SATURDAY'S SINGLES : GRAMS PARSONS and SIMON & GARFUNKEL

[maggot]

Good morning gang and welcome to the return of Saturday's Singles, a Birthday edition. First up on our calendar of cake is New York native, singer, poet, and actor, Art Garfunkel (Arthur Ira Garfunkel), best known as one half of the  folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Art is turning 81 years old today, and we wish him the best of Birthdays. With him in mind, we spotlight the duo's single,  "My Little Town". The track was released in 1975 on the Columbia label, written by Paul Simon and then produced by Simon, Garfunkel, and Phil Ramone. It was their first collaboration since 1972's "America" and was released on both of their solo albums, Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years and Garfunkel's Breakaway. It peaked at #46 in Australia, #24 in New Zealand, #17 in the Netherlands, #9 in Canada and on the Hot 100, #8 in Spain, #7 on the Cash Box, #2 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary charts, and #1 on the US Adult Contemporary charts. It has two tracks on the flip side ; "Rag Doll" by Art Garfunkel and "You're Kind" by Paul Simon.

Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar
Art Garfunkel – vocals
Barry Beckett – piano
Pete Carr – electric guitar
David Hood – bass guitar
Roger Hawkins – drums
Ralph MacDonald – shaker, bongo drums, cowbell, temple blocks, triangle
Dave Matthews – horn arrangement

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our second Birthday wish belongs to Winter Haven, Florida native, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist, Gram Parsons (Ingram Cecil Connor III). He was born on this day in 1946 and passed away September 19, 1973, age 26, from an alcohol and drug overdose. He is best known as the pioneer of  "Cosmic American Music", an amalgamation of country, rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock and was involved of founded the groups like the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, as well as his solo work with The Fallen Angels. Today would have been his 76th Birthday. We honor his memory by spinning "Love Hurts" by Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels, featuring Emmylou Harris. The tune was released on Parsons' posthumously released Grievous Angel. The album was not a commercial success, only charting at #195 on the Billboard 200, and if the single charted, I can find no evidence, but in retrospect the song and album are considered corner pieces in his discography. It was written by Boudleaux Bryant, originally recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960, and probably made most famous by Nazareth, who took the song to #8 on the Hot 100 in 1976. Every year in Winter Haven, they celebrate Gram's Birthday at the classic venue which bears his name, the Gram Parsons Derry Down.

Our copy is a 2011 Record Store Day exclusive on blue vinyl. It features the Gram/Emmylou version on the A Side and a version by Jenny And Johnny on the AA Side. This was a joint released by Reprise and Warner Brothers Records, as part of the Side By Side Series. I'm fairly sure we got it from Jesse Carl Vinyl, at Lakeland's first Punk Rock Flea Market. 

A Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels– Love Hurts
Featuring – Emmylou Harris
Producer – John M. Delgatto, Marley Brant
4:48

AA Jenny And Johnny– Love Hurts
Producer – Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice
3:11

Gram Parsons - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Emmylou Harris - vocals 
Glen D. Hardin - piano
James Burton - electric lead guitar
Emory Gordy Jr. - bass
Ron Tutt - drums
Herb Pedersen - acoustic rhythm guitar
Al Perkins - pedal steel

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++