45 RPMs 77: Aretha Franklin ~ Spanish Harlem

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Aretha Franklin ~ Spanish Harlem 

45 RPM

    

    

On the 16th of February in 1971, Aretha Franklin recorded a cover of the beautiful song, Spanish Harlem and it was released on July 9th of that same year. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The song was originally recorded by Ben E. King in 1960.     

 

Where King's version is languid and dreamy, Franklin's is faster, upbeat, bouncy and happy. The piano, played by Franklin herself, is absolutely beautiful, the reason I love her cover of the song. The backing vocals by The Sweethearts of Soul and Carolyn Franklin are gorgeous. An occasional keyboard riff by Donny Hathaway is a nice touch. The production by Arif Mardin is faultless.    

        

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A - Spanish Harlem, written by Jerry Leiber, Phil Spector - 3:30

Side 2:

B - Lean On Me, written by J. Cobb*, Van McCoy - 4:20

Companies, etc.

    Manufactured By – Atlantic Recording Corporation
    Recorded At – Criteria Recording Studios
    Lacquer Cut At – Atlantic Studios
    Pressed By – Plastic Products
    Published By – Progressive (3)
    Published By – Trio (8)
    Published By – Van McCoy

 Credits:

 

      Arranged By [Strings Arr. By] – Arif Mardin
    Lacquer Cut By – DK*
    Producer [Prod. By] – Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd

    Piano, Vocals: Aretha Franklin
    Arranger, Producer: Arif Mardin
    Drums: Bernard Purdie
    Backing  Vocals: Carolyn Franklin
    Bass  Guitar: Chuck Rainey
    Guitar: Cornell Dupree
    Electric  Piano: Donny Hathaway
    Backing  Vocals: Erma Franklin
    Producer: Jerry Wexler
    Backing  Vocals: The Sweethearts of Soul
    Producer: Tom Dowd
    Writer: Jerry Leiber
    Writer: Phil Spector

 

Notes:

"PL" plant code printed in label matrices denotes Plastic Products pressing.

Recorded at Atlantic South-Criteria Studios, Miami, Fla.

[A]: Pub., Progressive-Trio, BMI
[B]: Pub., Van McCoy, B M I

Mfg. By Atlantic Recording Corp., 1841 Broadway, New York, N.Y.

Runouts are etched, "X" in runouts indicates a lacquer blank from Transco was used.

Barcode and Other Identifiers        

         

   Rights Society: BMI
    Pressing Plant ID (On labels): PL
    Matrix / Runout (A-side label): A-21311-PL
    Matrix / Runout (B-side label): A-21423-PL
    Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 1): A - 21311 - 9 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 1): A - 21423 - 3 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 2): A - 21311 -10 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 2): A - 21423 - 3 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 3): A-21311-3 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 3): A-21423-3 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (A-side runout, variant 4): A - 21311 - 10 AT/DK X
    Matrix / Runout (B-side runout, variant 4): A - 21423 - 3 AT/DK X

Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem
Label:    Atlantic – 45-2817
Format:    Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, PL - Plastic Products Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1971
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Soul

        

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:       

         

Aretha Franklin        

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller         

Arif Mardin       

Phil Spector                    

The Sweethearts of Soul        
     
YouTube links:      

        
Aretha Franklin ~ Spanish Harlem        

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem                 

      
        
         

        

        

Styrous® ~ Friday, February 16, 2024       

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Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller articles/mentions

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Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller     

date & photographer unknown       
      

     

     

     

mentions:      

The Coasters ~               

        Poison Ivy           

        Yakety Yak     

Ben E. King ~                    

         Spanish Harlem

         Stand by Me             

Peggy Lee ~ Is That All There Is?             

Big Joe Turner ~ Shake, Rattle And Roll          
           

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

 

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45 RPMs 75: Ben E. King ~ Stand by Me

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 Ben E. King ~ Stand by Me

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

Sixty years ago today, on October 27, 1960, Ben E. King recorded his first solo songs after he left the Drifters. They were Spanish Harlem (link below) and Stand by Me.      

Ben E. King ~ Stand by Me

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

 

Stand By Me was written by King with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from, and was inspired by, a spiritual written by Sam Cooke and J. W. Alexander called Stand by Me Father, recorded by the Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor singing lead. Stand By Me went to number one on the R&B charts and was a Top Ten hit on the US charts twice—in its original release, entering the Billboard chart on May 13, 1961 and peaking at number 4 on June 16, 1961.     

 

 

 Ben E. King ~ Stand by Me

45 RPM record

photo by Styrous®
 

The personnel on the song included Romeo Penque on sax, Ernie Hayes on piano, Al Caiola and Charles McCracken on guitars, Lloyd Trotman on double bass, Phil Kraus on percussion, and Gary Chester on drums       

In 1986 a re-release coinciding with its use as the theme song for the film of the same name peaked at number 9 on December 20, 1986 – January 3, 1987, following its appearance in the film.           

 

 

Ben E. King ~ Stand by Me

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

The song was covered by The Drifters and Aretha Franklin in 1971. The Drifter's version is a little faster while the Franklin version is way faster and a bit jazzier (links to all below).    

 

Spanish Harlem lyrics

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
It is a special one, it's never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreaming

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal
Then look down in my soul
And starts a fire there
And then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jerry Leiber / Phil Spector

 Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

 

The "B" side on this record, Taste of Love, actually started out as the "A" side with Spanish Harlem on the "B" side. By the time this record was issued, the switch had been made.     

 

 

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®    

     

First Taste of Love was written by Doc Pomus, who wrote songs for many blues and rock singers, and Phil Spector, record producer, musician, and songwriter who developed the Wall of Sound, a music production formula he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll.       

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®   

     

      

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A    Stand By Me, written by King*, Glick* - 2:44    

Side 2:

B    On The Horizon, written by Leiber, Stoller* - 2:18     

Companies, etc.

    Published By – Progressive (3)
    Published By – Trio (8)
    Published By – Adt
    Lacquer Cut At – Atlantic Studios

Credits:
 

    Arranged By, Conductor – Stan Applebaum
    Producer – Leiber-Stoller*

        

Notes:

Both sides recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City on October 27, 1960 

Barcode and Other Identifiers

 

    Matrix / Runout (Side A label): 60C-5164
    Matrix / Runout (Side B label): 61C-5442
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched): 45-60-C-5164-13 AT W
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched): 45-61-C-5442-11
    Rights Society: BMI

Ben E. King – Stand By Me
Label:    Atlantic Records – 7-89361

Format:    Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1961
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Rock & Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues

       

       

      

  

Viewfinder links:       

         

The Drifters          

Ben E. King         
Doc Pomus         

Spanish Harlem      
     
Net links:       

         

50srockin ~ Bell Sound Studios N.Y.C                 

     
YouTube links:      
        

The Drifters ~ Spanish Harlem         

John Lennon ~ Stand by me        

Ben E. King ~      

        First Tast of Love        

        Spanish Harlem        

       Spanish Harlem (Original 1960 version in MONO recorded by Phil Spector)    

Cliff Richard ~ Das Ist Frage Aller Fragen        
        
              

      

Styrous® ~ Friday, October 27, 2023        

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45 RPMs 51: Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

~      

 Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

Sixty years ago today, on October 27, 1960, Spanish Harlem by American singer and pianist, Ben E. King was recorded at the Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The song was King's first hit away from The Drifters. It was originally released as the B-side to First Taste of Love.      

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

 

I remember hearing it for the first time. It is such a beautiful little song with its slow and gentle, syncopated and sensual beat with the marimba accompaniment; how could you NOT remember hearing it? The arrangement is by Stan Applebaum; in addition to the marimba there was Spanish guitar, drum-beats, soprano saxophone, strings, and a male chorus. It peaked at number 15 for rhythm and blues and number 10 in pop music. It was ranked number 358 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. King's version was not a hit in the United Kingdom. The song was re-released in 1987, after Stand By Me made number one.     

 

 

 Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record

photo by Styrous®
 

Spanish Harlem was written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.        

Cliff Richard released a version in 1962. He also recorded a German version, titled Das ist die Frage aller Fragen, with lyrics by Carl Ulrich Blecher, that was a #1 hit in Germany and Austria in 1963, and a #1 hit in Switzerland in 1965.                 

 

 

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous® 

The song was covered by The Drifters and Aretha Franklin in 1971. The Drifter's version is a little faster while the Franklin version is way faster and a bit jazzier (links to all below).    

 

Spanish Harlem lyrics

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
It is a special one, it's never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreaming

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal
Then look down in my soul
And starts a fire there
And then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jerry Leiber / Phil Spector

 Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record in sleeve

photo by Styrous®

 

The "B" side on this record, Taste of Love, actually started out as the "A" side with Spanish Harlem on the "B" side. By the time this record was issued, the switch had been made.     

 

 

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®    

     

First Taste of Love was written by Doc Pomus, who wrote songs for many blues and rock singers, and Phil Spector, record producer, musician, and songwriter who developed the Wall of Sound, a music production formula he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll.       

Ben E. King ~ First Taste of Love

45 RPM record label

photo by Styrous®   

     

      

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A     Ain't Got No Home, written by Clarence Henry*

Side 2:

B     First Taste Of Love, written by Pomus*, Spector* - 2:17

Companies, etc.

    Record Company – Argo Record Corp.
    Published By – Arc Music (2)

Credits:

    Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor [Orchestra] – Stan Applebaum
    Engineer [Uncredited] – Phil Ramone
    Producer – Leiber & Stoller

        

Notes:

Both sides recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City on October 27, 1960 

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A): 60C5161
    Matrix / Runout (Side B): 60C5162 II

    Rights Society: BMI       

Ben E. King ‎– Spanish Harlem / First Taste Of Love
Label: ATCO Records ‎– 45-6185
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: Dec 1960
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal

       

       

      

  

Viewfinder links:       

         

The Drifters          

Ben E. King         
Doc Pomus         

Phil Spector      
     
Net links:       

         

50srockin ~ Bell Sound Studios N.Y.C                 

     
YouTube links:      
        

The Drifters ~ Spanish Harlem         

Aretha Franklin ~ Spanish Harlem         

Ben E. King ~      

        First Tast of Love        

        Spanish Harlem        

       Spanish Harlem (Original 1960 version in MONO recorded by Phil Spector)    

Cliff Richard ~ Das Ist Frage Aller Fragen        
        
              

      

Styrous® ~ Monday, September 7, 2020        

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Phil Spector articles/mentions

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mentions:  

The Drifters          

Percy Faith ~ Latin Themes for Lovers  

David Gahr ~ music world photographer     

Ben E. King ~ Spanish Harlem           

Doc Pomus     

Rock 'N' Roll High School     

 

     

     

Phil Spector - January 30, 1965

photo: Billboard Magazine

     

 

 

     

    

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Ben E. King articles/mentions

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Spanish Harlem     

        

mentions:  

The Drifters          

Percy Faith ~ Latin Themes for Lovers 

Doc Pomus     

     

     

     

     

Ben E. King - 1960's

photo: Maurice Seymour

     

 

 

     

    

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Doc Pomus ~ Doo-Wop Wonder

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Doc Pomus

date & photographer unknown

 

 

Doc Pomus was an American blues singer and songwriter but known predominantly for the lyrics he wrote for some of the greatest songs of the doo-wop and Motown era. He wrote Teenager in Love for Dion and the Belmonts, Suspicion for Elvis Presley, and hits for Big Joe Turner (A Boogie Woogie Country Girl being one of my favorite songs) (link below), the Beach Boys and, of course, Save The Last Dance For Me done by The Drifters (link below). 

When he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Pomus said, "Rock and roll wouldn’t have happened without Big Joe Turner."

He was born Jerome Solon Felder on June 27, 1925, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jewish immigrants. He became a fan of the blues after hearing a Big Joe Turner record.   

Jerome Solon Felder 

date & photographer unknown

When he was a boy, he had polio and was only able to walk with the help of crutches.   

Jerome Solon Felder 

date & photographer unknown

Later, because of post-polio syndrome exacerbated by an accident in 1965, Felder eventually had to rely on a wheelchair. His bus, known as the 'Docmobile', had a custom pneumatic elevator lift for his wheelchair.       

Doc Pomus - 1980's 

photographer unknown

          

Using the stage name "Doc Pomus", Felder began performing as a blues singer when he was a teenager. His stage name was not inspired by anyone in particular; he just thought it sounded better for a blues singer than the name Jerry Felder.    

Performing at various clubs in and around New York City, he performed with Milt Jackson, Mickey Baker, King Curtis and many others. He recorded approximately 40 sides as a singer in the '40s and '50s for record companies such as Chess, Apollo, Gotham and others.      

In the early 1950s, Pomus started writing magazine articles as well as songwriting for artists such as Lavern Baker, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles and Big Joe Turner. His first big songwriting break came when the Coasters had a hit with his song Young Blood; I love this song! There was a cool version of Young Blood (link below) performed by The Beatles for the BBC on June 1, 1963. This song was first released on the LIVE AT THE BBC album in 1994.      

He was married to actress and dancer, Willi Burke, who was in several Broadway musicals (On The Twentieth Century, Fiorello!, etc.) He wrote the song, Save The Last Dance For Me on their wedding night. It was later recorded by The Drifters (link below). 

Doc Pomus & Willi Burke

photographer unknown

He collaborated with pianist Mort Shuman to write for Hill & Range Music Co./Rumbalero Music at its offices in New York City Brill Building. He asked Shuman to write with him because he didn't then know much about rock and roll, whereas Shuman was familiar with many popular artists of the day. They wrote the hit songs A Teenager in Love, Save The Last Dance For Me, Hushabye, This Magic Moment, Turn Me Loose, Sweets For My Sweet (a hit for The Drifters and then The Searchers), Go, Jimmy, Go, Little Sister, Can't Get Used to Losing You, Suspicion, Surrender and (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame.      

Mort Shuman & Doc Pomus

date & photographer unknown 

 

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Pomus wrote several songs with Phil Spector, Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber and other Brill Building-era writers. He also wrote Lonely Avenue, a 1956 hit for Ray Charles.     

In the 1970s and 1980s, Pomus wrote songs with Dr. John, Ken Hirsch and Willy DeVille for what he said were "...those people stumbling around in the night out there, uncertain or not always so certain of exactly where they fit in and where they were headed." These later songs are considered by some, musician and songwriter Dr. John and producer Joel Dorn, to be signatures of his best craft.
      
Alex Halberstadt published a book about Doc Pomus entitled, Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life & Times of Doc Pomus which refers to his hit song, Lonely Avenue. It was published by Da Capo Press in 1972. It was named a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice and a Best Book of 2007 by The Times (London).

Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life & Times of Doc Pomus 

The documentary film A.K.A. Doc Pomus, conceived by Pomus' daughter Sharyn Felder, directed by filmmaker Peter Miller, edited by Amy Linton and produced by Felder, Hechter and Miller, details Pomus' life was released in 2012.

A.K.A. Doc Pomus

Doc Pomus died on March 14, 1991, from lung cancer, at the age of 65 at the NYU medical center in Manhattan.     

         

       

        

Viewfinder links:      

The Beach Boys          
Ray Charles           

The Drifters ~ Save the Last Dance for Me
Doc Pomus                      
Elvis Presley         
Big Joe Turner       

      

Net links:      

       

Boogie Woogie Flu ~ Doc Pomus        
CJ News ~ TJFF saves the last film for Doc Pomus review      
Felder Pomus ~ Doc Pomus     
Jewish News ~ Shouting The Blues: A pudgy Jewish kid reborn as Doc Pomus 

NY times ~ A.K.A. Doc Pomus  review        
NY Times ~ Lonely Avenue: This Magic Moment review       
Peter Guralnick ~ Magic & Flying: Doc Pomus
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ~ Big Joe Turner          
Stereophile ~ Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life & Times of Doc Pomus review  
Tablet Magazine ~ Blues Brother        
       

YouTube links:      

          
Doc Pomus ~        
        My Good Pott   
        Send For The Doctor   
        Save the Last Dance For Me and how it almost wasn't   
The Beatles ~ Young Blood                 
The Coasters ~ Young Blood          
Big Joe Turner ~ A Boogie Woogie Country Girl                
A.K.A Doc Pomus Official Movie Trailer - 2012    

The Genius of Doc Pomus (1 hr, 39 min.)  
          

        

         

Doc Pomus

date & photographer unknown

      
      
       
       
Styrous® ~  Thursday, June 27, 2019

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