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vinyl LP front cover

cover photo by Guy Webster

cover design by Bob Cato

photo of album cover by Styrous®

September 11 is a day with many historical references, the most infamous being the disastrous incident in New York City, in 2001. But another event happened over a hundred and fifty years earlier in 1847. The Stephen Foster song, Oh! Susannah, was performed in public for the first time by a local quintet in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I have always been intrigued by this song as a lot of the lyrics make no sense whatsoever! Samples: "It rain'd all night the day I left, The weather it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to death..." and so on. I remember as a kid thinking this was, "The cat's pajamas!" a phrase still in use at the time.

And the name, Susana, has always been a fascination for me. The rhythmic syllables, the bouncy feeling of the consonants and vowels dancing around each other and, of course, when pronouncing it in the Castilian/Catalan tounge, the sensuous pursing of the lips to produce the sound "Su" (link below). VERY erotic! From my childhood, the name has always had a middle-eastern sound to my ears; then in 2000 when I was on Cyprus, the distant call of the Iman electrified me to the core when I heard it clearly ringing out above the raucous cacophony of the busy city streets. This totally cemented it in my mind as a mysterious, sensual, powerful and wonderful name!

Anyway, I digress, back to the song itself! Foster was only 21 years old when he composed it in 1848. He later wrote, “the two fifty-dollar bills I received (for "Oh! Susanna") had the effect of starting me on my present vocation as a songwriter.” He wrote over two hundred songs, a lot of them dealing with the South although he only visited it once (link below). Oh! Susannah was a favorite of the ‘49ers during the California Gold Rush and others heading west during the mid-nineteenth century.

The first version of it I knew was featured in the film, The Jazz Singer, with Al Jolson singing in black face. In 1942, Looney Tunes had Elmer Fudd singing a totally wacked-out version of it for the war effort. Connie Francis covered it in 1961 on her Connie Sings Folksong Favorites album. The version The Byrds did in 1965 on their album, Turn! Turn! Turn!, is one of my all-time favorites. James Taylor did a really wonderful duet for guitar & vocal on his Sweet Baby James 1970 album (links below).

The cover design was by Bob Cato who also did a cover for Blood, Sweat & Tears, Simon & Garfunkel and the graphics for the sound track recording of the 1933 film, King Kong which starred Fay Wray.

vinyl LP back cover

photo of album cover by Styrous®

In 1940 the United States Postal Service issued a 1¢ commemorative stamp in Foster's honor for the Famous American Composers series.

Stephen Foster 1¢ stamp - 1940
photo: Gwillhickers

There has been opposition to honors for him because of the racist aspect of the lyrics of his songs; but it was another era with different values.

Lyrics

I came from Alabama, ⁠ Wid my banjo on my knee, 

I'm gwyne to Louisiana,  ⁠My true love for to see;  

It rain'd all night the day I left,  ⁠The weather it was dry,

 The sun so hot I froze to death,  ⁠Susanna, don't you cry.

CHORUS.
⁠Oh! Susanna,  ⁠Oh don't you cry for me, ⁠

I've come from Alabama ⁠ Wid my banjo on my knee.

2
I jumped aboard de telegraph,  ⁠And trabbled down de riber,  

De lectric fluid magnified,  ⁠And killed five hundred nigger.  

De bullgine bust, de horse run off, ⁠ I realy thought I'd die; 

I shut my eyes to hold my breath,  ⁠Susanna, don't you cry. ⁠

Cho: Oh! Susanna &c.

3
I had a dream de odder night ⁠ When ebery ting was still, 

I thought I saw Susanna  ⁠A coming down de hill;  

The buck-wheat cake was in her mouth,  ⁠The tear was in her eye;

 Says I, "I'm coming from de south,  ⁠Susanna, don't you cry.

" ⁠Cho: Oh! Susanna &c.

4
I soon will be in New Orleans,  ⁠And den I'll look all round,  

And when I find Susanna, ⁠ I will fall upon de ground. 

And if I do not find her,  ⁠Dis darkie'l surely die,  

And when I'm dead and buried,  ⁠Susanna, don't you cry. ⁠

Cho: Oh! Susanna &c.

vinyl LP side 1

photo by Styrous®

vinyl LP side 2

photo by Styrous®

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season),Adapted By, Music By – Pete Seeger - 3:34
A2 - It Won't Be Wrong, written by Gerst* - 1:58
A3 - Set You Free This Time - 2:49
A4 - Lay Down Your Weary Tune - 3:30
A5 - He Was A Friend Of Mine - 2:30

Side 2:

B1 - The World Turns All Around Her - 2:12
B2 - Satisfied Mind, written by J. Rhodes*, R. Hayes* - 2:21
B3 - If You're Gone - 2:45
B4 - The Times They Are A-Changin' - 2:17
B5 - Wait And See, written by D. Crosby* - 2:19
B6 - Oh! Susannah, arranged by J. McGuinn* - 3:00

Companies, etc.

    Printed By – Modern Album, Terre Haute, Indiana
    Published By – Melody Trails, Inc.
    Published By – Tickson Music Co.
    Published By – M. Witmark & Sons
    Published By – Peer International Corp.

Credits:

    Art Direction [Uncredited] – Bob Cato, John Berg
    Bass – Chris Hillman
    Drums – Mike Clark*
    Guitar, Leader – Jim McGuinn
    Liner Notes – Derek Taylor (2)
    Photography By [Cover Photo] – Guy Webster
    Producer – Terry Melcher
    Rhythm Guitar – Dave Crosby*
    Tambourine – Gene Clark
    Written-By – B. Dylan* (tracks: A4, B4), G. Clark* (tracks: A3, B1, B3), J. McGuinn* (tracks: A2, B5)

Notes:

Columbia Two-Eye Red label, "360 Sound Stereo" in white text.
NONBREAKABLE printed on labels.
Columbia Masterworks on label rim.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Label matrix, side A): XSM 112091
    Matrix / Runout (Label matrix, side B): XSM 112092
    Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A, etched): XSM 112091 1D
    Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B, etched): XSM 112092 1C
    Matrix / Runout (Runout var 1, side A, etched): XSM 112091 1A O C
    Matrix / Runout (Runout var 1, side B, etched): XSM 112091 1B D O
    Rights Society (Tracks A1 to A3, A5 to B3, B5 and B6): BMI
    Rights Society (Tracks A4 and B4): ASCAP
    Other (Rear jacket fabricator identification): 3

The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn!
Label: Columbia – CS 9254
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: Dec 6, 1965
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock

Viewfinder links:

Blood, Sweat & Tears

The Byrds

Bob Cato

King Kong & Fay Wray

Postal stamps

Simon & Garfunkel

Net links:

Digital Music News ~

The Original Lyrics to ‘Oh Susanna’ Are Brutally Racist

YouTube links:

2nd South Carolina String Band ~ Oh! Susanna

The Byrds ~ Oh, Susana

Connie Francis ~ Oh, Susana

Elmer Fudd - Oh, Susana

Al Jolson ~ Oh, Susana

PronounceNames.com ~ Susana

Stephen Foster ~ OH! SUSANNA - Original 1848 Lyrics

James Taylor ~ Oh, Susana

Styrous® ~ September, 11, 2023

20,000 Vinyl LPs Archive
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September 4, 2023

Bruce Cabot articles/mentions

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mentions:
King Kong & Fay Wray
Tales of Tomorrow & Sergei Prokofiev

Bruce Cabot - ca 1960

publicity photo

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Robert Armstrong articles/mentions

mentions:

King Kong & Fay Wray

Robert Armstrong

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June 19, 2021

David Letterman articles/mentions

mentions:
Larry Fine ~ A mummy's dummy
Moe Howard ~ No mummy's dummy

King Kong & Jessica Lange
La Strada ~ Quinn, Fellini & Masina

David Letterman

date & photographer unknown

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April 20, 2021

20,000 vinyl LPs 285: John Barry ~ King Kong & Jessica Lange

Today is the birthday of Jessica Lange, born on April 20, 1949, in Cloquet, Minnesota. As I have loved the original 1933 King Kong film with Fay Wray (links below) my whole life, I had to see the 1976 Dino De Laurentiis remake of the action-adventure classic. The bonus was, it was my introduction to Jessica Lange.

vinyl LP back cover detail

detail photo by Styrous®

Her role as Dwan, in the "Beauty and the Beast" love story, won her the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year and made her a star!

vinyl LP front cover

photo of cover by Styrous®

The film's production values were terrific; the special effects with dinosaurs (a favorite subject of mine (link below), giant snakes, etc., were great and it was a lot of fun. At one point Kong puts Dwan (Lange) under a waterfall, filmed in Brazil, dunks her into a pool then blows on her to dry her off; a bit racey (link below). Lange's role is basically the typical "brainless beauty"; she's a great actress and she fit the bill perfectly! She was gorgeous and I fell totally in love with her.

But I would discover many years later that in reality, she actually has a brilliant mind behind those beautiful looks.

Jessica Lange is the 13th actress to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, having won two Academy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award, along with a Screen Actors Guild Award and five Golden Globe Awards. Additionally, she is the second actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress after winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the third actress and first performer since 1943 to receive two Oscar nominations in the same year, the fifth actress and ninth performer to win Oscars in both the lead and supporting acting categories, and tied for the sixth most Oscar-nominated actress. Lange holds the record for most nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. She is the only performer ever to win Primetime Emmy Awards in both the Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Lead Actress categories for the same miniseries. Lange has also garnered a Critics Choice Award and three Dorian Awards, making her the most honored actress by the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association. In 1998, Entertainment Weekly listed Lange among the 25 Greatest Actresses of the 1990s. Not bad for a "brainless" beauty!

Lange was not the only consideration for the lead role of Dwan; Meryl Streep, Bette Midler, Farrah Fawcett, Bo Derek (who turned it down), and, would you believe, Barbra Streisand were in the running.

In a 2008 interview with David Letterman, Meryl Streep revealed that she auditioned for the role of Dwan. De Laurentiis turned to his son, describing Streep as "Troppo brutta per King Kong" ("Too ugly for King Kong"). Not knowing Streep understood the language, she responded in perfect Italian that she was very sorry to have disappointed him, and left De Laurentiis stunned (link below).

Kim Basinger tried out for the role of Dwan for her first film audition and Melanie Griffith did a screen test for the role. According to her autobiography, De Laurentiis approached Britt Ekland for the role but she turned him down. Fay Wray was offered a cameo in the film, however, she refused the role because she didn't like the script. (link below).

Roman Polanski, Michael Winner, and Sam Peckinpah were offered the chance to direct, but all of them turned it down.

Ray Harryhausen was considered to provide the stop-motion effects for Kong. Harryhausen turned it down as he felt that 12 months wasn't sufficient time to deliver on such a detailed shoot.

Trivia

In a Time magazine cover story on the production, Dino De Laurentiis said "No one cried when Jaws died, but when the monkey dies, people are gonna cry. Intellectuals are gonna love Kong. Even film buffs who love the first Kong are gonna love ours. Why? Because, I don't give a crap."

At a breakfast press conference held on the Paramount backlot to celebrate the launch of the film's principal photography, de Laurentiis promised to "blow away" members of the media by unveiling both of his "stars" - blonde newcomer Lange and the giant mechanical ape created to play the title role. Lange gamely posed in a huge rubber gorilla "hand," but disappointed photographers when she refused to scream for them.

For shots of Kong holding Jessica Lange, the filmmakers built giant hydraulic gorilla arms. The hands were six feet across, and the arms weighed 1,650 lbs. (750 kg.) each. They weren't ready until shooting was well underway. When they were finally built, De Laurentiis was invited to the set to witness a test. He walked into the studio, and a giant arm extended in his direction. Then the middle finger slowly uncurled and extended itself. De Laurentiis broke up. So did the arm; it was frozen, finger up, for a week (link below).

date & photographer unknown

King Kong and A Star is Born were the subject of a popular industry joke at the time. Kong producer Dino De Laurentiis and Star is Born producer Jon Peters encounter one another at a Hollywood party and begin to argue about which film will be a bigger hit. After a few rounds of back-and-forth de Laurentiis says "I forgot, your monkey, she sings!" (referring to Streisand).

A Star is Born poster

For the first six weeks of pre-production, in late 1975, De Laurentiis had Rick Baker and Carlo Rambaldi construct competing Kong concept suits. Rambaldi designed his to fit African-American Albert Popwell, who was originally cast as Kong, while Baker single-handedly designed his with himself in mind as Kong. When Baker and Rambaldi presented their semi-finished suits to De Laurentiis, he chose Baker's over Rambaldi's, which he called a "disaster". At the beginning of November 1975, several contemporary sources reported complaints from African-American actors, who were called to Dino's Los Angeles, California, office, and asked to perform the characteristics of a gorilla, in a casting call for the title role. The production decided that casting an African-American as a gorilla would be racially insensitive. PC thirty-five years ago!

In his 1989 autobiography It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here..., Charles Grodin recounts that his character was originally going to survive the picture, and that De Laurentiis was already planning a sequel and asked him if he would be interested in reprising the role. But when a test audience didn't like the scene in which Kong tried to stomp on Fred Wilson (Grodin) and misses, it was re-edited to make it look like Wilson was squashed.

When Dwan explains how she came to be on the yacht that sank, she mentions that her friend Harry was going to take her to Singapore to put her in a movie. She also mentions that when the yacht sank, everyone but her was below deck, watching the 1972 adult movie Deep Throat. It's mentioned more than once, indicating that Dwan was going to star in a pornographic movie, and that "Harry" was Harry Reems, the star of Deep Throat (link below).

Deep Throat poster

The score for the film was written by John Barry; it was typical Hollywood music and it was ok. My favorite section is, Sacrifice - Hail To The King, which is the entrance of Kong to claim his bride. It is wonderfully and totally over the top Hollywood "jungle drama"!

vinyl LP front cover detail

detail photo of cover by Styrous®

vinyl LP back cover

photo of cover by Styrous®

Rotten Tomatoes as well as many other film critics have not been very kind in their reviews of the film:

"King Kong represents a significant visual upgrade over the original, but falls short of its classic predecessor in virtually every other respect."

I don't care what the critics might have said, I love the film! As well as the jungle effects, it nicely chronicles the "smash hit" Kong becomes in The Big Apple when Kong destroys an elevated train (the Astoria El in Queens, New York was used). The filming of the New York City climax scene was filmed in June 1976, with a casting call for 5,000 extras. Over 30,000 people showed up, (link below).

vinyl LP back cover detail

detail photo by Styrous®

The ancestry of Jessica Lange is German, Finnish and Dutch; her father was a teacher and traveling salesman; the family moved dozens of times in her youth, which probably sent her on the trajectory her life took. In 1967, she received a scholarship to study art and photography at the University of Minnesota, where she met and began dating Spanish photographer Paco Francisco Grande.

The history of their lives together is right out of a romantic adventure film. For eight years from 1968 to 1976, Lange lived the life of the artiste bohémien. They met Russian show-business photographer Maurice Seymour, she got tear-gassed in Paris during the 1968 student revolution. She drank in cafes with fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld before he was famous (Lagerfeld favored high heels and furs for his daily outings). Lange pantomimed in Washington Square Park in New York City for loose change and she had a romantic relationship with Mikhail Baryshnikov.

During filming, tabloids speculated that Jeff Bridges and Lange were having an on-set affair. The rumors were false; Lange was in a relationship with Russian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Bridges was engaged to Susan Geston (Susan Bridges). Lange and Bridges have remained friends since making this film (link below).

Mikhail Baryshnikov & Jessica Lange - 1982

They met Peter Wynne-Willson who was on tour with Pink Floyd as the band’s lighting designer, performance artist Ellie Klein, lived with Swiss photographer Robert Frank. They entertained John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York and in San Francisco they hung out with blues musicians Michael Bloomfield and Mark Naftalin of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. All of this is delightfully documented in Artful Living (link below). After the two married in 1971, Lange left college to pursue a more bohemian lifestyle, traveling in the United States and Mexico in a minivan with Grande.

Jessica Lange & Paco Grande

photo: Paco Grande

The couple then moved to Paris, where they drifted apart. While there, Lange studied mime theatre under the supervision of Étienne Decroux and joined the Opéra-Comique as a dancer. She later studied acting at HB Studio in New York City.

vinyl LP front cover detail

detail photo of cover by Styrous®

A great bonus of the album is that it includes a gigante 23" X 46" poster that catches the scene when Kong is enraged at the theft of his "Bride" . . .

vinyl LP front cover detail

detail photo of cover by Styrous®

vinyl LP record album King Kong poster - 1976

vinyl LP front cover detail

detail photo of cover by Styrous®

vinyl LP, side 1

photo by Styrous®