Dirk Star
Group: Members
Posts: 1331
Joined: Sep. 2007 |
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Posted: June 10 2008, 06:52 |
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Quote (Alan D @ June 10 2008, 10:27) | Quote (Sweetpea @ June 10 2008, 06:55) | The Shadows. I don't recall ever hearing their version of "Wonderful Land", and it's lovely, I think. I can sorta see what Sir M (?) meant when he said, elsewhere, that MO's version may have too much going on. |
I think I agree with Sir M on this one. Mike's version misses the essential spirit of the music, and in his hands it becomes not much more than a piece of fodder for the 'Oldfield treatment'. The Shadows' version has a dreamy and romantic feeling to it which, although simpler in treatment, is perfectly in keeping with the title.
So I went looking for the original Shadows version (the single release) of Wonderful Land and found it here presented in a context that (despite making me squirm a bit) made me suddenly laugh when I recognised the wooden seat at about 0:50. The two kids in the video are climbing the Malverns - Elgar country! A wonderful land, indeed. That's the top of the Worcester Beacon, there at the end. Mike Oldfield, the Shadows, and Elgar! What a combination to have jiggling about in your brain! |
The opening of Mike Oldfield`s version of Wonderful Land has had me very close to tears on a number occasions I have to say.But The Shadows version just kind of gives me little joyous shivers right the way through it.So I suppose yes I`d have to concede The Shadows version is maybe the greater of the two for me as well.So where is this Wonderful Land one wonders?..Here`s a little piece below I read a little while ago.Lifted from a site about Jerry Lordan who composed the track all those years ago...
An even bigger hit came with 'Wonderful land' - although it was originally entitled 'Genesis' until someone remarked that the track was reminiscent of America, at which point someone - no-one knows who - remarked that America was a "wonderful land". Part of the success - another million seller, spending nine weeks at no.1 - must be attributed to Norrie Paramor's string arrangement. Jerry's melody had been a long time in gestation, though
"... in '61, I started ... the main theme of what came to be known later as 'Wonderful land' which I was knocked out with, but I could not get the middle. I could not get the middle, and I used to try it occasionally and it went on months and months. I suppose about six months later in a flash, I got the middle and it was complete.
" I went down and played it to the Shadows, who were rehearsing in a little studio off Charing Cross Road, they were knocked out. [The] recording was made but it lacked something and it was sort of shelved, and then Tony Meehan suggested that the ideal thing might be, as a nice contrast, using Hank's lead guitar, electric guitar, but with big string orchestra behind, and Norrie Paramor agreed.
"Norrie Paramor did the string arrangement, an excellent one, very sympathetic, and one day I got a 'phone call from the Shadows manager ... Peter Gormley, to come down and listen to this track, because Peter didn't know - as many people didn't - whether it was a hit or not. He said in his Australian accent 'I like the play of this, Jerry, tell me what you think ...' So he played it and I said 'A hit, Peter? It's a number one' I said 'It's fantastic'. He said 'Do you really think so?' I said 'Yes, I bloody know so!' So he said ' Well, yes, alright.' I still get the impression it was sort of put out reluctantly."
So there you go.Back in the wild wild west once again right where we started in fact..Heh heh pretty neat huh?
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