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Glen and The Champs

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Cowpoke
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

The Champs' next single is somewhat mysterious, as far as Glen's involvement is concerned. We're talking about Challenge 9116 Cantina b/w Panic Button, released in early August 1961 (or possibly late July).
Challenge 9116 Cantina b/w Panic Button
Challenge 9116 Cantina b/w Panic Button
the-champs-45-rpm-record-panic-button_874573.jpg (33.32 KiB) Viewed 17700 times
Cantina was recorded on July 19, 1961, a few months after Glen had left the band. Whether Glen plays on that track is unknown to me. "Panic Button" however is a year older. In the booklet of Wing Ding (1993), a Champs compilation CD issued by Ace Records, music journalist Rob Finnis writes:
When the Champs swung through Texas in the summer of 1960, they detoured to Norman Petty's
famed studio in Clovis, New Mexico where they recorded their next single, the soporiphic "Cocoanut
Grove" on July 6th. The livelier Suicide, from the same session, was eventually re-titled "Panic
Button" and issued on the flipside of "Cantina" in 1961. It's likely that Cole and Campbell are the
guitarists on these sides.
Could this be true? The thing is, Glen didn't join The Champs until October 1960, in LA. However, the guitar solos on Suicide/Panic Button distinctly sound like Glen Campbell to me. If it is, it's Glen at his most raw and uninhibited, and I love it. In one of my earlier posts in this thread I wrote that Glen already met The Champs in (probably) late April 1960, when they did a concert in Albquerque, where Glen lived at the time. So could it be that when The Champs returned to Texas and New Mexico in the summer of 1960, that Glen was perhaps invited to join The Champs for one session in the Norman Petty studios? After all, Albuquerque and Clovis are in the same state.

To confirm this theory, I contacted the Norman Petty Studios. However, they could not find any records of a Champs session in their files. I also tried to contact Rob Finnis, but I didn't have any luck with that either. :cry: So, I guess it will remain a mystery for now. The only thing left to ask now is.. what do YOU think? Does this sound like early Glen Campbell on guitar, or not?

http://www.glencampbellforums.com/viewt ... f=30&t=285" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (note you have to be logged in to access this link)

PS: In July 1961 "Suicide" was supposedly remastered in LA, and released as "Panic Button". On Spotify you can hear both versions (or you can download the tracks on amazon.com or iTunes). On the original "Suicide" track the guitar solo is very clear. On "Panic Button" the guitar seems to be mixed down a little in favour of the bass and drums.


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Cowpoke
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

I am still researching the mystery I mentioned in my previous post about The Champs, but in the meantime, a rare picture of Glen with the group has surfaced. I never saw this one before!
Attachments
Glen with The Champs (1960/61)
Glen with The Champs (1960/61)
1960_The_Champs_publicity_photo_with_GC.jpg (184.39 KiB) Viewed 17549 times


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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

The next single by The Champs was "The Shoddy Shoddy / Sombrero" (Challenge 9113), released early June 1961 (or perhaps late May) (http://countrydiscography.blogspot.com/ ... hamps.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) just after Glen had left the band. It's not clear to me which side is the A-side. I have seen both songs listed as A-side and B-side.
The Shoddy Shoddy
The Shoddy Shoddy
the_shoddy_shoddy.jpg (9.58 KiB) Viewed 17364 times
Sombrero
Sombrero
sombrero.jpg (9.28 KiB) Viewed 17364 times
We do know that Glen is playing guitar on this single, because "Sombrero" is from the same session as "Hokey Pokey". "The Shoddy, Shoddy" was recorded March 24, 1961. While Glen was still part of the touring band then, we cannot be sure that Glen's is present on this side as well. Dave Burgess sometimes recorded a new single with a group of studio musicians while the touring band was... well... touring! I've read somewhere that he mailed the new recording to the touring band so they could learn it!

Another way to detect if Glen is one a certain recording is by simply listening. Sometimes there is a guitar solo that has Glen's fingerprints all over it. However, I cannot hear Glen on "The Shoddy, Shoddy". But maybe others can?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZhJY3mFaOY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The song, with a rare vocal, was written by Jerry Fuller. "Sombrero" is a Dave Burgess original.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAL3o4WZikk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In classic Champs style, we hear the main character looking for his "sombrero" during the song. In the end, he finds it of course... :)

Next time, a mystery!


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Dee
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Dee »

Unfortunately, yes, Cowpoke--I still know how to do the Hokey Pokey.
I can't believe you found the exact version of this song from my childhood!
I had forgotten that a woman sings the lead -- now I remember her voice from this recording (link) that you posted, and I finally know her name: Jo Ann Greer.
Maybe I'll add the HP to my exercise routine (not!). :roll:

Dee


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Cowpoke
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

The question of course is, do you all still know how to dance the Hokey Pokey? :D

This version by Ray Anthony and his Orchestra seems to have been the most popular version for many years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_P9PU5FcMQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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siblis
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by siblis »

Dee....I also remember that song when I was a kid....we used to have it played at our Birthday parties while playing Twister......"You put your right foot in".....lol


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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Dee »

Cowpoke, I guess there are different ways of defining a "hit".

Would you believe that "Hokey Pokey" was BIG when I was a kid? This song was considered a children's song and was played (and acted out in a circle formation) in grade school, at birthday parties, and at home!

I don't know if we played The Champs version because so many other groups performed it, too. However, it's cool to think that I might have been doing the "Hokey Pokey with Glen Campbell" when I was a kid!

Dee


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Cowpoke
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

A few notes...

Gary Myers' article (http://topshelfoldies.org/champs.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) confirms that Glen took over Dave Burgess' place in the band:

"Burgess was ready to get off the road, so Campbell took his place. Burgess remained in­volved at the studio end and retained ownership of the name, while Bob Morris took over leadership of the group."

This seems right. In the television interview from November 1960 posted earlier, Bob Morris is doing most the talking.

I also forgot to add that Glen's first single with The Champs, ("Hokey Pokey") wasn't a hit. Or was it? More than a year after its release in the USA, it entered the charts... on The Philippines! According to Billboard Magazine (October 20, 1962) "Hokey Pokey" climbed from number 10 to number 8 on the Philippine charts.

http://books.google.nl/books?id=5xcEAAA ... 62&f=false


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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by Cowpoke »

Arlw and Siblis, thanks for your posts! I think it's very interesting to figure out which records by The Champs Glen actually played on.

Tequila was recorded on December 23, 1957 in Hollywood while Glen was still a member of Dick Bills and His Sandia Mountain Boys in Albuquerque. So yes, as Glen has said himself several times in interviews, he is definitely not on that recording. The first single record that we can be sure Glen played on is "Hokey Pokey"/"Jumping Bean" (Challenge 59103). The songs were recorded during a 4 song session on January 23, 1961 (the other songs being "Sombrero" and "Third Man Theme"). I was lucky to acquire a copy of the session contract and yes, Glen's name is on it. Released in late January or early February 1961 (reviewed in Billboard Magazine February 6, 1961), this also the only Champs single that Glen played on, that was recorded and released while he was a member of the touring band. At this point, the touring band consisted of Jimmy Seals (saxophone), Dash Crofts (drums), Bob Morris (bass), Jerry Cole (guitar), Glen Campbell (guitar).
The Champs, line-up late 1960 - early 1961. Clockwise from top left: Bob Morris, Dash Crofts, Glen Campbell, Jerry Cole and Jimmy Seals
The Champs, line-up late 1960 - early 1961. Clockwise from top left: Bob Morris, Dash Crofts, Glen Campbell, Jerry Cole and Jimmy Seals
champs_with_glen_large.jpg (123.92 KiB) Viewed 16896 times
Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts of course later became famous as soft rock duo Seals & Crofts, best known for their hits "Summer Breeze" (1972) and "Diamond Girl" (1973). Jerry Cole became a sought after session guitarist who also recorded under his own name and Bob Morris wrote songs for country artists like Buck Owens. For more information on the history of The Champs and the many musicians that played with them, read this wonderful article by Gary Myers: http://topshelfoldies.org/champs.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's a picture of Glen's first single with The Champs. The Hokey Pokey (both a song and a dance) has a long international history Here you can read more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokey_pokey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
Hokey Pokey (Challenge 59103)
Hokey Pokey (Challenge 59103)
45-rpm-record-the-champs-hokey-pokey-bw-jumping-bean_7898376.jpg (22.28 KiB) Viewed 16896 times
On youtube you can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McceiGy_dH4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can you hear Glen singing the high harmony vocals?

The b-side is an early original by Jimmy Seals, co-written by Bob Morris and a certain E. Miller.
Jumping Bean (Challenge 59103)
Jumping Bean (Challenge 59103)
jumping_bean.jpg (137.14 KiB) Viewed 16896 times
You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRwWKJh1Heo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To me, the b-side is musically the most interesting of the two. What do you think?

Coming soon: a closer look at other singles released by The Champs that Glen played on, after he had left the touring band. In my humble view, there are quite a few, but "Limbo Rock" is not one of them! :)


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siblis
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Re: Glen and The Champs

Post by siblis »

Arlw....That is what I stated in my post.....during the Bob Costas interview he asked Glen if he played on the studio version of "Tequilia" & Glen replied "No, I plated on the Studio version of "Limbo Rock", & than they showed a clip of it.....In the 1 hr interview he mentioned that he played on the "Live" versions with the Champs & Dash & Crofts were part of the Band, but Costas wanted to know if he played on the Studio Recording.


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