Here's a sweet record I picked up many years ago, featuring a group with the unwieldy but very descriptive and specific name of The Medical Missionaries of Mary Choral Group. All I know about this record is that it was recorded in Ireland. The attraction for me here is on the A-Side, "Angels (Watching Over Me)",
Over a very simple but beautiful accompaniment of acoustic guitar and bass, the Choral Group sing their equally pretty song, featuring appropriately heavenly harmony throughout. The song, probably because of how it is presented here, quickly wormed its way into my head, and has stayed there for all these years since.
This record was promoted as a potential hit at the end of 1965, and actually charted for a two weeks on the "Bubbling Under the Hot 100" chart in Billboard in early 1966, peaking at #117. The flip side, also included here, is called "Spring".
The parent organization that led to this group continues to provide a wide variety of services around the world, but their website contains no references to a Choral Group, or to this record
1.) Medical Missionaries of Mary Choral Group - Angels (Watching Over Me) (MP3)
2.) Medical Missionaries of Mary Choral Group - Spring (MP3)
I guess that now I know where Jonathan Richman got the idea to cover this song on "Rock'n'roll with The Modern Lovers" in 1977...
Posted by: Pol Dodu | April 04, 2011 at 11:48 AM