I'm in a rush.
Trini, Johnny, Melanie?
When I'm in a rush to put out a comment I turn to old favourites – or rather new favourites. Artists who haven't let me down, left my spirits and cause the words to fall from brain to keyboard.
Also I can use a lot of "refer to my other comments" when filling al the detail.
These things are important. I do have a life, apparently. And there are things I need to do.
So, with that in mind …. let's slip on Trini Lopez' "More Trini Lopez at PJs" or rather, to use it's full title " By Popular Demand More Trini Lopez At PJ's"
Ahh, err, refer to my other comments for background on the great Trini Lopez.
This album came out in August 1963 and was designed to cash in on the success of Trini's first album "Trini Lopez Live at PJs" released in early 1963.
As Richie Unterberger says: "When More Trini Lopez at PJ's was issued by Reprise near the end of 1963, Trini Lopez could have hardly been a hotter artist. His Trini Lopez at PJ's album (also reissued on CD by Collectors' Choice Music), which unexpectedly blasted him to #2 on the LP charts earlier in 1963, was still riding high, and his version of "If I Had a Hammer" had given him a huge singles hit as well. Lopez had told producer Don Costa that he wanted an opportunity to go into the studio after recording the first At PJ's album, but for the time being that would have to wait. Not ones to tamper with success, his follow-up would again be recorded live, at the same club, with a similar mix of standards, folk tunes, rock'n'roll songs, and Latin music. And indeed, it would be nearly as popular as its predecessor, sailing to #11, although it was issued just a few months later". http://www.richieunterberger.com/lopez2.html
Trini, from what I have heard, even on his studio albums does not deviate far from his trademark live sound. On this his second album , and another live one there was never going to be any chance of anything but a copy of the first hit album. The thing is that Trini, as a working musician, had a large repertoire of hits of the day, old hits, personal favourites and the odd original which he could play at any given time.
Much like the first album here are some up-tempo folk hits, some country, some tin pan alley and some pop songs all done to the Trini beat. It is the beat that counts – it's about dancing. If you happen to like the song anyway then that is a bonus. If you didn't like the song you might just come way with a new found respect for it.
It seems, though, that the first album was more "high energy" than this one. Don't get me wrong this album is still up-tempo but the fast and furious bounce is a little more subdued.
Still, your feet will tap.
Produced by Don Costa.
Tracks (best in italics)
- Oh, Lonesome Me – (Gibson) – A #8 Country Hit in 1957 for Don Gibson. A good version by Trini. It isn't as mournful as the original. A strange way to start an album thoughhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Lonesome_Me
- Never On Sunday – (Towne, Hadjidakis) – The theme song of the Jules Dassin film of the same name from 1960. English lyrics were added and many versions were done but The Chordettes had a #13 in 1961 with it. The song is quite melancholy – Trini's version is good but, again, a strange way to start an album. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_on_Sunday_(song)
- Heart Of My Heart – (Von Tilzer, Lamb) – an old Tin Pan Alley standard recorded by many. Old school schlock ….the audience sings along (I assume overdubbed but who knows). This is distinctly old fashioned and not aimed at the dancing crowd.
- Corazon De Melón (Watermelon Heart) – (Rigual, Valando, Carson) – a song normally associated with Rosemary Clooney from her Latin team-up LP with Perez Prado, "A Touch of Tabasco" from 1960. This one suits Trini perfectly.
- Go Into The Mountains – (Herring, Sawtell) – John Herring and Paul Sawtell were Tin Pan Alley writers. I'm not certain but this may be a new song for Trini. Pleasant.
- If You Want To Be Happy – (Guida, Royster) – Jimmy Soul's #1 from 1963. The feminists would shut this song down pretty quickly nowadays. The thematic point may be an interesting question for debate but the in your face statement about "never letting a pretty woman be your wife" is not PC. The Calypso beat and song origin may have be tolerated because it wasn't being sung b Wasp-ish males but it's a strange one for Trini do do. I don't think shimmy-ing and grinding up to your babe on the dance floor whilst singing, "Get an ugly girl to marry you" is going to help your chances. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Wanna_Be_Happy
- Walk Right In – (Cannon, Woods) – The Rooftop Singers #1 hit from 1962. Trini does a great version with just the right amount of swing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_Right_In
- Lonesome Traveller – (Hays) – Recorded originally by The Weavers in 1960, Trini, still on a folk kick, probably learnt that version off The Limeliters version from 1960. This sort of up-tempo folk suits Trini's vocal delivery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Traveller_(Lee_Hays_song)
- Green, Green – (McGuire, Sparks) – The New Christy Minstrels #14 hit from 1963. Very bouncyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Christy_Minstrels
- Goody Goody – (Mercer, Malneck) – "Goody Goody" from 1936 is a song composed by Matty Malneck, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Done by a lot of trad singers, Frankie Lymon had a # 20 with it in 1957. Hmmmmmm, perhaps Frankie Lymon can get away with it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goody_Goody
- Yeah – (Lopez) – A Trini original. A good little groove of a tune. Once for the dancers.
- Kansas City – (Leiber – Stoller) – Done by everyone, Little Richard released it in 1959, but Wilbert Harrison had the hit with it (#1, 1959). A great version.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_(Leiber_and_Stoller_song)
And …
Again, perfect for parties …. I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
1964 Kansas City The Billboard Hot 100 #23
Album
1964 #11
England
Singles
—
Album
1963 #35
Sounds
Oh, Lonesome Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-34gAb5Go
Never On Sundays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP7i1Fs3ezg
Corazon De Melón (Watermelon Heart)
Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd8F01rZjNM
Lonesome Traveller
Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=147ld1ste5s
Yeah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRLxRSqcJ7c
Kansas City
mp3 attached
Others
From the film "Marriage on the Rocks" (1965) (check out cool bass player David Shriver here) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=607SigBgSoM
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/more-trini-lopez-at-pjs-mw0000015389
http://www.richieunterberger.com/lopez2.html
Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trini_Lopez
http://www.markguerrero.com/14.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Costa
Trini's band were Mickey Jones on drums and David Shriver on bass. And they were total dudes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggCWbqmud88
Website
Trivia
- "By then Lopez had played a noted, if overlooked, role in bringing the folk, rock, and pop worlds just that little bit closer together. When told that Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane cited Lopez's combination of electric instruments and folk songs as an inspiration for deciding to play folk-rock, Trini responds, "The reason he probably said that is because I did start that out. I was doing it in '61, '62, until I recorded. Nobody was doing it in 1962. So I was right there at the beginning of that. That's a nice compliment." — Richie Unterberger, http://www.richieunterberger.com/lopez2.html
