The Caravelles: The Last One To Know

[Adam Blake]

Procrastinating today as usual, thinking about that brief moment, somewhere in 1963, when British Pop turned from black and white to colour. As always, I am fascinated by records on the cusp of that change. I know Hugh, Norman, Andy M and Pete Fowler amongst others will know what I mean. Here's a fine example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQH80wph ... ture=share

However much The Shirelles or The Chiffons might want to break my heart, I know that the sirens sound like The Caravelles. They take me back to my earliest musical memories, and whenever I hear them I can't help but daydream...

[AndyM]

To be honest, I find their voices rather sinister. Too close in harmonies, claustrophobic.

[Adam Blake]

Well, Andy, different strokes and all that.

Here's another from that little window in time:

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

And another - a Lennon throwaway, complete with irregular phrase lengths and an Arthur Alexander ending. This is very close to being completely on the other side of the dusty red velvet curtain while the 'B' side is a terrible Isleys cover, which puts it out of reach of the variety show in black and white at the end of the pier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoAr8Dcm-5M

[Hugh Weldon]

Well the Caravelles were unknown to me too, while I kind of understand Andy's 'sinister' comment it's a record with a bit of class certainly. The sort of thing that gets you wondering how it was put together, how they got that piano sound, did they want that piano sound etc. I'm not saying it spoils it, but an unnecessary embellishment? Tempted of course to search for similar examples now...

[Adam Blake]

Tempted of course to search for similar examples now...

I was hoping you would be, Hugh. That pre-"She Loves You", post-Profumo, pre-miniskirt, post-brylcreem moment when something happened in England (if not the whole of Britain).

[john poole]

I recently found this clip of the Caravelles and their one and only hit (probably filmed a few years later than the record's release in 1963 I suspect)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l87JGkBBglc

http://www.readysteadygirls.eu/#/caravelles/4580629834
http://www.secondhandsongs.com/work/113 ... nav-entity

[Adam Blake]

Thanks, John, that's lovely - but funny how the A side hit sounds so much more of the 50s than the B side I posted above.

[uiwangmike]

The sort of thing that gets you wondering how it was put together, how they got that piano sound, did they want that piano sound etc.

And who had the idea of transforming this in the first place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGJ45n6Ofpg

[NormanD]

That pre-"She Loves You", post-Profumo, pre-miniskirt, post-brylcreem moment when something happened in England (if not the whole of Britain).

That's my time of growing up: starting to read "Private Eye", getting interested in politics, listening to rhythm and blues on scratchy French radio stations, hearing blues occasionally and for the first time, hoping for something better than Helen, Craig and The Shadows.....

As much as I like their hit, The Caravelles were - sadly to say - not that special. Fun to hear for a few minutes, but about as fun as the most fanciable poshy Louise Cordet, the snooty girl from the girls' grammar school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua0D5l1PC_0

[john poole]

who had the idea of transforming this in the first place

The Ready Steady Girls site above notes that the guitarist Tony Pitt found the song and gave the Caravelles the sheet music. I think this is my favourite version amongst those I have heard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxqXOgL4j7E
song co-written by Bob Merrill who epitomised the non-rocking 50s with his name on most (if not all) of Guy Mitchell's hits.

The producer Harry Robinson (aka "Lord Rockingham") placed a song he had co-written - 'The Last One to Know' on the-B side - he would later write string arrangements for Sandy Denny and Nick Drake's 'River Man'
http://www.45cat.com/record/f11697

[john poole]

about as fun as the most fanciable poshy Louise Cordet

That would be much fun I think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3f-QKjdkM8
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=17196&hilit=cordet

http://www.readysteadygirls.eu/#/louise ... 4567218032

[Adam Blake]

Louise Cordet?? Prince Philip's God-daughter??? Time for a bit of class war, I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyYCFCnJ6xU

[Adam Blake]

John, I never knew that Harry Robinson was Lord Rockingham! Fantastic. Thank you.

[NormanD]

about as fun as the most fanciable poshy Louise Cordet

That would be much fun I think.

Even more so in French, especially with the exam looming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGJvq8cZq5c

[Adam Blake]

Any relation to Charlotte who murdered Jean-Paul Marat in his bath? (I told you she was a counter-revolutionary.)