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Remember this ballad singer from the eighties?
There is an interesting story about her that has just a few unexpected twists thrown in.
Charlene was an American artist who luckily was given a recording contract, setting out an album with a single or two in 1974 from the classy Motown recording label. Upon her signing, Charlene released her first album, but without anything really happening for her from her debut album. It just failed to get any kind of radio play.
The record label had a few ideas for the singer though. "Charlene Duncan", the name she was being labeled as at the time was going to be receiving consistent help from her supporting label. Three years had passed when album number two came out, "It Ain't Easy Comin' Down" from Charlene. But wait! Another album came out at the exact same time,too! This one was recorded by "Charlene Duncan", but was said to be recorded by just the artist "Charlene". Two albums at once in the same month with two different names by the same artist?
What kind of strategy is this to break-out an artist?
Then in 1977, another try occured, a single ballad was released on the album, but without any major chart action. She remained without any radio or sales fo her album.
The next attempt went with Charlene releasing the same single recording previously, but this time it was on Motown's umbrella label, and it had a change in it. A change? What kind of change?
Well, in the lyrics to the single, it was supposed to be from the male point
of view, but the writer, Ron Miller, he had decided to rewrite the lyrics for Charlene.
There was some controversy with these lyrics as where it is refered to as a female who wishes she made more of an effort to have children could be misunderstood. People for some reason didn't get the message.
Anyway, the changed single didn't do so much either on the chart. It just reached to the upper 90s for the fledging artist. The people behind her knew they could keep trying with the female artist.In a rather confusing way, this composition was brought out again, all in all, a third time all-together.
But what of the change?
All in all, it didn't work with the new change added. If you compared the two singles, both together, there was just a minor change lyrically.
Into the eighties, things were about to really change for the artist.
Charlene re-released the same ballad featured, except with a minor reworking back to the original recording. No change. "I've Never Been to Me" interestingly was the same composition she had brought out the first time.
Charlene had recorded this originally during 1976, waiting for it to go somewhere high on the single chart the following year, but now we know nothing much happened. It was a long wait for her for any change in her career with the hopes on one single tune.
Sometimes, change can be good.
The single effort was not forgotten by her company. Sticking firmly with the artist and composition, they took it out once again in 1982; but this time it went right up to the number three spot in America. All in all, Charlene did two versions of the this. The version which was initially released first was actually the version everybody liked. Charlene had preciously recorded it to be a hit for radio, and Motown knew it would be without giving up on it. Overseas, the situation was different for the artist in Great Britain, the 45 went to the number one position with great attention put on the singer then. Ironically, Charlene had released different lyrical versions of "I've Never Been to Me", but it was the original version that had been actually given a second chance by a disc jockey in Florida that brought it great attention. It was funny for her, Charlene had moved to England and began living a normal family life; working in a small store when the re-released 45 became a charting big hit. "I've Never Been to Me" was about going back to a fantasy life and not dealing in the reality world, this was regards to the lines about non-committed fantasy with familiar faces, and areas as she wanted them to be, which was against the commitment to the honest love for her family.
In the 80s, the organisation behind her tried to get her an even bigger hit, but it just never happened again for the performer, no matter what she did. This included changing her image and working with other artists at the label.
Lately, Charlene is currently still working on this one single with an updated sound for her fans.
Published by *E*
Tags:
England
Added: 9th December 2009
Views: 1065
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Posted By: Electricland |
 
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There is no point at shooting something then having it forgotten. This was the challenge brought on then. From Britain, Hal Roach Jr., constructed a total of twelve mysterious ghost tales to life in the mid 1950's. Boris Karloff interacted with you on 'Tales of the Unexplained' from an interior back room, someplace not determined, yet set against a cozy lookin' fireplace. The noticeable Boris took part in several of the spook stories, too. Never unnoticed, he performed as a normal citizen, stuck in a lost world filled with unexplained dark happenings. Also venturing into the mysterious were Patrick Macnee and George Hamilton.
This ideal creepiness was unfortunately broken down into something that would not draw. Downgraded, the well-meaning Hal Roach Studio entered into cut financial difficulties, and the short sequences never got aired. Preserved for years by luck, the midnight stories were spliced together, eventually finding their way for a short time on-screen. It shouldn't be too surprising, but kept in a vault, the appropriately black and white stories have lived-on actively through different appreciated circles. "Tales of the Unexplained" can now be found all-together in 2010 by various means.
I wonder if you know what other productions were influenced by the strange encounters that were told? *E*
Tags:
YRT
Check
Out
My
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England
Halloween
Added: 13th March 2010
Views: 905
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Posted By: Electricland |
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Gordon Lightfoot First time I heard this forgotten song. Man it sure brings back memories. i was 5 years old at the time , but still remember those times well.
Tags:
Remember,
never
Forget
Added: 15th March 2010
Views: 944
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Posted By: Marty6697 |
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Do you know the "non-human" character that started in the early nineteen fifties?
With much popularity, the inked-to-life illustration was brought to the home set for mass consumption all-around-the-world. Still a hit today, away from the colored pages from neighborhood stores, the undeterred hope became updated for new stories under a new name for the current times.
Back in the day, he always drew a crowd with his actions from wide-eyed child viewers. The aim of this was for entertainment, but it has become something else in the years past, an unforgotten part of your days.
*E*
Tags:
1959
Cartoon
1960s
and
more
B+W
Cool
Check
My
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Added: 20th March 2010
Views: 693
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Posted By: Electricland |
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A major tribute to the iconic disc jockey, who provided studio time with an unforgotten time-less composition. The New Yorker begun his on-going progression in the state of Virginia, and from there, he travelled back to NYC where he developed even more into a famous recognised personality on and off the air. For quite a lengthy period, many had thought that he was of foreign descent as he was not seen but heard for years. In short, he was above all "BIG" with many enterprises that came to him looking for a high-profile personality that would be beneficial. Eventually even having himself on the small and big screen numerous times, this is where he also really thrived and prospered with the public. Back in the Sixties, the guy got hired down south of the border of America to work at a major station that had the ability to reach the highest amount of people without any troubles of reception practically anywhere. Even with North America having it, it could also be picked-up during late nights over Europe, and even as far as the USSR. With major sponsorship, the man had become a hit maker with his over-the-top persona. Within a short time, this brought him unquestioned command for years on the air, and most of all, brought him respect and dignity for who he was for those that he appealed towards too. The influential man passed in 1995, leaving behind numerous memories for his wide and far fan base. There is nobody like him. Not a fake, but a person that was as real towards as many as he met, really genuine, right up until the last day of his life. Very missed.
*E*
Tags:
Mexico
TV
Canadian
American
1960s
1970s
Radio
1980s
Added: 6th May 2010
Views: 1139
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Posted By: Electricland |
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I am not being one bit pretentious by saying that I love the beach fronts that seem to make my summertime great! I bet you do too. Did you know that I live five minutes by a secluded beach now. Anyone wanna visit? Some may know,I got a straightforward agenda on here with not talkin' about downers. So, if you don't know this by now, I give up on you! Gotta be natural. I'm here just to bring trotted out happiness and more to your day. It is safer than herbs or glasses of alcohol under the blazing sun of summer. Not such a good idea, but a good time waster for those that can handle that kind of thing. I will say, I'll be here less often, as of now, summer has come already for most of you. The summer of 2010 had things eventually solved in parts of the south that year. What a huge mess that left many dissatisfied! Striking oil is not always a good thing anywhere. Now, I do want to take your mind off all that with the good-feeling that this may bring on you? An interesting hard rattled hook for 1969 that made some wonder what it was doing there? Often, I like to think of the satisfyin' California coast, just as most of you do. Ever been there? Nice area! Longh ago, I remember being moored out there for many "off and on" months with this in the background. Some have said, I should've stayed there considering that there was more for some who like this sort of thing. I can just laugh it off now. An opportunity was all it was. Ever let go an opportunity before self-loathing sets in? Anyways, that is enough about California. Who exactly were the almost forgotten Saltwater Taffy you may wonder? Well, New York was their meeting point, as all would eventually get together as a bubblegum sounding group, brought on by being highly regarded New York "state of mind" jingle creators, together with skilled engineers; both males and females that wanted to try something different. Summertime Girl, not soft as you'd imagine for that time of year, nor a therapeutic cure, but a noticeable odd heavy hook added to make the arrangement quite unique for its time. I really like the added harmonies on it. It sorta makes it sound something right out of that era. Johnny Giametta and Rod McBrien were the main ones responsible for most of their early efforts within the unit that only lasted a few years. As you can see, this is not the Beach Boys or even having to do with Atlantic City saltwater taffy. All in all, just something else that I remembered recently.
*E*
Tags:
Rod
McBrien
Janie
Brannon
Kathy
Butler
Phil
Giarratano
Johnny
Giametta
Added: 5th June 2010
Views: 992
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Posted By: Electricland |
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Remember the year? How about the recognisable woman?
A NYC blonde with a multitude of solidifying talent. It was hard to keep up-to-her with what she was doing during those early years with launched ventures in many fields, such as film, modeling, and of course, nation-wide live shows that got her noticed. On the other hand, with Gloria, Harry now joined in with the already famous woman who had become a top-developer of designer blue jeans almost overnight. She advanced all thanks to being a daughter to a father who had a large amount of money at his disposal, soon becoming a famous rich heiress with a 1/2 in a five million dollar trust fund, beginning when she was a very young age. How lucky is that! Years later, becoming a true innovator in something that raised a lot of faces with knowing what to do with herself in a rather large city run by business built on immigration.
It was during the 1970s, both women put together things that were never forgotten. In fact, the blonde legend that is featured is still current after all the years that have passed with her worldwide fans.
Nobody could guess the rest as the woman she hooked up with, Miss Gloria, who now had readily became creative with new freedom in the fashion world at an age that would bring much envy from many others.
Notable for allowing the use of her versatile name on a line of licensed eyeglasses, clothing, and a perfume line that had the more than the word hit all over them. Eventually, this got her involved in the Indian powered Murjani Corp. who continued the fashion craze she begun with adding a stronger pace of tremendous sales, prompting itself into the public with a successful blonde campaign that went on for sometime. Then, Mohan Murjani was a fashion designer in America looking for a way into the market. It was during the end of the 1970s, Murjani was eager to release her known brand name on designer jeans associated with him. These were not common Levi or Lee, they were fitting rather tighter around the legs and backside, much more than any other brand that was being sold. Arranged and licensed now, the heiress's name was found on the rear pocket behind the happy wearer.
Gloria was chosen as the spokeswoman for the products, including perfume, which enabled her to reach a celebrity status.
This brought out more designers, such as Armani and Calvin Kline, but her jeans were the top on the market at the time.
Gloria had the best people around her, including marketing masters that could not be beat. Gloria had gotten herself apparel gold with them. She was selling faster than the competition with her HK, China stitched brand. Still, a huge amount of millions worth of manufactured jeans were sold, twice than Calvin Klein's American manufactured brand. Everything was done quick with a massive amount of energy to sell over all below her, getting the attention of the consumer. Soon after, sophisticated and confident Miss Harry was a new tactic to catch the young market with her overwhelming popularity that began in the last years of the seventies. Ultimately, it was Calvin that trucked itself into the market with a new fresh face, he brought in Brooke Shields as a retaliation means to rob the spotlight from Gloria with risky, graphic, controversial ads that were shown on billboards and other print media, targeting the youth market that Gloria had won with her amazing campaign.
What about Jordache? Maybe another time?
*E*
Tags:
Manhatten
New
Wave
Added: 19th June 2010
Views: 1871
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
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