The Paisley Window Pane & more- Wendy and Bonnie

Many thanks to Mordi at the Blow Up Doll music blog for turning me onto this duo.




from Wikipedia:
Wendy and Bonnie Flower were an American singing sister duo, who recorded the album, Genesis, in 1969 for Skye Records.
The album was produced by Gary McFarland. At the time, McFarland was part owner of the Skye label, along with Latin percussionist Cal Tjader (who was Wendy and Bonnie's godfather) and jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó.
Wendy and Bonnie grew up in Millbrae, California, in the San Francisco Bay suburbs. Their parents, Art and Jeane Flower, were professional musicians. In 1967, Wendy played and recorded with an early San Francisco psychedelic band called Crystal Fountain; Bonnie later joined the band as drummer. The following year, Tjader heard some of the Flower sisters' acoustic home demos and arranged a recording session with Skye. The sisters, who were teens at the time the album was recorded, composed all the songs. McFarland served as arranger on the sessions, crafting a post-psychedelic soft rock sound with Brazilian overtones. Musicians who performed on the album included guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Jim Keltner, and keyboardist Mike Melvoin.
The Skye label went bankrupt shortly after the album's release. In 1971, while planning for additional recording with the Flower sisters, McFarland was murdered in mysterious circumstances in a New York bar.
In the early 1970s, Wendy and Bonnie provided background vocals on two Cal Tjader albums for Fantasy Records. Thereafter, the sisters pursued separate careers in music and entertainment, but did not record together again.

I Feel The Earth Move - Bonnie Herman

demo recorded in 1970, before the formation of the Singers Unlimited.

Girl Talk- Bobby Troup, Julie London, Howard Roberts

This is no doubt one of the most sexist songs ever written, and this video just amplifies that a hundred fold. But it's done with such style and panache that ya just gotta love it. This song clip, 15 years or so before the term "music video" came along, was done by M*A*S*H director Robert Altman for a TV special in 1966.
I've always liked the tune, and had two versions in my collection before I even knew it had lyrics. The music is by Neal Hefti (the Batman Theme and many light jazz pieces) with words by Troup.
　　
　

Robert William "Bobby" Troup Jr. (October 18, 1918 - February 7, 1999) was an American actor, jazz pianist and songwriter. He's probably best known for writing the song ""(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66". He also was a TV actor, playing a doctor on the 70s show "Emergency". I liked his guest shot on Perry Mason as a murdering beatnik.

He was married to Emergency co-star Julie London, who did a more popular version of the song.

Here is the Howard Roberts instrumental version that was a favorite in my playlist for years before I knew there were lyrics.

Killing Me Softly With His Song- The Singers Unlimited

Never get tired of this lush overdubbed acapella version by the Singers Unlimited.


The group was formed in 1971 and consisted of Len Dresslar (better known as the Jolly Green Giant in General Mills commercials), Bonnie Herman, Don Shelton and Gene Puerling . Wonderful use of multi-track recording made the 4 voices sound much richer. The group produced 15 albums. Although most or all of their work was in English, they wer emore known in Germany than anywhere else.



Bonnie Herman, the sole female voice on this recording.



60,000 Feet- Franck Pourcel

Bright sounding 70' French Disco

La Mer - Raymond Lefevre

Raymond Lefèvre (November 20, 1929 – June 27, 2008)

Everybody knows how reserved I am but this arrangement of the old standard just makes me want to dance.

Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend

The video, featuring Beau Cole and directed by comedian Richard Ayoade, premiered June 20, 2008, on FNMTV. The concept behind the video was for it to be filmed in one long take — similar to the band's video for previous single "A-Punk" — with unified visual and musical aspects. The video drew heavily on impressions of the works of American filmmaker Wes Anderson. According to Koenig, "It's nice that now we're at a point where we have more resources and we can talk to the director."

Pavane for a Dead Princess- The Ventures, Hayley Westenra

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The only happy upbeat  guitar version of Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess that I know of.

Hayley Westenra did a vocal version. I don't know the source of the lyrics. Note that this is not an exact version of the tune. But I still like it.