Continuing our month-long project of only posting old records previously unshared in blog-land, let's remember Japan's pre-tsunami better days. This early '70s girl-group release is full of upbeat, hap-hap-happy songs, and slick bubblegum production. These gals were probably picked more for how they looked in swimsuits then for their singing abilities - their vocals are okay, they don't harmonize, just all sing in unison. But they're cute, so who cares! And they cover the Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" and "Proud Mary," sing in both English and Japanese, go Hawaiian and Latin, and cover an absolutely killer Lee Hazelwood song called "Movin'" that I've never encountered anywhere else. Seriously, If any of y'all can tell me anything else about this giddy gem of bubblegum Moog a-go-go, I'd be much obliged. I've looked up all of Hazelwood's albums on Amazon and can't find it on any of 'em. Maybe he wrote it for another singer? My Google-fu skills have let me down this time.Golden Half 2
1 Movin'
2 Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling
3 Blossom Lady
4 Proud Mary
5 Mammy Blue
6 Hey! Kapten Fahr Nach Hawaii
7 Chottoa Matte Kudasai
8 I Think I Love You
9 Hey Jude
10 Rose Garden
11 Buttons and Bows
12 Mambo Bacan
6 comments:
"Movin'" -- as by the Astronauts, a surf instrumental? Windy
RIght you are! You are a genius, sir. I have an Astronauts albums with a great L Hazelwood-penned instro, "Baja," but not this one.
So who wrote the lyrics, and what do they mean?
"Hey! Kapten Fahr Nach Hawaii" is a German title. Actually "Käpten" or better "Käpt'n" would be the correct spelling (standard language would be "Kapitän", "Käpt'n" is more like a German spelling of the English word "captain", quite common though). It could be translated with "Hey! Captain ship (yourself/your ship/us) to Hawaii". They seem to sing in Japanese though. I don't know the song (which doesn't mean anything at all) but it sounds a lot like one of these German Beat-Schlager from the 60s or early 70s. The brass intro has a cheesy Schlager-touch to me, but I like the song, it's quite groovy (more than most German stuff from those days)! And cute girls they are, one of these records that one could decide to buy just because of it's cover ... and with "one" I mean "me" and with "could decide" I mean "totally would do that", hehe :)
I MUST HAVE THESE GIRLS
Girls Girls Girls! Moog-a-go-go! Thanks Fab for putting this in my brain.
Playin something from this thrill-packed album on BP Live this Weds. Thank you so much, Senor Fabo para the upload!
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