UNOwen
In 1966, Julie recorded a smoky, sultry version of The Mickey Mouse Club March for her Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast album.
In a way, that seemingly incongruous paring was a forerunner to what was to be her last album - both for Liberty, and, in general.
1969's Yummy, Yummy, Yummy - produced, arranged and orchestrated by Tommy Oliver, who discovered Joanie Summers and had worked with a variety of artists including Doris Day, Vikki Carr, Bob Lind and Jefferson Airplane.
With this Julie London album, his arrangements were full and lush, and Julie was every bit the stylist she ever was, but the material was far more contemporary and mainstream than anything she had yet attempted.
As time passed from it's initial release, the album faded, and, was only known of by collectors - of rarities, exotica, etc. I found out about the album in about '92, from Re/Search # 15, Incredibly Strange Music, Vol. 2.
I remember reading of the seeming incongruity of paring Ms. London - with her smoky, intimate voice, and (then) current pop.
WHile it wasn't outright laughed at by the author, it wasn't looked at with anything close to seriousness.
As this was before the internet - and CD's, while they exited, did NOT have a large selection, never mind out-of-print collector's choices, I had to look for Yummy. Yummy, Yummy (Y,Y,Y) on vinyl. Not a problem for me.
When I finally tracked the album down, I remember I was taken aback.
On listening to Louie, Louie, I immediately felt it sounded like a very early version of what would be called 'trance' music.
It begins with a bass guitar, piano opening, followed by a Moog synthesiser and a drum - playing a languorous beat - that goes on, only stopping for the song's vocal break.
I don't want to give a track-by-track overview. I wanted to highlight what is one of the album's main songs, and briefly discuss the album, as a whole.
I don't know whether Ms. London took recording the album seriously, or not. I would guess that, Ms. London - being a consummate professional - gave it her all, whatever her thoughts, and it shows.
I read somewhere (else) a person's one line review. He said: 'who wants to hear a middle-aged woman doing covers?'
I'd answer him by saying, it's irrelevant the person's age. It's their talent, and the end-result.
I think a big problem (that's only gotten worse over time), is people being dismissive of anyone who's not ridiculously young.
It's only with age, that a person's developed their craft - honed it.
Sure, sometimes the end result can be awful.
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy is NOT that case.
I like to think that Ms.London saw a bit of irony in it, but, as I said earlier, she gives it her best, and it's worth it.