A Rare Song by Burt and Hal

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:05 am

A rare song-
"Happy is a Color" written by by Burt and Hal from an unaired Hanna-Barbera animated pilot entitled "The World-Color it Happy." The singer is Jack Jones. Some nice Jetson-like scoring at the beggining of this clip by H-B composer Hoyt Curtain.....

the song can be heard here...

Steveo

Roberto Pinardi · Post by **Roberto Pinardi** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:13 am

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

bye

Bob

Bill Minnick · Post by **Bill Minnick** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:14 am

Very interesting, Steveo! Interesting, too, that Burt and Woody Allen were both involved with its production. Do you know whether they worked on anything else together besides this and Casino Royale?

Steve Schenck · Post by **Steve Schenck** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:40 am

Hey, Steve
Thanks for posting that rare song link! It's great! There must be a special challenge to composing something that is so brief, and yet that still has some identity and coherence. Steve Schenck

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:36 am

Ty all for responding on this tune..
To Bill Minnick: "No, I don't think Woody Allen and Burt worked together anymore than what is known...They are both new Yorkers from way back, and I'm sure their paths crossed, especially at United Artists, whom they both worked for..Is Woody in What's New Pussycat?

On the Subject of "Sleeper"
I found an old tape of Woody's - "Sleeper." It has some wonderful elements in it,and I enjoy the premise. The ending leaves a lot to be desired..It just ends abruptly..
Also, I'm wondering what this picture would have been like with more
of a conventional score..the Jazz music is good in some scenes, but IMHO it's too much overall..

blueonblue · Post by **blueonblue** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:57 am

Steveo,
Thanks for sharing this..........absolutely superb !!!

"blue"

Bill Minnick · Post by **Bill Minnick** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:39 am

Steveo, I know that Woody had an eary association with Marvin Hamlisch and at some point he hooked up with Dick Hyman, who scored many of Woody's early to mid-career films and was his music director on many others. Woody may have wanted someone who was based in NY, and I think Hyman probably filled the bill perfectly.

Regarding the use of film music, I've always been intrigued by the debate over Woody Allen's heavy use of Gershwin music for the film Manhattan. Some folks believe that Gershwin's fine "score" overwhelmed the film (Randy Newman has said as much). While others, myself included, believe that the music is so great, and so identifiable with the film, that the two have become virtually inseparable, perhaps owing to the fact that they compliment each other so well. To me, the film is every bit the homage to Gershwin's music as it is a tribute to New York City. The soundtrack is still available on CD, by the way.

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-1979-Film-George-Gershwin/

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:08 pm

Bill,
Dick Hyman is a fine arranger, whom I'm in awe of..
Witness his great arrangement of Topsy Pt2 by Cozy Cole, or his marvelous rendition of What the world needs Now recorded by Doc Severensen in the late 60's on command records(did i mention "Trumpets and Crumpets," (compsed by Marion Evans)another genius arrangement on that same album?
pure wonderfulness....
I love Gershwin, he was on in a million, Like Burt, also Arranger Buddy Baker(Disney)
These guys are rare!

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:14 pm

Did I say Hi to my fellow posters, Rob, Steve S. and Blue!
: )
Steveo

nymusicalsguy · Post by **nymusicalsguy** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:33 pm

GREAT find, Steve! This one gets the prize for most exciting rarity in a long while!

Despite the 45 second length, it's VERY Bacharach. Too bad the show didn't take off & Jack Jones (a most underrated singer imho) didn't get to release this one officially, perhaps in an extended version.

Joe

Bill Minnick · Post by **Bill Minnick** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:53 pm

Steveo,

Thanks for the Hyman recommendations. I'll have to see if I can track them down. Some years back, I had the pleasure of seeing Hyman play pipe organ in a solo performance at the Forum in Harrisburg, Pa. The guy is an amazing talent in so many respects. I was prompted to see him perform after hearing him play on "America, the Beautiful," a truly grand pipe organ-cornet record with the late Ruby Braff, who was also a wonderful musician. Kind of an odd marriage instrument-wise but it really worked. Inspired and sublime. Didn't Hyman also do a number of primarily synthesizer records back in the day, as well?

Before I forget...Hellos to Joe, Steve S., Bob and Blue!

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:48 pm

Bill,
yes, dick hymen did a series of Moog synthsizer albums in the late 60's...
there was one with a "moon" theme cover..(electric eclectics)

Some great pictures of Dick on the web...

http://perso.orange.fr/jcarl.simonetti/ ... _hyman.jpg
http://www.thetransistors.com/iobloggo/ ... ll_s02.jpg
http://cfs1.tistory.com/upload_control/download.blog?fhandle=YmxvZz...
http://spaceage.streetnine.com/graphics/moog.gif

Steveo
hello nymusicalsguy!

hello to nymusicalsguy!

nymusicalsguy · Post by **nymusicalsguy** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:51 pm

Hi Bill, Steve & co.!

Thanks for the Severinsen recommendation!

I'll be on the lookout for the album! It's called THE GREAT ARRIVAL and was on Command Records in '68; apparently it's not on CD, and there's also a cover of "Nikki" on there. Must be good stuff!

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:05 am

Nymusicalsguy,
Regarding the Doc Severensen album-aside from recognizing the title while looking for the album, it's fairly easy to recognize-just look at the back cover, it has a big picture of Johnny Carson, giving the ok sign with his fingers...
May i also recommend a cut off of "Doc Severnsen's Closet"(picture of his wardrobe on cover) a beautiful rendition of Brian Wilson's "Surfer Girl!"
one of my prized possesions(smooth, glassy, and etherial)

Steveo

Post by **mark** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:53 am

I'm a big Command Records fan. There were quite a few Bacharach-David recordings by Command's stable of artists in the '60s. I've got a Tony Mottola LP with, I think, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and "This Guy's In Love With You." Great stuff.

As for this song, it's a great novelty but did anyone else think it sounded incredibly familiar, almost like a case of self plagiarism? I know Burt is notorious for reusing riffs and melodies and what not, but this sounded almost like a pastiche to me.

Or maybe it's his later records that were the pastiches

The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

A Rare Song by Burt and Hal

A Rare Song by Burt and Hal

great

rare song

Happy is a color..