March 19, 2015

101 Reel-to-Reel Tapes 101: Every Mother's Son ~ What Became of Mary?



In addition to my 20,000 Vinyl LP collection I'm selling, I have reel-to-reel, pre-recorded tapes for sale. If interested, contact me by email please, not by a comment. 

I have the Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape, for sale on eBay. I have others for sale on eBay now (see links below).    

~ ~ ~

This is the one hundred and first article in my category, 101 reel-to-reel tapes. I still have many tapes to write about but I had no idea that this album would be it. It just worked out like that; life's funny that way.   

Every Mother’s Son was one of many, many one-hit wonders with the tune, Come on Down to My Boat, not a particularly interesting song; in fact, it is what is known as, 'bubble gum pop'.     



Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape
cover photo by James Brooks
cover design by John Murello


However, as with any album, it had one truly great song, What Became of Mary?, which is one of my all-time favorites. It is a gentle and quiet song that sings about a one and only true love which has been lost. It is wistful and gently regretful. 

It has an almost cha-cha like beat with a very nicely played piano and some sort of echoey, under water-sounding instrument. The melody uses minor key modulations brilliantly. The end is a quietly descending, dissonant note that kind of peters out. My description sounds kind of weird but it is a lovely song. You can listen to it while you read the rest of this; link to it on YouTube.      



Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape back


They only produced two albums, both in the same year, 1967; this was the first. The big hit on the album, Come on Down To My Boat, is a song written by Jerry Goldstein and Wes Farrell; it was  produced by Farrell as well. 

The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. It appeared on their 1967 album, Every Mother's Son, but was titled on the album as, Come and Take a Ride in My Boat. It was ranked #22 on Billboard magazine's Top Hot 100 songs of 1967.     

The year earlier, 1966, The Rare Breed did a version of the song, which was also produced by Farrell. It is a bit more on the rock side and a bit more gutsier.  




Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape




Every Mother's Son was formed in New York City in 1967. Brothers Dennis Larden (born 22 November 1948) and Larry Larden (born 10 August 1945) had originally performed as a folk duo. In the formation of Every Mother's Son, they were joined by pianist/organist Bruce Milner (born 9 May 1943), drummer Christopher Augustine (born 25 August 1941), and bassist Schuyler Larsen (born 19 February 1947).  




Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape detail



In early 1967, the group was signed to the MGM Records label (supposedly because management saw the band's clean-cut image as an antidote to the hippie influx). They recorded a self-titled, eleven-song LP, mostly containing songs written by the Larden brothers, that would be described as, "clean summer rock (with almost imperceptible echoes of The Beach Boys)."




Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape


Although the debut single was a hit, the group could not sustain its initial success. MGM quickly released a second album in the fall of 1967, Every Mothers' Son's Back, which spawned three more singles that managed to make the charts, but at increasingly lower positions: "Put Your Mind At Ease" (#46, #8 Can.), "Pony With The Golden Mane" (#93, #41 Can.), and "No One Knows" (#96). Larsen left the band shortly after Every Mothers' Son's Back was completed, replaced by Don Kerr and the group disbanded in 1968; a compilation album on Collectible Records was issued three decades later. Dennis Larden later joined the Ricky Nelson Stone Canyon Band.  



Every Mother’s Son
 reel-to-reel tape spine details



What Became of Mary? lyrics 

Once I had a special love
but we were torn asunder 
Time has helped to dull the pain
but now and then I wonder

What Became of Mary?
Is her life still gay and bright?
Does she sit alone at night
and dream of days with me,
dream of days with me?

Time has flown 
Time was good 
The years brought wealth and fame 
Girls have come 
Girls will go
but not for one remain 

What Became of Mary? 
Are her eyes still warm and gray?
Does she smile at him the way
she used to smile at me,
she used to smile at me?

Though it’s over long ago
I know I will never forget her
‘cause every night it seems
her face still haunt my dreams
I wish I’d never even knew her name
and yet . . .

It seems so nice 
Reminisce 
To stop and think about her
Hope she’s not lonely there
as I am here without her

What Became of Mary?
Is her life still gay and bright?
Does she sit alone at night
and dream of days with me,
dream of days with me?

What Became of Mary?

Oooooooo






Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape label detail


Tracklist:

Side 1: 

1 - Come And Take A Ride In My Boat - written by Goldstein*, Farrell* - 2:18
2 - I Won't - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:24
3 - For Brandy - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:30
4 - Didn't She Lie - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:09
5 - What Became Of Mary - written by Dennis Larden - 3:04 
6 - Ain't It A Drag - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:17

Side 2:

1 - Allison Dozer - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:59
2 - I Believe In You - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:33
3 - Ain't No Use - written by – Bruce J. Milner, Dennis Larden - 2:30
4 - Sittin' Here (Peter's Tune) - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:42
5 - Come On Queenie - written by Dennis Larden, Lary Larden - 2:44


Credits:

Label: MGM Records ‎– E-4471 
Format: reel-to-reel tape  
Country: US
Released: 1967
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock

MGM Records - MG 4471





What Became of Mary? on YouTube  
Come On Down To My Boat on YouTube
The Rare Breed - Come On Down To My Boat 
        (ORIGINAL VERSION) 1966 on YouTube         


The Every Mother’s Son, reel-to-reel tape, is for sale on eBay 
  

Other reel-to-reel tapes now for sale on eBay     





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