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In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
http://www.vivaroxymusic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3255		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  Windswept2 [ Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:31 am ]
Post subject:  In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Furloughed Ferryistas & Locked Up Lotharios,

W2 was pondering as to why our hero’s ‘76 album is much undiscussed in this hallowed cyber hall ?

Maybe because at the time, it was considered a bit of a hotchpotch of an affair ?
Windswept remembers being slightly underwhelmed simply because so many of the tracks had already been issued on different formats (single ‘B’ sides, EPs etc..). It was easy to feel shortchanged.

That memory having faded, when it is revisited as an album, it really stands up.

The highlights for W2 are really the superb and infinitely superior reworkings of those Roxy classics : ‘Casanova’, ‘2HB’, ‘Sea Breezes’ ‘Re-Make/Re-Model’.

In every instance Ferry punches out better versions that took those songs to a new level and showcased them as classics. It’s also interesting that it is those versions that remain in his live repertoire to this day !

The weaknesses on the album, somewhat unusually for Ferry are the ‘ready mades’.

With the exception of his creditable version of that Harrison/ Canned Heat classic, ‘Let’s Work Together ‘, they fell short of his normal standard.

A particular disappointment for W2 was his rendition of ‘You Go To My Head’. Windswept loves this song and was so looking forward to our hero’s interpretation but sadly, it too fell a little short. Although very listenable, it in now way matched the treatment he had given ‘These Foolish Things’ and ‘Smoke Gets In My Eyes’ - the two other classics that he had recorded at this stage in his career.
Evidently Ferry did cut another version of this and Windswept would love to hear it !

All said though, the album really stands up and is well worth a listen and oh, what a great cover. Windswept always thought our hero wore that Gable, pencil thin moustache beautifully. And that white suit, blue shirt and polka dot tie was a veritable sartorial smorgasbord!

Salutations,

W2
Author:  avalon_eyes [ Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Windswept has made my day , a new thread on a great album should reignite our passion and discourse.
I had the Atlantic copy of this record, and paid a bit extra for it. Thanks to my mother who supported me with the purchase.
It is of itself. a ready made , put together from b sides and that Extended Play disc.
The artwork falls short though , and it could have done with more credits to individual tracks. And a lyric sheet . Maybe , stills from the sessions -such fine musicians were skilfully woven into the mix .
Chance Meeting and The Price of Love really stand up well.
Author:  Roger [ Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Excellent posting W2, I agree with you 100% :D Like you when the album first came out I thought that it was a bit of hotchpotch and why was it needed as all but one track were already available? Well after buying and playing it through a few times I changed my mind. The running order is strong and I don't think that there is a bad track on the album. In I fact I think without prior knowledge a listener could easily assume that this was a genuine offering and not a compilation! As with In Your Mind the guitar of Chris Spedding features heavily on several tracks to great effect, in particular Sea Breezes. My only (minor) moans are the faded end to 2HB, which cuts off some great work by TGPT, and I'm sure that Chance Meeting is shorter than the original B side. Also I wonder if BF regrets having Jerry Hall on Lets Stick Together? Back to 2HB - this version has something different to the original Roxy offering and I think that I prefer it.
My favourite BF albums are his first four, although I rate Bete Noire, Taxi, Mamouna and Frantic very highly too.
I remember an interview with BF with John Peel on his Saturday show to coincide with the release of You Go to My Head. BF stated something along the lines that he wanted to rework some songs from the first Roxy album that could be improved upon and would become curios. I must dig it out one day!
So yes many thanks to W2 :D
Author:  Gardner [ Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
I've always thought The Price of Love is fantastic - It has high cinematic drama and I LOVE his delivery. I know it's impossible to keep your feet, hips and shoulders still when LST comes on .. but these days that's almost a reflex action - IMO 'The Price' is the more colourful cover :D
Author:  wrighta [ Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Originally it was only intended for release in the states as they wouldn't go for the ep as released over here and actually charted in the UK album charts as an import. I'm fairly certain that was one of the factors in it being released here plus the fact that the recording of IYM and subsequent tour were delayed due to Ferry contacting glandular fever, it was the final album release from any of the band on Island records before EG's switch to polydor. Heart on my sleeve was released as a single in the states and was his first US (minor) hit.
Author:  Windswept2 [ Mon Mar 08, 2021 6:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Gardner wrote:
I've always thought The Price of Love is fantastic - It has high cinematic drama and I LOVE his delivery........


Mes Amis,

Le Jardinier makes a great point. Our hero’s take on The Everley’s classic is indeed fantastic and highly cinematic. W2 was undoubtedly unfair with his original post when he inadvertently categorised it as “falling short”.

Windswept’s principle frustration rests with ‘You Go To My Head’. In a funny way, Bryan tries to do with this song what he achieved with ‘Hard Rain’ by moving the tempo up with a quasi rock treatment.
Unfortunately IWNSHO (in W2’s Not So Humble Opinion ) it doesn’t work nearly as well. The song just doesn’t suit it. The result doesn’t compare well with either Billie Holiday’s piano centric version or with Sinatra’s lush orchestral version.

Windswept would have loved to have seen this one ‘Re-Made/Re-Modelled ‘ with Colin Good for the ATGB LP. It would really have suited an interpretation closer to the original and that band would have knocked it out of the park.

In fact, W2 is left wondering if Bryan’s version in the vault is from the ATGB session. Does anybody know ? Has anybody heard it (J. O’B) ?

Enfin, W2 a souri when he saw avalon_eyes thank his or her mother for supporting their musical adventures. Where would we have been without them ?

Salutations a tous.

Windswept.
Author:  pianoman [ Mon Mar 08, 2021 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Windswept wrote:

Windswept’s principle frustration rests with ‘You Go To My Head’. In a funny way, Bryan tries to do with this song what he achieved with ‘Hard Rain’ by moving the tempo up with a quasi rock treatment.
Unfortunately IWNSHO (in W2’s Not So Humble Opinion ) it doesn’t work nearly as well. The song just doesn’t suit it. The result doesn’t compare well with either Billie Holiday’s piano centric version or with Sinatra’s lush orchestral version.

You addressed a very good point, Windswept. This jazz cover, deprived of every kind of swing rhythm, is really a strange beauty. Not only had BF changed Hard Rain from three to four-quarter time (great idea!) but he intensified the chorus with a background choir (The Angelettes) - not to forget TGPT's powerful drums. Perfect!

But YGTMH? A wonderful jazz ballad when sung by Billie Holiday, a bit of a rough version by Bryan - to release this one as a radio single was the absolute wrong decision ... Nevertheless I like Ferry's version because it is such an austere beauty 8-).

My favourite track on LST had always been "Heart On My Sleeve" because Bryan proved to be a good folk pop singer. And of course: Casanova - the only Roxy cover on LST that I'd prefer to the original ;).

Have fun with LST! - pianoman -
Author:  VivaRoxyMusic.com [ Mon Mar 08, 2021 5:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
In 1979I bought Manifesto (my first ever LP) and Greatest Hits shortly after and got hooked by both these albums and curiosity was driven by the back catalogue shown on the Greatest Hits LP and songs with names like Ladytron and a band having member names like Manzanera had me so intrigued..... plus the tracks on Greatest Hits were just amazing to me then (as they are now)

My sister handed me every BF/RM LP that were returned to her after a protracted loan to a friend. There was every album there up to 1977 with the exception of the first Roxy Music album.

Thankfully I was totally unaware of the story behind Let's Stick Together and therefore left me to judge it as an album and not handicap myself with a pre conceived prejudice of it being a 'hotchpotch' of A Side Bides etc.

This is where I first heard Sea Breezes, 2HB, Chance Meeting & Re-make/Re-model as well as the covers on this album. I was never keen on Sea Breezes as I think Bryan sounds a bit strained on it and maybe a slightly lower key would have been better but the middle 8 "now that we are lonely" section is much better than the Roxy version. No matter how many times I play that bit I just feel it is too off kilter and the bass and drums are so much better on the BF version. As for 2HB and Chance Meeting I see the BF & the Roxy versions having both their own qualities and I don't prefer one over the other. I was never struck by Re-make/Re-model on LST and it was only until I heard the Roxy Version that I was blown away. I have since then grown to like the BF version too as an alternative version. I never compare things in a way that creates a 'not as good as' situation because 'not as good as' can be seen to mean 'not good' some times and I feel that is unfair. A track should be judged on what it is and not on what it isn't.

I loved most of the album especially the stomping Let's Stick Together but as you can imagine I have heard it too many times at gigs etc to be turned on by it any more. The Price Of Love is another stomper too and well covered by Gardner in this thread.

Heart On My Sleeve suffers from a bad ponderous bass line that just drags the song down in my opinion.

Two things I will say about You Go To My Head is that this was the first version of this song that I heard and I felt then as I do now...it's cool and slick and I love it. The other thing I will say regarding the As Time Goes By recording of You Go To My Head is that it's not something I should discuss here and I am sure you can understand that.

As far as Let's Stick Together goes as an album, I like it as an album and always knew it as an album due to my entry point as mentioned earlier. I prefer it much more than In Your Mind....but that's another story.

J.O'B.
Author:  Dean [ Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Disagree completely re You Go To My Head W2. For me this is quintessential BF and a wonderfully successful extension of the lounge lizard image he began conveying so successfully on the ATAP cover. I love the languid cool of his version and the world weary vocal. The video shot in his Holland Park home complements the whole thing perfectly, particularly the hint of 70’s sleaze that bubbles under so much of his work at this time. I’m aware he revisited this song during the ATGB sessions when he was aiming for more faithful renditions but this also equates to less thrilling IMHO when there’s less of his own stamp on it.
Author:  cpl5938 [ Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: In Praise Of Let’s Stick Together: 1976
Never saw this video before, thx for letting us know of it, just viewed it on YouTube.
Nice to see the framed pic of the first Roxy cover hanging on the wall.
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