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Posted By: Jim Liddane on: 06/08/2010 14:35:51 EDT
Subject: RE: The Fleetwoods - Come Softly To Me - 1959

Message Detail:
I know before I start that I am going to write too much, but I am a real Fleetwoods fan!

"Come Softly To Me" is a great record, but so many legends grew up around it that it sort of got out of control.

For example, at one stage, it was claimed that the vocal track used for the released hit, was the original demo tape made in Gary Troxell's house - which would make it a very romantic story.

In fact, that tape which was used to introduce the trio to Bonnie Guitar, was of very poor sound quality being recorded at just 1 7/8 ips, but it had the harmonies more or less intact, and the car keys were the only percussion used.

Bonnie took them into a proper studio (although it must be admitted that this studio was built in a basement, so some of the legends are based on fact!) and kept recording until they had a perfect acapella tape.

Although Bob Reisdorf thought about releasing it as an acapella, Bonnie persuaded him to add instruments.

They did try some overdubs in Seattle, but none of the musicians could get used to the idea of playing along to the vocal tape, although why not, I have no idea, since that is what musicians do when they are playing live anyway.

So they took it down to LA, and here used Ray Lanham, who overdubbed the guitar, and also, for some reason which I have never understood, decided to tune down his guitar to overdub bass, instead of using a bass guitar!

So you have one guitar tuned properly, one guitar tuned down to bass, a set of keys, two girls and a guy!

Anyway it works, so that is all that matters.

Ray was a brilliant guitarist, and at a time when few understood overdubbing, he was already an expert, being a great friend of Les Paul who had pioneered it.

He also understood pop, having been Liberty's main guitarist, used on lots of hits for Johnny Burnette etc.

When it came to "Mr Blue", Ray brought in Sy Zentner and Bobby Moore and overdubbed all four parts, bass, guitar, trombone and drums!

The only other person doing this type of thing at that stage, was Jack Hansen, who was overdubbing Buddy Holly voice/guitar demos in New York during the summer of 1959.

It was Sy who discovered that although the Fleetwoods were perfectly in tune, the key they were singing in was slightly off, due to an off-key piano back in Seattle, but Ray had a vari-speed unit attached to his Ampex, and he was able to vary the speed to fit, and then speed it back up again.

As a result, musicians who bought the sheet music, and tried playing along with the record, discovered they were a half-pitch off!

When the group appeared on Ed Sullivan, they were disastrous. Sullivan had an orchestra, and was quite unwilling to allow just the bassist and guitarist to accompany the group. Instead, the entire orchestra backed them in rehearsal, during which, they coild barely be heard.

Sullivan's daft solution appeared to be that if you could not hear the singers, then you should add more singers, so he added some backing vocalists, and the unrehearsed result was a shambles.

However, by now, Sullivan's show was not attracting the same teen audience it had in Presley's day, and when Dick Clark let them mime to the record, their "performance" was superb.

The group sounded great, they were good-looking, but despite the lovey-dovey photos, were never close friends, and one of two of Bob's decisions may not have helped.

It is said (and there are two websites, one run by Gretchen Peterson and the other by Gary Troxell who argue most points) that the song "Come Softly" was written before Gary started with the two girls.

He claims not, and it seems that both sides have a point, in that the main part of the song was written by the girls, while Gary added the "doody dum" passages.

In any event, Gary & Bob (thinking that the title "Come Softly" was too suggestive) did suggest a title change, and in the end, on Bob's insistence, all three ended up credited with the song.

The girls may not have been too happy with this, (although frankly that "dum dum" part is real catchy) - particularly as Dolphin (or Dolton), and later Liberty, were scrupulous about paying royalties, so we were not talking beer money here as the song sold four million copies.

Also, Bob, who was a bit of a jazz fan, thought Gary had a realy jazz voice and seemed to see a solo career for him, and so when photos were taken, he was always centre, with two adoring ladies looking up at him!

It was more a case of "One Guy & His Two Adoring Female Backing Singers" than "Two Girls & A Guy"!

Actually, I think Bob was right about Gary - I have a number of cover versions of "Mr Blue" in my collection, and although some did manage to recreate the backing, not one of the lead vocalists comes anyway close to Troxel's jazzy delivery.

Finally, one the first single, Gary sang lead, on the second Gretchen sang lead, on the third Gary sang lead again, but from then on, only Gary handled the lead vocals, until their final hit "Goodnight My Love".

Gary has a new Fleetwoods (so has Gretchen!), and Gary was due to appear on a cruise ship next week, but I see now that the cruise has been cancelled.

John added....

Like that '70's hit by King Harvest, toilet brush there! :-)

Jim replied...

Now you have got me worried!

What toilet brush???

I know the 70's are a bit after my time, but what toilet brush?


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