Preservation: Scrapheap City...God Save Mary Ann Price
Mavarla
Ah, "Scrapheap City," without a doubt, one in Mavarla's Kinks' Top 50
Favorites---if not, 20...!
There's a definite "honky-tonk" mood set up here and *no other* female
voice in the entire world, could've lent this composition the precise
flavor it needed than the honey-toned, whiskey-voiced stylizations so
unique to Mary Ann Price, alone.
The lady has an *awesome* vibrato...like a "last minute curve" from a
pitch---she sings a line in a level "plane" of sound and then suddenly,
there it is, and quite frankly, I can't think of any other singer who can
do this---it's gorgeous.
For this song, I loved her flat, almost condescending delivery---and the
definite enunciations of every instance of the word "scrap" because it
created such a great juxtaposition of sensibilities *and* especially, of
sound, with her vibrato.
I always wondered if that was her, too, singing the background harmony
vocal tracks (I *think* that's her voice, but I'm still not sure)...am
also, trying to figure out what that percussion was---spoons on wood
blocks, maybe?
I love the instrumentation---sounds like that ol' National Steel guitar
(see, Frank---I 'membered) and two other acoustic guitar tracks---with the
bass line being supplied by one...drums.
I'm reminded of horses clip-clopping along and I love the way R.D., with
his "Whoa..." reins it all in to a perfect close at the end, like a
modern-day Ward Bond bringing his leisurely-paced "Wagon Train" to a gentle
halt...mmm-mm!
Todd Lowenstein
I liked the album version, but when I tripped across the version with Ray
on lead vocals.....well, there is no comparison. A perfect example of the
author being the best to bring out the feeling of a song.
Early Bob Dylan is another perfect example. You ain't heard Blowing in
the Wind until you hear Dylan's original version. And when I heard his
version of House of the Rising Sun (okay, he did not write it. But he
inspired the Animals to record it, so close enough), there was so much
more emotional intensity.
Todd
Mavarla
Todd---saw your response to this on Netcom's newsreader, but I guess AOL hasn't
delivered it, yet, so, I can't quote.
Yes, I liked the R.D. version of "Scrapheap City," too---for what it was, when
I first heard it...it was the B-side of a single which came out before the
"Preservation Act 2" album.
When I say "for what it was," by this, I mean an R.D. composition, which stands
on its own, as great...haven't heard it in...yikes---can it be, 25 years or
so?! But I recall it had more of a "rolling," sort of a "dreamy" feel to it.
As regards the concept album version, though, in the context of a *theatrical
character* and the character in question being "Belle," Mary Ann Price's
rendition just totally hits the spot.
I was a big fan of hers when she sang with Dan Hicks and I understand that now,
she's taken over Chris O' Connell's place, more or less, in the Ray Benson
fronted band, Asleep At The Wheel.
Mmm-mm...there's another *great* band---Asleep At The Wheel. For anyone into
Texas swing, blues, boogie-woogie, pure country, cajun and Anita O' Day-like
big band arrangements---not to mention just some bad-ass juke joint songs,
give a listen to The Wheel's 1977 recording "Wheelin' And Dealin' " which is
guaranteed to get you into a good mood no matter how depressed you are!
Emshandar
From: mav...@aol.com (Mavarla)
>Mmm-mm...there's another *great* band---Asleep At The Wheel. For anyone into
> Texas swing, blues, boogie-woogie, pure country, cajun and Anita O' Day-like
> big band arrangements---not to mention just some bad-ass juke joint songs,
> give a listen to The Wheel's 1977 recording "Wheelin' And Dealin' " which is
> guaranteed to get you into a good mood no matter how depressed you are!
>
Good on yer, Mavarla! Great band; i haven't heard the album in question, but,
to quote Justin Wilson, "I gay-ron-tee it'll tickle ya soul!"
And, if we're mentioning the Wheel, gotta put in my plug for the ol Caommander
-- Commander Cody, with and without the Lost Planet Airmen. Just picked up
"We Got A Live One Here", their live album from a European tour in the
mid-Seventies. Haven't listened yet, but...
Gotta go back and add the Commander to the list of pianists who don't suck...
--
mike weber <emsh...@aol.com>
Will Dockery
http://www.reverbnation.com/richardsanguinetti
"Maryann Price has joined our band! Maryann has worked with Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, Ray Davies of the Kinks, and Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel!!
I'm grateful to all the artists and poets who took me under their wing and helped me..." -Richard Sanguinetti