Whistle Song "Video"

[Captain Bacardi]

After a long wait and finally finding some free time I made a little "video" of the original 45 of "Whistle Song" that came out in '75. Some people had asked me to do this so here 'tis (thanks to Steve for the Vince Charles shot!):




Capt. Bacardi

 

[mikeargo]

All I can say is: Wow! I've never heard this before. But I'm sure gonna hear it again some more, I garontee!

Thanks, Cap'm!

Mike A.

 

[Harry]

Thanks Captain. I've never seen that picture sleeve before - didn't know there WAS one! But I've always preferred this version to the LOST TREASURES mix.

Harry

 

[jimbob]

I also prefer this version to the one on LT. Love the piano at the 1:00 mark and the steel drum sure adds a nice touch......out of the ordinary TJB sound. As Herb said at Montreux---we're not in Tijuana anymore!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Thanks Captain. I've never seen that picture sleeve before - didn't know there WAS one! But I've always preferred this version to the LOST TREASURES mix.

The pic sleeve is actually from a German 45 for the song. I just happened to see it at a record show a few years back and snatched it up.

I like both versions for different reasons. I grew up hearing the 45 on WGN radio in Chicago. One of the DJs (I forget his name) loved Herb's music and played it on his talk show a lot. The 45 fits nicely with the Coney Island album, and I included it on my CD-R as a bonus track.

On the other hand, the version on Lost Treasures is a bit more of an extended jam and a bit livelier, although I wish Herb would've kept the steel drum out in front (you can still faintly hear it in the background).


Capt. Bacardi

 

[abstract_fan]

Thank you and nice job Captain.

 

[bob knack]

That WGN DJ might have been Wally Phillips. Otherwise, maybe Clif Mercer. Wally always seemed to get Herb's new releases ahead of everyone else. There was a record store called Deluxe Music that always had the TJB and Baja records before anyone. If I heard it on Wally's show, I'd take the Irving Park Road trolley bus West to"six corners" and I'd have the new LP before anyone. Everyone else in my peer group was buying Beatles records.

 

[martin]

Thank you so much. Great to hear the original version. Makes more "sense" in a way, than the Lost Treasure version, even though I like that one too.

- greetings from the north -
Martin

 

[Captain Bacardi]

That WGN DJ might have been Wally Phillips.

Yes! Wally Phillips is who I was thinking of. I remember every March 31st he would do a birthday show featuring Herb's music, and he would play things other than the usual "hits". I first heard "El Bimbo", "Fire And Rain" and "Whistle Song" on his show. Ah, the great days of AM radio....



Capt. Bacardi

 

[bob knack]

Wally had a Saturday morning show too. When Going Places came out, he played pretty much the whole album that day. Wally was very influential. Before him, Eddie Hubbard had that AM drive shift, and was responsible for "breaking" many hits like Peg of My Heart by I think, The Harmonicats or The Three Sons. All the other music stations would only play instrumentals, backtimed, to lead into the station ID and newscast at the top of the hour. If you wanted to hear Herb or another pop instrumental, there, you would just tune in a couple minutes before each hour. Usually with the DJ talking over most of it.

 

[Charles H.]

I have a promotion copy of the record and it's not b/w "Carmine." Instead, there is a stereo version on one side and a mono version on the other.

"Whistle Song" is a very engaging tune that should have been included on the "Coney Island" album (although it's already loaded with twelve other nice tracks). The "Lost Treasures" version is about a minute longer and also has a lot of appeal.

On "LT" it's called "Whistlestar" only, while on the 45 single, it's known primarily as "Whistle Song" (with "Whistlestar" in parentheses and smaller print just below). Does anyone know why Cat Stevens gave it two titles?

Charles

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I think Herb is the one who dubbed it "Whistle Song" on the single. It's not the first time that's happened. On the You Smile album the song "Song For Herb" was actually "Seasons" on Pete Jolly's album of the same name.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Harry]

And then there's "Warm" and "Baja Nova", and even two by Herb with different names: "Winds Of Barcelona" and "El Presidente".

Harry

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

On "LT" it's called "Whistlestar" only, while on the 45 single, it's known primarily as "Whistle Song" (with "Whistlestar" in parentheses and smaller print just below). Does anyone know why Cat Stevens gave it two titles?

Charles

Some thoughts. I don't believe that Cat gave it two titles. Searching it out on ASCAP, I found it listed as "Whistlestar" and a variation as "Whistle Star." Cat and Herb are the only listed performers. It it not uncommon for renaming, and we have seen it for years. So, I would say that it is reasonable to think that Herb renamed it.

The LT booklet reveals Herb's memory glitch about the tune, saying, "But I don't remember why it never came out." Of course, we know that the single came out and has a 1975 copyright notice on it.

 

[Dave]

Well, regardless of whether this is "Whistle SONG" or "Whistle STAR", it's sure not "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" (not that, that song is bad), to name one song that's all "whistling"...

I like Herb's take on this song a lot--especially the "Lonely Bull" noises in the background!--now bring us a Coney Island reissue w/ those "lost '45's" as Bonus Cuts!


-- Dave

 

[Mr Bill]

"Sundown" and "Muskrat Love." Of course, Herb & Lani changed the lyrics, probably because the "muskrat" lyrics seemed way too silly. I'm sure they were shocked when a year or so later fellow A&M artists Captain & Tennille had a hit with it with the muskrat lyrics!