Seals and Crofts
Listen/Download – Seals and Crofts – Not Be Found
Listen/Download – The Love Generation – Not Be Found
Greetings all.
Today’s selection comes to you courtesy of the very early, little heard work of Seals and Crofts.
If you – like me – grew up in the 70s, Seals and Crofts hits like ‘Summer Breeze’ and ‘Diamond Girl’ were everywhere, but I had no idea that the duo had been recording since the late 60s.
As a soul collector I was already aware of Jimmy Seals early recordings for the Challenge label, but it wasn’t until I picked up the 1968 Uncle Sound 45 (Beverly Hills b/w I’m Gonna Ask Him) that I realized that S&C were together for years before their 1970s hits.
So, I pick up the Uncle Sound 45, and someone clues me in to the fact that the duo’s debut album had come out in 1969, and I set out in search of a copy.
I finally put my hands on one, get it home, slip it under the needle, and suddenly hear a very familiar song (but in an unfamiliar version).
As it turns out, a few years before this album, the Love Generation – one of my fave sunshine pop groups – had recorded Jimmy Seals’ ‘Not Be Found’, which S&C rerecorded for their first album.
In addition to his own records, Seals had been writing songs for others, including the Walker Brothers, Rick Nelson, the Knickerbockers, and Brenda Lee. Though I have no specific information about how the Love Generation came to record his song, I can only assume that they got their hands on a publishing demo.
The S&C version of the song is (as expected) a little folkier (with acoustic guitar and mandolin) than the Love Generation take on the tune (which I’ll include here for contrast), but the basic lite-psyche structure of the tune is there, complete with memorable hooks and harmonies.
The rest of the album follows in the same style, and is worth picking up if you see it.
I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you next week.
Peace
Larry
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Iron Leg 