365 Days #87 - 18 Golden Hits of 1970 (mp3s)
MP3:
1 American Woman (3:29)
2 Mama Told Me Not To Come (2:51)
3 Let It Be (3:25)
4 Make It With You (3:15)
5 If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time (2:08)
Bad "Sound-alike" albums of current hits are a cornerstone in probably every collection of strange records. I've studiously tried to avoid these. (Yeah, right!) Every once in awhile something as good/bad as the Surfsiders dog paddles it's way to the local charity or second hand shop.
"18 Golden Hits of 1970" isn't quite the gem that Lou Reed and friends drummed up five years earlier, but it has it's own crap appeal.
Like Dollar store incense, it wafts an inglorious stink that stays embedded in the furniture for months.
Apparently recorded in the U.K. by some incredibly bored and slightly incompetent studio musicians and singers and released in the U.S. on Alshire Records Q.M.O. imprint, these tracks are about as downright lousy as you could imagine.
Thrill to the "fantastic" Conga playing in American Woman! (Was this guy a refugee from the Chacachas?) The horrid and definitely un-P.C. "White guy trying to sound Black" warbling on "If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time". The Beatles get their send off to the Rock 'n' Roll graveyard at warp speed with "Let It Be" and Three Dog Night receives the shredder treatment in "Mama Told Me Not To Come". Finally, Bread is sifted into unseasoned crumbs with this splendiferous de-construction of "Make It With You".
Hotcharooney!
- Contributed by: Rocketboy
Media: LP
Album: 18 Golden Hits of 1970
Label: Q.M.O. Records
Catalog: Q.M.O. #2
The UK turned out dozens of these kind of albums between the mid 60s and early 80s mainly under the guise of "Top Of The Pops". Everyone of those albums would feature some sexy woman on the cover and inside you'd get these awful cheapo remakes of chart hits. There is an entire albums worth of material featuring Elton Johns' contributions to those albums and between 1969 and 1970, ever desperate for money Elton took the money and sang on many tracks. Apparently many famous musicians played on these over the years to make a quick buck.
The trick was to sell these albums for the same price as one or two singles on a budget label. They obviously sold very well because these albums continue to inhabit and clutter up second hand and charity shops.
Posted by: Peter Ellioyy | March 28, 2007 at 06:54 AM
OMG, that is awful. The white/black guy is one of the worst things I've ever heard. I get a kick out of all things that are bad, but when I heard this collection I just wanted to step in front of a bus.Ummm...thanks for sharing?
Posted by: Pete Roach | March 28, 2007 at 07:58 AM
Have you never heard the wonderfully bad version of Young Gifted & Black sung by the oh so white (& at the time not well known) Elton John??
Posted by: Andy | March 28, 2007 at 12:14 PM
funny you should mention the Chacachas. I work for one of the majors, and I found out a fun fact: contrary to what most people would think the Chacachas aren't tropical or exotic in any way.
they were a band of session musicians from Belgium, of all places! (yes, my home country)
admittedly they did have some South American musicians, like Tito Puente's wife Kari Kenton.
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chakachas
keep up the good work, I really enjoy this blog!
that is all :)
Posted by: punchcard | March 28, 2007 at 03:48 PM
OMG - I'm gonna be sick........ :{
Posted by: JAY | March 29, 2007 at 04:33 PM
Brilliant...if ever I need a laxative I´ll be sure to play this record.
Great and Fun web site you have here!
best regards - Ian Cussick
Posted by: Ian Cussick | June 05, 2007 at 05:59 PM
To its credit, this is a better cover of "American Woman" than the Lenny Kravitz one.
Posted by: Todd | March 26, 2008 at 04:56 AM