WHO NAILED IT? #1 - "Love Music"

[Mike Blakesley]

This will be a new series of topics where we can discuss and debate who gave a particular song its definitive version. Our staff will put up the song title, and list the most popular/well known versions. The only "requirement" is that one of the artists involved must have been an A&M act at some point.

First up is the first song that Sergio Mendes covered after he left A&M. "Love Music" was released on the Bell label, and was also covered by the Four Tops and Paul Revere & the Raiders.

So....."Who nailed it?" Or did somebody else do it even better?

 

[Harry]

I've never heard any other version other than Sergio's so my vote would have to go to his. I was unaware that ANYBODY had ever done another version!

Harry

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I've never heard the Paul Revere version. I think they were first out of the gate with the song -- not sure though. I have the Four Tops version on a "Songs of Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter" compilation that I made up. (Which is a really good compilation!) The Tops version is definitely more soulful, but the Mendes version is more catchy to me.

 

[JMK]

I posted a link to the Paul Revere version here quite some time ago.

 

[Steven J. Gross]

I posted a link to the Paul Revere version here quite some time ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdV8llwl0fw

 

[JMK]

Well, since this topic seems to be dying a slow, malingering death (LOL), I'll chime in with some thoughts. This is one of two Sergio songs (the other being Gone Forever) that frankly for me had WTF--how was this not a major hit? written all over it. I heard this tune for the first time on my car radio when I was a kid, coming in right before the Rhodes solo. I thought then, "Wow, this sure sounds like Sergio, but who's that singing?" I remember the DJ back announced it and said it was Brasil '77, adding "They're sure looking toward the future, aren't they?"

All of this said, it's probably no surprise I like Sergio's version best, though it suffers from the whole Bell era over glossiness. In fact if you listen to the Four Tops' version, theirs almost sounds like a demo for Sergio's version--rougher, grittier sounding. I do love the little touches Sergio puts in, notably in the intro where the Ab 6/4 to Bb 6/4 riff (over an F bass) suddenly has the added Bb (sus 4) to G (added 6th) in the second 8. Fantastic percussion in this one, especially the guiro.

 

[Dave]

Four Tops...! First version I'd heard...

Rough 'n' gritty, and although Sergio & Brasil '77 (and here at The Corner is where I was made aware of their version, and just found out about Paul Revere & The Raiders) do give it a more refined & polished groove, rough 'n' gritty is the way...!



Dave

 

[Harry]

I'm with Jeff here. I too always thought that both "Gone Forever" and "Love Music" had the potential to be huge hit records. They were both incredibly readio-friendly with their great "hooks", and yet neither went anywhere.

I envision a nearly-parallel universe somewhere where these two WERE huge hits!

Harry

 

[Mike Blakesley]

The first time I heard Sergio's version was on the radio -- KGHL, a station in Billings that played "adult contemporary" music. I wrote them a letter saying I liked the song, and they mailed me a 45 of it. (B/W "Walk the Way You Talk," also a good tune.)

 

[AM Matt]

I picked The Four Tops version. Raiders "Love Music" went to # 97 (Hot 100) back in February of 1973. Also Lloyd Price from 1972, the late Percy Faith & His Orchestra (from 1975 "Disco Party") & Rare Earth (from 1978 "Band Together") also recorded the song. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[AM Matt]

Sergio Mendes & Brazil '77 "Love Music" went to # 113 (Billboard's Bubbling Under) & # 24 (Billboard's Adult Contemporary) back in April of 1973. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[afcorsel]

This album was a surprise. I was still missing Karen Phillipp, and I didn't particularly like all the double tracking and overdubbing Gracinha and Bonnie did on this LP. Overall I think "Love Music' was an attempt back at the commercial stuff, after the sales of "Primal Roots" was low. All that being said, Bonnie's lead on the 'Love Music' track is quite good. I really enjoyed the unison she and Gracinha did at the end of the song. It reminded me of Karen and Lani, and frankly I wish they had done more of that on this album and later LP's..

So bottom line? I vote for Bonnie and Gracinha's version!!!

 

[Dave]

Paul Revere & The Raiders "Love Music" went to # 97 (Hot 100) back in February of 1973. Also Lloyd Price from 1972, the late Percy Faith & His Orchestra (from 1975 "Disco Party") & Rare Earth (from 1978 "Band Together") also recorded the song.

Hmmmm..., also-ran's, those ones, there...! Otherwise may be worthy to include Percy Faith, Lloyd Price and Rare Earth them in the survey, although Raiders' version is the only one of the above I recently played (and is on the list, too) along with the two other "best knowns"...



Dave

 

[JMK]

Percy was a big Sergio fan. Percy was also one of the first "easy listening" masters to popularize latin music, going back to his many Top 10 albums in the 1950s like Viva! Though he himself wasn't fond of the album, I very highly recommend "Black Magic Woman," his one outing with producer Richard Perry (whom Percy didn't especially like). There are some fantastic arrangements on that album, including a great Reza.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

"Gone Forever" goes down as one of my favorite "Karen" vocals. It shows Sergio's amazing ear for bringing the Brasil '66 sound into the Brasil '77 era.

Jon

 

[Dave]

Think we need more "Nailed It" songs... Elton John's "Your Song" although no one ever recorded it for A&M is one I can think of...

Here's Lloyd Price "Nailing?" this one:




-- Dave

 

[JMK]

Sergio made Cash Box's Top 100 (if only barely) with this:

http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/19730519.html

 

[AM Matt]

I do like The Four Tops version of "Love Music" as well as their version of "Put A Little Love Away" (also covered by Maureen McGovern & Rock Flowers). I also liked The Four Tops version of "Remember What I Told You To Forget" over Tavares 1975 version. All 3 songs from their "Keeper Of The Castle" 1972 album. "Keeper Of The Castle" was released back in 1985 or 1986 as a twofer on the Motown label BUT out of print since 1988 & "Keeper Of The Castle" has not been seen since on CD. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Rudy]

(B/W "Walk the Way You Talk," also a good tune.)

The Bacharach/David song, or someone else's?

 

[AM Matt]

Also The Emotions did "Put A Little Love Away" (Volt Records) in 1974. Matt Clark Sanford, MI