The Grass Roots - Let's Live For Today

Dunhill 4084, 1967

A recent score - it's pretty hard to find an original copy (with the radio mix) in good shape these days.

This single marks the beginning of the band's v2.0 phase (Creed's debut on lead guitar, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barry moving on to just producing). For '60s pop, this is about as close to perfect as it gets.



Brilliant use of minor chords in the chorus.

Digable Planets - Where I'm From

Elektra 64674, 1992


Here's proof that mainstream 45s were still being pressed in the '90s, though I can't imagine who would have bought them (especially when cassingles were so readily available).

This features the '7" mix', which seems to be the same edit/mix used for the video.

Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Light Reflected Off The Oceands Of The Moon

Epic 14-03190, 1982
 
A non-LP instrumental track on the B-side of "Ice Cream For Crow", which I guess makes this the last thing he released before completely disappearing from the music world.

Fans will notice this is actually "Hey Garland I Dig Your Tweed Coat", sans vocal, with CB working some serious saxophone damage instead.

The Walker Brothers - Love Her

Smash S-1976, 1965
 
Their second single follows the Phil Spector Wall Of Sound Playbook almost to the letter: song by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, orchestration by Jack Nitzsche... the only thing missing is the gun-toting lunatic himself. Instead, the producer is Nick Venet (Beach Boys, Frank Zappa). Pretty slick.

What really stands out here is Scott Walker's lead vocal. The guy was amazing from the very start, making real fire with an otherwise pedestrian pop tune (I doubt Mann & Weil were in the habit of giving away A-list material to unknowns).