Songs of the Week: Without A Chance to Resist

Phil Spector was fond of wrapping teenage dreams in "symphonies for the kids." Perhaps the hits that Mr. Spector produced were not exactly symphonic, but they were powerful musically. When the vocals were on par with the wall of sound, the effect was spectacular.

Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich emerged out of Spector's shadow to become a creative force at Red Bird Records and may have actually outdone the insane master with the first song of this week's trio. It is rumoured that one of the Crystals, Mary Thomas, is the lead singer on this cut, which sounds more like the Crystals than the Crystals do. The production is flawless and the vocal truly indicative of teenage yearning.

Vee Jay Records had its moments. It was the first label Stateside to distribute The Beatles, but lost them to Capitol Records. Paradise Lost. They also had the Four Seasons before losing them. On the R'n'B side of things there, they did give us Jerry Butler, Betty Everett, The Dells, The Pips (featuring Gladys Knight) and the top twenty R'n'B hit which is second on our mini-playlist, "Oo Wee Baby, I Love You." The title doesn't prepare the listener for the haunting, almost visceral sound. It's Motown-esque and sounds as if Marvin Gaye were singing lead with the Temptations or the Four Tops. Fred Hughes came and went, but he did provide this memorable stroll through desire. Not too long afterwards, Vee Jay Records went.



Of the three songs here "Selfish One" was the most successful in that it made to the POP Chart top twenty in 1964--not quite top ten. It tears a page from Smokey Robinson's play book with a vocal and lyric worthy of Detroit although it comes from Chicago's legendary Chess Records. Who knows what might have happened with this Miss Ross in the right environment. How clever to entwine "Tenderly" into the fabric of the music.

This song tells a story and has a beginning and end, wrapping the dream up in adult consummation.



(Wilfred McKinley/Carl Smith)

Selfish one, why keep your love to yourself
It's like a souvenir that just sits on a shelf
It seems like you built a fence around your heart
Afraid that sharing might tear it apart
You pass up every chance at the start of romance

Selfish one, why keep your love in store
You think it's steel that will keep forever more
Steel wears down with weather and age
And a heart could break down in a lonely stage
You better let your heart find a mate before it's too late

You let so much time pass by
I found myself still giving you the eye
You must have realised much to my surprise
You're making eyes at me
Is it really you?!

Now selfish one, you're walking me to my door
Selfish one, you never did this before
Without a chance to resist, your lips met mine
You're beginning to let your love light shine
I can see that you're really on the ball
You're not selfish at all
No, not at all
The way you hold me,
The way you squeeze me
No you're not selfish
You're not selfish at all, not at all ...

This web log has been focusing on the music of the past these last two weeks. Therefore, pilfered from the web site's Sports gallery is contemporary heart throb in a classic Rock'n'Roll era pose: Brady Quinn.