folks at a nursing home listening to".

Dave

...who would've married my ex- and "gotten it over with", but we'd divorce just as quickly...

 

[manifan]

I hope that when I do eventually end up in a nursing home I'll be lucky enough to hear the "Warm" LP...heck, I'd take any Herb Alpert music at all...

...and btw, I LOVE "Girl Talk"!



Queen of EZ listening -- Elena

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Take a nice, sunny but not hot Southern California morning...a little fog hanging just offshore.

Get a convertible, get about midway between Malibu and Zuma beach, put the top down and play "Girl Talk"...

Nursing home? Naah.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[nativo]

hehe....

Yeah....think i'd rather stay "single" then tie any knots any time soon....Hey, i'd like to end up in a nursing home at an old age listening to WARM....(with all of my body parts in tact!! Youch!!

Thanks Cap,
j