The Meadowbrooks - Seems Like Only Yesterday b/w Time After Time (Catamount - 1965)

The onset of melancholia has hit me hard today and with it has come a wave/flood of musical emotions and memory, the record above is being posted, due in part to these feelings of melancholy and sadness.

The record above, The Meadowbrooks - Seems Like Only Yesterday b/w Time After Time is possibly one of the most beautiful 45s both musically and in appearance released in the mid-60s.

The Meadowbrooks were a white doo-wop vocal group who recorded songs in an acappella vocal style. Their label 'Catamount' were based in New Jersey which means that they too were likely from around this region too.

Catamount formed in 1964 and released a handful of great acappella 'only' doo-wop vocal styled 45s until 1966, most of these 45s were released on coloured vinyl, which during the 60s was a huge novelty, The Meadowbrooks' 45 came in a really wonderful scarlet red vinyl as pictured above.

The Meadowbrooks had two 45s released on the Catamount label during 1965, I'm unsure if they ever had any other releases.

What I particularly dig about The Meadowbrooks is that amidst The British Invasion and the wave of garage bands that occurred during that time in America, these kids stayed totally true to the earlier doo-wop sounds and recorded possibly for me one of the most beautiful records of the mid 60s, the record is completely in-keeping with the doo-wop traditions which came almost 8 years prior. This record in particular I feel has the tenderness that moody garage band 45's have, it also has a real and truthful honesty that only 60s girl-group recordings had at the time and that is a pretty special thing to me, that tenderness is what music is truly about for me.

I used to enjoy sharing this song with a friend of mine who seems like an eternity away from me at the moment, I only really have songs like this to reflect on the period of time we shared together and this 45 is one of the one's which cement the emotions for me.

These songs mean more to me now than ever, because the sentiment attached to songs seem more feasible and real now.

Enjoy the beauty of this acappella 45 below.

Seems Like Only Yesterday

Time After Time

Paul

The Carthays - Betty-Jo b/w So Bad (Tag - circa 1961/62)

As an avid fan of a stack load of music, there often comes times when certain records or even a certain piece of music, which when purchased and/or listened to for the first time creates a magical tour-de-force within the soul of the listener, the record I am writing about in this blog post is a prime example of one of those moments for me.

The 45rpm record in question is a Doo-Wop record by a vocal group called The Carthays, the tracks are the A-side 'Betty Jo' and the B-side 'So Sad'

I found this record in a tiny little record shop in Addlestone, Surrey.

I have not been able to find any information at all on this group, so I have no idea where these cats were based geographically, information is so sparse that I don't even really have a clue which year this 45 was official released, however I am cracking a guess at circa 1961/62  from my knowledge of the genre.

If anyone who was involved with the group or knew the group and could shed some light on this missing information that'll help out tremendously, please contact via the 'comments' below.

This 45, particularly the flip-side is very important to me, sometimes certain music sends you to places in your memory banks and for me the track 'So Sad' certainly is one song that conjures up a wealth of fond memories and feelings, such impressions include the moment I purchased the record and listened to it on that very rainy day about 5 years ago to the moment me and a friend listened after spending the day together last year, blissed out on the autumnal vibes of our local area sat in my room and dug the grooves of this and a few other similar 45's.

That for me is the magic of records and for that I have to honour this scarcely known and mysterious 45 in my collection by writing a blog about it.

Please find below; both sides available to have a listen to (underneath my crudely taken photographs).

I hope you've enjoyed the beautiful vocal harmonies emanating out from this page.

All The Best

Paul

Rico & The Ravens - Don't You Know b/w In My Heart (Rally Record - circa 1963/64?)

One of my own all time favourite 45s in my record collection is the one pictured above, Rico and The Ravens with their tremendous and monophonic killer 'Don't You Know b/w In My Heart' on Autumn Records & (2nd pressing) on Rally Records.

Rico and The Ravens were a doo-wop vocal group based in the Philadelphia region during the early 60s, I unfortunately have no idea what year the 45 was released but at a guess I'd say it was around 1963/64??? I believe this was the bands lone recording too.

Doo-wop is one of my favourite musical genres and feel it is totally neglected and also heavily underrated. I love that the music is tragically honest and brutally true with regards to emotions, feelings and soul. 

If American 60s garage group music for me represents the frustration, the moodiness and despair of 60s teen-hood, then doo-wop is the other side of the coin, it is the tender, the beautiful and dream-like aspect of being young in the 60s and best of all being young and in love.

This record ranks high up there in my opinion, it is a totally genius, raw sounding doo-wop record and in my mind I'd consider it to possibly  be one of the best doo-wop records in existence, it certainly is one of my favourite records ever!!!

The song begins with heart-pumping ferocity, frantic guitar interjected bluesy licks added in part with bombastic drumming, the production of the record has the ultimate perfect recording sound and to top it off the song is complete with an amazing falsetto vocal by young Rico who sings amazingly throughout.

Every word of this song is sung like it's meant, teenage lust and tragedy is fully committed to vinyl with every ounce of emotion a teenage boy could ever feel in relation to love, yearning, desperation and desire.

Lyrics include some marvelous thought provoking genius such as "Don't you know? that I love you so? Baby can't you see that I need you??" .... They are simple words, but they are sung in such a manner whereby the vocal makes the hair particles on your arms stand-on-end and affect you in the most profound of ways.

I love this track, It means a lot to me in my personal life, I guess if I ever get married (doubtful I will anytime soon) this track will be the one which gets played when the knot is finally tied.

The B-side 'In My Heart' is a pretty cool doo-wop/R&B standard and I do dig it too, but this blog post is mainly about the genius of the flip side 'Don't You Know'.

Therefore ... have a listen below to this fantastic piece of superb genius from Philly and decide for yourself...

Thanks

Paul