Tuesday, April 29, 2008

1910 Fruitgum Company

1968至1970年期間,歐西樂壇出現了一股Bubblegum Music (吹波糖音樂)熱潮,造就了一批憑藉演譯這類型歌曲而短期走紅的樂隊組合。其中最為當年港澳地區歐西流行樂迷認識的,相信那必定是以灌唱一曲"Simon Says"而成名的美國新澤西州樂隊1910 Fruitgum Company


1910 Fruitgum CompanyBuddah唱片公司兩位製作人Jerry KasenetzJeffry Katz一手創成,他們徵用了一班不知名的唱片錄音室樂手,大堆頭形式灌錄了好些輕量級節奏與歌詞內容空洞的流行歌曲。樂隊初期和後期的成員變動極大,這包括了 Mark Gutkowski (主唱、琴鍵及和音結他)、Frank Jeckell (主音結他)、Steve Mortkowitz 、Pat Karwan (低音結他)、Floyd Marcus (鼓手)、Chuck Travis (主音結他及伴唱)、Bruce Shay (敲擊及伴唱)、Rusty Oppenheimer (鼓手及伴唱)、Larry Ripley (低音結他、管樂及伴唱)、Mick Mansuelo、Dennis Kubala及Ken Mileaf,而另一支同類型樂隊Ohio Express的主音歌手Joey Levine,亦有在早期的1910 Fruitgum Company隊伍中兼任主唱。

1968年1月,他們的首張七吋唱片《Simon Says.Reflections From The Looking Glass》面世,其主打曲"Simon Says"旋即如火箭般升上全美Single流行曲榜亞軍、Billboard榜殿軍、及英國榜冠軍。同年7月份推出的"1, 2, 3, Red Light"及1969年1月份的"Indian Giver",皆攀升至Billboard榜第五位。同樣地,這三首加上隨後的"Yummy, Yummy, Yummy"、"Special Delivery"及"When We Get Married",在筆者的記憶中,都是廣被昔日港澳樂迷所喜愛及電台DJ們常播的歌曲,而筆者尤其欣賞他們少有的慢板作品"When We Get Married"。另外一點令我輩樂迷印象深刻的,就是當年坊間的舞會派對常客,在跟隨着他們這類型的「吹波糖」節拍樂曲起舞時,往往說成是在跳「水撥騷」;眾讀者如有不明之處,可點擊下列貼上的第二篇"Simon Says"音樂短片及留意出現於片中約2:31 - 2:36時段的畫面。

1969年下旬,1910 Fruitgum Company於完成了《Hard Ride》這LP後宣佈解體。其短暫的兩年樂隊壽命中,他們共灌錄了五張LP及超過十張的7吋SP╱EP,然而最後的兩張LP《Indian Giver》及《Hard Ride》,卻竟是由與先前完全不相同的樂隊成員所灌錄。

筆者擁有他們的黑膠唱片及CD不多,只有一張1968年出版的《Goody Goody Gum Drops》LP及兩張90年代的CD:《Bubblegum Goodies》及《A Golden Classics Edition》,曲目內容如下。


Goody Goody Gum Drops         (Buddah Records - 1968╱BDS 5027)


Side 1
  1. Goody Goody Gumdrops    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  2. Liza    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  3. Mr. Cupid    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  4. Hot Diggity Dog    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  5. Hook, Line and Sinker    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
Side 2
  1. Dee-Licious    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  2. Please Me, Tease Men    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  3. (Play Our Song) Mr. Music Man    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  4. A, B, C, I Love You    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  5. Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  6. Polly-Wally-Doo-Da-Day    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
1910 Fruitgum Co..Bubblegum Goodies      (Victor Entertainment - 1994╱4988002289561)


  1. Simon Says    (Elliot Chiprut)
  2. May I Take A Giant Step (Into Your Heart)    (Elliot Chiprut)
  3. Reflections From The Looking Glass    (Frank JeckellMark GutkowskiTed Gutkowski)
  4. Soul Struttin'    (Marty ThauTony Orlando)
  5. (Poor Old) Mr. Jensen    (David Taxin.Jeffry KatzJerry Kasenetz)
  6. Bubblegum World    (Floyd Marcus)
  7. Pop Goes The Weasel    (Elliot Chiprut)
  8. 1, 2, 3, Red Light    (Bobbi Trimachi.Sal Trimachi)
  9. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy    (Arthur ResnickJoey Levine)
  10. The Mighty Quinn    (Bob Dylan)
  11. The Song Song    (Gary Willet.Steve Dworken)
  12. 9, 10, Let's Do It Again    (Sal Trimachi)
  13. Goody Goody Gumdrops    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  14. (Play Our Song) Mr. Music Man    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  15. A, B, C, I Love You    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  16. Indian Giver    (Bo GentryBobby BloomRitchie Cordell)
  17. Special Delivery    (Bo GentryBobby Bloom)
  18. No Good Annie    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzMark GutkowskiTed Gutkowski)
  19. 1910 Cotton Candy Castle     (Sal Trimachi)
  20. The Train    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzRitchie Cordell)
  21. When We Get Married    (J. J. Woods.Ritchie Cordell)
  22. Baby Bret    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzRitchie Cordell)
  23. Don't Have To Run And Hide    (Mark GutkowskiTed Gutkowski)
  24. Creations Of Simon    (Jerry Roth.Richie Gomez.Ted Gutkowski)
1910 Fruitgum Co..A Golden Classics Edition      (Collectables Records - 1994╱90431053423)


  1. Simon Says    (Elliot Chiprut)
  2. Pop Goes The Weasel    (Elliot Chiprut)
  3. May I Take A Giant Step (Into Your Heart)    (Elliot Chiprut)
  4. Bubblegum World    (Floyd Marcus)
  5. Special Delivery    (Bo GentryBobby Bloom)
  6. The Train    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzRitchie Cordell)
  7. When We Get Married    (J. J. Woods.Ritchie Cordell)
  8. 1, 2, 3, Red Light    (Bobbi Trimachi.Sal Trimachi)
  9. Sticky, Sticky    (Jeffry KatzJerry Kasenetz)
  10. Goody Goody Gumdrops    (Billy CarlJeffry KatzJerry KasenetzReid Whitelaw)
  11. Indian Giver    (Bo GentryBobby BloomRitchie Cordell)
  12. The Mighty Quinn    (Bob Dylan)
  13. Reflections From The Looking Glass    (Frank JeckellMark GutkowskiTed Gutkowski)
  14. (Poor Old) Mr. Jensen    (David Taxin.Jeffry KatzJerry Kasenetz)
  15. Candy Kisses    (Billy Carl.Gary Willet.Reid Whitelaw.Steve Dworken)
  16. No Good Annie    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzMark GutkowskiTed Gutkowski)
  17. Baby Bret    (Jeffry KatzJerry KasenetzRitchie Cordell)
一些被上載至Youtube網站的1910 Fruitgum Company歌曲短片。

"Simon Says"





"May I Take A Giant Step (Into Your Heart)"


"Bubblegum World"


"1, 2, 3, Red Light"


"Goody Goody Gumdrops"


"Indian Giver"


"Yummy, Yummy, Yummy"


"The Train"


"Special Delivery"


"Reflections From The Looking Glass"



I'm Gonna Take You To A Place Where Everyone Is Treated The Same
Don't Worry 'Bout Them Asking Of Your Creed, Nationality Or Name
In This Place It Doesn't Matter If You're Wrong Or Right
Or If You Can Hear And Talk And Have Normal Sight

In This Place You Get What You Lacked On Earth
Of Pleasure And Leisure And Love
A New Rebirth
It Doesn't Take Long And Believe Me You'll Get There Fast
And Once You Get there Bury The Past

Once You Get There, There'll Be No Need Of Escape.
You Do What You Want And What You Want You Just Take
No Crying, Hatered, Greed Or Shame
No Reputation To Develop No Need To Acquire Fame

In This Place You Get What You Lacked On Earth,
Of Pleasure And Leisure And Love
A New Rebirth
It Doesn't Take Long And Believe Me You'll Get There Fast
And Once You Get There Bury The Past

"Don't Have To Run And Hide"


"When We Get Married"

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Yellow River - Christie

One Hit Wonder這被翻譯成「一曲歌王」的英文名詞,相信對於昔日七十年代的港澳地區歐西流行樂迷而言,以灌唱"Yellow River"後一炮成名的英國樂隊Christie,絕對是該年代最為經典的One Hit Wonder例子。

出生於英國列斯市(Leeds City)的Jeff Christie 是"Yellow River"的原作者,他作了這曲後,本是打算提供給The Tremeloes灌錄的。當時The Tremeloes的和音結他手Alan Blakely及其弟Mike Blakely聽了他自行演譯的示範版後,認定了"Yellow River"應可成為一首受歡迎的歌曲及Jeff Christie是擁有足夠灌錄該曲的聲線。但因The Tremeloes遲遲未有計劃灌錄其本身的版本,Jeff Christine於是決定立刻組合自己的樂隊,由他本人主唱及兼低音結他手, Mike Blakely為鼓手及Vic Elmes任主音結他手兼伴唱,並以其姓氏Chrstine作為樂隊的正式名字。其時更為了令歌曲能率先推出,他被說服採用了由The Tremeloes作配樂伴奏的聲道,加入他和Vic Elmes的合唱聲音後,由英國CBS發行首版的"Yellow River"七吋黑膠Single於1970年5月遂倉猝地正式面世,背面配襯歌曲刞是"Down The Mississippi Line"。同年後期,該兩曲並被收錄於他們首張及以《Yellow River》為名稱的LP內。

LP的曲目內容如下:

Side 1

  1. Yellow River
  2. Gotta Be Free
  3. I’ve Got A Feeling
  4. New York City
  5. Inside Looking Out
  6. Put Your Money Down

Side 2

  1. Down The Mississippi Line
  2. San Bernadine
  3. Country Boy
  4. Johnny One Time
  5. Coming Home Tonight

"Yellow River"黑膠Single面世後,旋即升上英國流行榜首位,並停留在榜內長達廿二星期,亦曾成為全球廿六個國家流行榜的冠軍。在美國方面,它也是多個洲份的Number One,共停留於流行榜內達廿五星期之久,19701123日更升上Billboard排名榜的第廿三位及盤據於該榜內達二個半月,其後更在Ivor Novello Award、Carl Alan Award及BMI Citation Of Achievement Award三場頒獎禮中榮獲1970全年度的最佳歌曲獎。而相對於身處港澳地區的樂迷,在筆者的回顧中,當年"Yellow River"的受歡迎程度,一點兒也絕不比歐美地區那方遜色﹔猶記筆者在觀賞其時Sam Hui許冠傑於澳門南灣戲院作壓軸嘉賓歌星的一場流行音樂會中,台下的聽眾在高呼"安哥"之餘,亦紛紛嚷著請求阿Sam唱出"Yellow River"這歌。



1971年,Christie隊中成員出現變化,Mike Blakely以厭倦經常往外巡迴演出為由離隊,由Peter Fention補上。而他們的第二張LP《For All Mankind》跟著推出,歌曲風格亦由最初走大眾化的路線轉向較重搖擺、憂怨及鄉謠性的模式,但最終換回來的,卻是強差人意的成果。隨後隊伍加入了來自前Unit 4+2樂隊的新成員Lem Lubin,變成為一支四人的組合。惜因Jeff Christie與Vic Elmes兩者在個人及事業之間開始出現了衝突,至1972年,樂隊終於宣佈拆夥。

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