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Monday, October 20, 2008

Early Non-Beatles Beatles #2



Hello again everybody. Here's another lovely hunk of American faux-Merseybeat, post-65 division.

Many of you pop fans know something written and recorded by the Merry-Go-Round, even if you don't know the band. Maybe you've clamped your ears to "Live," which the Bangles covered on their first album, or "Time Will Show the Wiser," recorded by Fairport Convention.

The four-piece M-G-R, featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Emitt Rhodes, had two #1s in their native Los Angeles in 1966 ("Live" and "You're a Very Lovely Woman"), necessities both to a well-rounded mid-60s American pop-rock collection.

Unfortunately despite matinee-idol looks, TV appearances, and decent distribution from A&M Records, the band couldn't follow up their initial two-hit punch, and soon fragmented, leaving Rhodes, still a teenager, to embark on an abortive (but good) solo career and 40 years of obscurity.

Rev-ola released the Merry-Go-Round's entire output on one CD a couple of years ago. It's a Don't Miss, as they used to say.

Here's a more obscure track, "Missing You," from one of the band's later, unsuccessful 45s. Hard to tell here if Emitt Rhodes is more effectively channeling Lennon or McCartney; he's sort of in the middle. The treated piano and chugging chorus tempo are right out of the Fabs' 1966 program, while the lovely melody is sweeter than fresh apples.

I hope you enjoy. More info here.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love that I'm still learning about wonderful music from you, Stu, 20 years and 9,000 or so miles from when/where we first met!

6:50 PM, October 20, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm thinking the lead singer was a big Peter Noone fan, since that's what I'm hearing in his voice. There's a flip--usually the Brits tried to sound American, but obviously during the British Invasion, we tried to sound like 'them'. Sweet song...love the faux harpsichord-y thing.

8:23 PM, October 20, 2008

 
Blogger Stuart Shea said...

Let the record show, Anne, that you got me into EBTG, the Smiths, Carmel, and the Continental Drifters! xo

11:03 AM, October 21, 2008

 
Blogger Derek See said...

Emmit is one of the most underrated musiciansof any period. He was remarkable in Merry Go Round as well as on his own.

8:58 PM, October 22, 2008

 
Blogger IncaRoads said...

So pleased to see how your musical tastes have evolved so wonderfully, Stu! IMHO, Emmit is a musical God on the same level as David Axelrod, Curt Boettcher and Bob Markley.

Barry

2:58 PM, November 06, 2008

 
Blogger Bob Purse said...

This actually reminds me more of the Monkees than either the Beatles or Peter Noone. That's because of the vocal, but also because of the production on the piano and the structure of the song and the arrangement. I keep waiting for it to go into another song - a specific one, which I can't quite recall.

1:33 PM, November 20, 2008

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Bob Economous is my brother. He was a wonderful man, musician and song writer. Today is his birthday and he would've been 64. We (my sisters Delores, Margo and I) would like to thank those who left such nice comments about "In My Dreams". Bob would've been thrilled and we are most appreciative. :)

Christina (Economous) Guinn

8:46 AM, July 09, 2009

 

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