Harpers Bizarre - The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre

Name: Harpers Bizarre
Album: The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre
Year: 1968
Style: Oldies, Psych, Vocal Group, Sunshine / Baroque Pop
Similar Bands: Association, Kingston Trio, Happenings, Sand Pipers, We Five
"One-Word" Review: Super Light Cheery Pop
Based Out Of: Santa Cruz, CA
Label: Pye Record Sales, Warner Bros.

 Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

The Secret Life Of Harpers Bizarre (1968)

1. Look to the Window 0:14
2. Battle of New Orleans 2:34 (cover, Single)
3. When I Was A Cowboy 2:35
4. Interlude 0:20
5. Sentimental Journey 2:25 (cover)
6. Las Mananitas 1:30 (cover)
7. Medley: Bye, Bye, Bye / Vine Street 4:00 (Vine = Randy Newman cover)
8. Me, Japanese Boy (I Love You) 3:04 (Bacharach cover)
9. Interlude 0:20 /
10. I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise 3:12 G/I Gershwin cover)
11. Green Apple Tree 2:28 (single b-side)
12. Sit Down. You're Rocking the Boat 1:43 (Guys & Dolls cover)
13. Interlude 0:21
14. I Love You, Mama 2:10
15. Funny How Love Can Be 2:35
16. Mad 2:42
17. Look At the Rainbow 0:31(from the film Finian's Rainbow
18. The Drifter 3:03
19. Reprise 0:55

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Nick De Caro - Arrangement
• Perry Botkin Jr - Arrangement
• Kirby Johnson - Arrangement
• Bob Thompson  - Arrangement
• Eddie Karam - Arrangement
• Ron Elliot - Arrangement, Assisting Producer (Giants, Pan, Beau Brummels, Vejtables)
• Randy Newman - Assisting Producer (Peace Choir)
• Ted Templeman - Assisting Producer, Vocal Arrangements, Lead Vox, Guitar (Tikis, Nicolette Larson, Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Michael McDonals, Sammy Hagar, Eric Clapton, many)
• Dick Scoppettone - Assisting Producer, Vocal Arrangements, Guitar, Vox (Tikis, Beau Brummels)
• Mike Shields - Assisting Producer
• Joe Sidore - Assisting Producer
• Lenny Waronker - Producer
• Lee Herschberg - Engineer
• Gloria Jones - Gospel Choir (Aquarian Dream, T. Rex [married to Marc Bolan], Brothers & Sisters, Cogics)
• Carolyn Willis - Gospel Choir (Honey Cone, Brothers & Sisters, Girlfriends, Space Angels, Sweethearts, more)
• Sherlie Matthews - Gospel Choir ("His", Blackberries, Nightingales, Paul Johnson Voices, The Belles, Brothers & Sisters)
• Dick Yount - Bass, Vocals (Tikis)
• John Peterson - Drums, Vox (Beau Brummels, Tikis)
• Ed Thrasher - Art Direction
• Bob Zoell - Cover Illustration

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. I remember picking this up off the wall of an Oxfam over in the UK on honeymoon, not knowing what it was, but hoping it was some Psychedelic British 60's band I was about to discover.

Album Review: Well, this is a UK pressing of the record, but the band is american, from Santa Cruz. Similar to The Happenings, they repackaged older songs and gave them their own personal touch to their covers. But unlike Happenings, this album is lighter and feels about 10 years older than Psycle, like an archaic Baroque pop vocal style. Their biggest it was covering Simon & Garfunkel's 59th Street Bridge Song a year before this album in 1967. There is a certain Pet Shop Boys quality to the "ahhh" chant in the chorus of "Mad" as well as a Belle & Sebastian vibe to the trumpet melody.

Stand Out Track: Mad

Links:
Wiki
discogs
allmusic
spotify
imdb
rate your music
today's life
and and and