K 's BAROQUE POP SPECIAL - VA - The Best of Baroque Pop: 153 Iconic Tracks that Defined the Original Baroque Pop Era of the 60's and 70's (Super Deluxe Edition) [2022] (6 x CD's)

K 's BAROQUE POP SPECIAL     -     

VA - The Best of Baroque Pop: 153 Iconic Tracks that Defined the Original Baroque Pop Era of the 60's and 70's (Super Deluxe Edition) [2022] (6 x CD's)

The latest in my 'super deluxe edition' series.

Baroque pop (sometimes called baroque rock) is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music. It emerged in the mid 1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its appropriation of Baroque compositional styles (contrapuntal melodies and functional harmony patterns) and dramatic or melancholic gestures. Harpsichords figure prominently, while oboes, French horns, and string quartets are also common.  Although harpsichords had been deployed for a number of pop hits since the 1940s, starting in the 1960s, some record producers increasingly placed the instrument in the foreground of their arrangements. Inspired partly by the Beatles' song "In My Life" (1965), various groups were incorporating baroque and classical instrumentation by early 1966. The term "baroque rock" was coined in promotional material for the Left Banke, who used harpsichords and violins in their arrangements and whose 1966 song "Walk Away Renée" exemplified the style. The band's follow-up single, "Pretty Ballerina", continued their absorption in the genre. Guitarist Rick Brand later described their lyrics as "rather self-consciously beautiful musical whimsy, as you find in the latter 18th-century Romantic music, pre-Beethoven".

The Boston Globe's Matthew Guerrieri credits the origins of baroque pop to American pop musicians and record producers like Phil Spector and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson placing the harpsichord in the foreground of their arrangements. Harpsichords were widely available in recording studios, and had been used in popular music since as early as the 1940s, but the instrument did not gain prominence until the 1960s. One of the first pop rock hits to use a harpsichord was the Jamies' "Summertime, Summertime" (1958). Later examples cited by Guerrieri range from the Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (1964), the Beach Boys' "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" (1965) to the Mamas & the Papas' "Monday, Monday" (1966). Guerrieri speculates that the harpsichord may have been desirable for its buzzing, stinging timbre, which suited "the treble-heavy pop soundscape" of the time.  Guerrieri's "baroque rock" examples include "Walk Away Renée" with Spanky and Our Gang's "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" (1967), and the Stone Poneys' "Different Drum" (1967) - all of which used harpsichord and strings - and the Rolling Stones' "Lady Jane" (harpsichord and dulcimer) and the Lovin' Spoonful's "Rain on the Roof" (1967, harpsichord-sounding guitars). Music journalist Steve Smith highlights the Moody Blues and Procol Harum as "major practitioners" of baroque pop. He recognizes "For No One" and "She's Leaving Home" as other examples of the Beatles' forays in the genre, and "Ride On, Baby" and "Ruby Tuesday" as further examples of the Rolling Stones' baroque pop.

English baroque survived into the early 1970s, as record labels sought to capitalize on the singer-songwriter phenomenon by offering lavish string arrangements to unknowns. Among these artists were Nick Drake and individual members of Honeybus.  Journalist Bob Stanley uses the term "English baroque" to describe a subset that existed between 1968 and 1973, after the genre's more widespread presence in rock and pop. "Baroque rock" may be invoked as a synonym of "baroque pop" or as its own distinct term. The 1964 single "She's Not There" by the English band the Zombies marked a starting point for baroque pop, according to Stanley. He writes that the song "didn't feature any oboes but stuck out rather dramatically in 1964, the year of 'You Really Got Me' and 'Little Red Rooster'", and its refined qualities were emphasised by singer Colin Blunstone having an enunciation that was "pure St Albans grammar".  Although it is listed as 153 Iconic Tracks that Defined the Original Baroque Pop Era of the 60s and 70s, I did cheat just a little by adding the Stranglers harpsichord classic 'Golden Brown', which was released on January 11, 1982. I mean, you just cannot have a baroque pop compilation without this track!

This new compilation was heavily inspired by the excellent original Tea & Symphony - The English Baroque Sound (1967-1974) released in 2007 and compiled by true expert and enthusiast Bob Stanley. Sadly, upon the demise of Sanctuary Records only days after it was released, very few copies of the original CD actually made it into the shops and has become a hot collector's item ever since, often selling for hundreds of £££ on eBay and the like. 

So, after considerable and extensive online research, plus my own recollections and memories, here is my personal compilation of what I consider to be the 153 best and most important tracks from the original baroque pop era.  This fully packed 6CD set contains many rare and extremely hard to find tracks, with many featured in their original mono form. Only the original studio mixes are included. No later remixes, 'stereo enhanced' or live versions here!  Compiled as always using the very latest and highest quality digital remasters, with a considerable number of tracks sourced from the original master tapes for superior sound quality and enjoyment.

Get ready to enjoy a whole lotta harpsichord heaven!

K

BB says - "Please thank 'K' for his contribution of this K Special presentation"

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Track lists

CD1

01 The Beatles Eleanor Rigby (Overture) 4:13

02 Jon Plum Alice 3:34

03 Love Alone Again Or (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Edit) 2:51

04 Kippington Lodge And She Cried (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 2:47

05 Marianne Faithfull As Tears Go By 2:36

06 The Kinks Autumn Almanac (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 3:10

07 Cher Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) 2:44

08 The Move Blackberry Way 3:36

09 Judy Collins Both Sides Now 3:13

10 The Jimi Hendrix Experience Burning of the Midnight Lamp 3:38

11 Glen Campbell By the Time I Get to Phoenix 2:42

12 Eddie Addenbury Captain Jones 3:26

13 The Zombies Care of Cell 44 (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 3:54

14 The Beach Boys Caroline, No (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 2:55

15 Mason Williams Classical Gas 3:04

16 Clifford T. Ward Coathanger 2:48

17 Consortium Copper Coloured Years 2:41

18 Sidewalk Skipper Band Cynthia at the Garden 2:37

19 The Rolling Stones Dandelion (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 3:51

20 David Mcwilliams Days of Pearly Spencer 2:31

21 Billy Nicholls Daytime Girl 2:43

22 Roy Wood Dear Elaine 4:09

23 The Stone Poneys Feat. Linda Ronstadt Different Drum (Original 1967 7" Stereo Single Version) 2:38

24 Honeybus (Do I Figure) In Your Life 2:34

25 The Beach Boys Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) (Mono Version) 2:53

CD2

26 Neil Macarthur (aka Colin Blunstone) Don't Try to Explain 3:22

27 Carpenters Druscilla Penny 2:14

28 Duncan Browne Dwarf in a Tree (A Cautionary Tale) 3:43

29 Gene Clark Echoes 3:18

30 Barry Ryan Eloise 5:41

31 Bill Kenwright Epitaph 4:27

32 The Mamas & The Papas Even If I Could 2:45

33 The Beatles Fixing a Hole 2:36

34 Nick Drake Fly 2:58

35 The Beatles For No One 1:59

36 Honeybus For Where Have You Been 3:01

37 The Yardbirds For Your Love (Original 1965 7" Mono Single Version) 2:29

38 Vigrass & Osborne Forever Autumn 2:55

39 Clifford T. Ward Gaye 3:35

40 Duncan Browne Give Me Take You 3:15

41 The Beach Boys God Only Knows (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 2:51

42 The Byrds Goin' Back (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 3:22

43 The Stranglers Golden Brown 3:27

44 The Beach Boys Good Vibrations (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 3:37

45 Donovan Hampstead Incident 4:42

46 Peter Thorogood Haunted 3:14

47 The Humblebums Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway 4:38

48 Lori Balmer Here Before the Sun 2:28

49 The Zombies Hung Up on a Dream (Mono Version) 2:59

CD3

50 Small Faces The Hungry Intruder (Mono Version) 2:15

51 Honeybus I Can't Let Maggie Go 2:57

52 Bee Gees I Can't See Nobody 3:48

53 Dusty Springfield I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten 3:09

54 The Beach Boys I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (Mono Version) 3:14

55 The Zombies I Want Her She Wants Me (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 2:51

56 The Left Banke I've Got Something on My Mind 2:49

57 Margaret Mandolph If You Ever Need Me (Original 1964 7" Mono Single Version) 2:30

58 The Beatles In My Life 2:26

59 Pink Floyd Julia Dream 2:34

60 Julian Brooks Justine 3:22

61 The Hollies King Midas in Reverse (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 3:09

62 Stained Glass Lady in Lace 2:41

63 The Rolling Stones Lady Jane 3:09

64 The Idle Race The Lady Who Said She Could Fly 2:20

65 Simon & Garfunkel Leaves That Are Green 2:25

66 The Doors Light My Fire 7:10

67 The Paul Mauriat Orchestra Love Is Blue 2:33

68 The Doors Love Me Two Times 3:15

69 Margo Guryan Love Songs 2:37

70 Dunn And Mccashen Lydia Purple 3:22

71 Richard Harris MacArthur Park 7:27

72 The Walker Brothers Make It Easy on Yourself 3:11

73 The Beatles Martha My Dear 2:28

74 Cat Stevens Matthew & Son 2:40

CD4

75 Curved Air Melinda (More or Less) 3:28

76 The Move Mist on a Monday Morning (Mono Version) 2:34

77 The Mamas & The Papas Monday, Monday 3:27

78 Montage My Love 2:57

79 Sagittarius My World Fell Down (Original 1967 7" Single Version) 2:53

80 The Supremes My World Is Empty Without You (Original 1965 7" Mono Single Version) 2:35

81 The Moody Blues Nights in White Satin (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 4:29

82 The Beatles Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) 2:04

83 Duncan Browne On the Bombsite (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 2:47

84 The Beatles Penny Lane 3:01

85 John Barry And His Orchestra The Persuaders! 2:10

86 The Rolling Stones Play with Fire 2:15

87 Nirvana Please Believe Me 3:00

88 Mike Sedgewick Pollution Song 3:23

89 The Left Banke Pretty Ballerina 2:38

90 The Lovin' Spoonful Rain on the Roof 2:12

91 The Rolling Stones Ride On, Baby 2:52

92 Nick Drake River Man 4:19

93 The Rolling Stones Ruby Tuesday 3:15

94 Colin Blunstone Say You Don't Mind 3:18

95 Simon & Garfunkel Scarborough Fair / Canticle 3:10

96 Pink Floyd See Emily Play (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 2:54

97 The Left Banke Shadows Breaking Over My Head 2:37

98 Love She Comes in Colors (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 2:45

99 The Left Banke She May Call You Up Tonight 2:18

100 The Rolling Stones She's a Rainbow 4:13

CD5

101 The Beatles She's Leaving Home 3:35

102 The Zombies She's Not There (Original 1964 Decca 7" Mono Single Version) 2:23

103 Small Faces Show Me the Way 2:05

104 Picadilly Line Silver Paper Dress 2:42

105 The Left Banke Sing Little Bird Sing 3:11

106 Kaleidoscope (uk) The Sky Children 8:00

107 Elton John Skyline Pigeon (Original 1969 'Empty Sky' Version) 3:37

108 Janis Ian Society's Child 3:14

109 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood Some Velvet Morning 3:41

110 Kate Strange Girl 3:02

111 Almond Marzipan Summer Love 3:22

112 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood Summer Wine 4:17

113 Twice As Much The Summer's Ending 2:43

114 The Walker Brothers The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) 3:02

115 The Velvet Underground Sunday Morning (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 2:55

116 Spanky And Our Gang Sunday Will Never Be the Same 3:01

117 Donovan Sunny Goodge Street 2:56

118 Donovan Sunshine Superman (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 3:16

119 The Guess Who These Eyes 3:43

120 Marianne Faithfull This Little Bird 2:03

121 Wishful Thinking This Time Tomorrow 2:54

122 The Zombies This Will Be Our Year (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 2:06

123 Sweetwater Through an Old Storybook 2:35

124 The Tremeloes Til the Sun Goes Down 3:15

CD6

125 The Zombies Time of the Season (Original 1968 7" Mono Single Version) 3:30

126 The Spencer Davis Group Time Seller (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 2:50

127 John Kerruish Time to Wander 3:29

128 Montage Tinsel and Ivy 2:28

129 Nirvana Tiny Goddess 4:04

130 Lulu To Sir, with Love 2:45

131 The Kinks Too Much on My Mind 2:29

132 The Doors Touch Me 3:12

133 Twice As Much True Story 2:17

134 Bee Gees Turn of the Century 2:30

135 Neil Macarthur (aka Colin Blunstone) Twelve Twenty Nine 2:58

136 The Kinks Two Sisters 2:01

137 The Kinks Village Green 2:09

138 The Left Banke Walk Away Renee 2:44

139 The Kinks Waterloo Sunset (Original 1967 7" True Stereo Single Version) 3:18

140 The Beach Boys When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) (Original 1964 7" Mono Single Version) 2:04

141 Clifford T. Ward Wherewithal 2:56

142 Procol Harum A Whiter Shade of Pale (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 4:08

142 Noel Harrison The Windmills of Your Mind 2:17

144 The Association Windy 2:56

145 Nilsson Without You 3:21

146 Neil Macarthur (aka Colin Blunstone) World of Glass 2:27

147 Billy Nicholls Would You Believe 2:42

148 The Hollies Would You Believe (Original 1966 Stereo Version) 4:06

149 The Beach Boys Wouldn't It Be Nice (Original 1966 7" Mono Single Version) 2:25

150 The Hollies Ye Olde Toffee Shoppe (Original 1967 7" Mono Single Version) 2:16

151 The Beach Boys You Still Believe in Me (Mono Version) 2:30

152 The Righteous Brothers You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (Original 1964 7" Mono Single Version) 3:43

153 The Beatles Yesterday 2:05

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