Little-known JW Gem

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Blair N. Cummings
Posts: 1123
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:14 pm

Little-known JW Gem

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

Breakwater Cat was the decade late follow up to the beautiful Sunshower collaboration with Thelma Houston. Only the first half of the album was comprised of Webb songs and, honestly, they weren`t his best. It was the disco era and they were trying to fit in. But this is still lovely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrlQEKsdo-M
blueonblue
Posts: 1540
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 3:22 am

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by blueonblue »

Blair,
Thank you, I've never heard that Webb song before.
Great performance by Thelma !
A rare gem indeed.

'blue'
pljms
Posts: 865
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:43 am
Location: London

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by pljms »

I thought that Gone, Before There Could Be Me and the title track were good songs but always sensed at that time that something was lacking and that he could be doing better, never more apparent than on his album from the early 80s, the appallingly mediocre Angel Heart.
Paul
Blair N. Cummings
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Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:14 pm

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

Blame the booze and the coke.
That`s also why Suspending Disbelief collapsed into a coma after the first few tracks.
Martin Johnson
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Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:41 am

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by Martin Johnson »

It's always a joy to hear Thelma Houston and her 'Sunshower' is still my favourite album written, arranged and produced by Jimmy Webb. Maybe if he'd also arranged and produced his songs on 'Breakwater Cat' the results would have been better. However, I think that 'Gone' has stood the test of time but thought then and still think now that the word "Zinc" has no place in a love song!
Blair N. Cummings
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Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:14 pm

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

Unless I`m missing the joke again (always a possibility at my stage of chronological advancement), I think the line is "Out of synch."
But I could be wrong.
pljms
Posts: 865
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:43 am
Location: London

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by pljms »

I seem to remember on the lyric sheet with the original LP it read "out of Zinc", and that's what she appears to be singing, although "out of synch" would obviously make more sense. I think we could start a whole new thread on misheard lyrics!
Paul
Sara D
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Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:32 am

Re: Little-known JW Gem

Post by Sara D »

Wonderful to hear that again. What a force of nature Thelma Houston is!
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