Funk – Seven45rpm: Recent Episodes
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Riviera 231328 France Released 1969
Track B1 – Nicholas
Well here’s a favourite french 7″ that fits into a few categories. It’s beat ye’ ye’, it’s groovy French pop, it’s got a funk kick and it could definitely be filed under oddities. This is all I could find out about the mysterious Vetty that is behind this big rare french monster 45!
Yvette Levis was born in 1941 in La Croix Rousse, a small city high on the hill that shares the same name, in Lyon, France. In 1962 she was spending time in Switzerland and had a connection (possibly working) with La Chaux-de-Fond, in an establishment run by Jacques Marjo: La Boule d’Or, a few kilometres south of the French border. It is said that she started acting before any musical ventures, but I have no information as when and where this took place in these earlier years.
In January 1966 she landed in Paris and took part in a game show, “Le Palmarès des Chansons”which was broadcast every week from 1965 to 1968 on the first French channel on television. On each show, a renowned singer is invited and young artists must perform one of the singer’s hits, or a potential new hit song, unknown to the general public. Some of the big french artists to appear on the show included Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Sheila, Sylvie Vartan, Johnny Hallyday and Francoise Hardy. It is here, on this popular TV show, where Vetty was noticed and scored a three week opener for Gilbert Bécaud at the Olympia. Vetty then was able to jump onto another tour with a big name attached, the pop star Claude François, that really would have focused her in an even brighter spotlight.
In 1969, she recorded her only solo release, a 4-track EP titled “Vetty” through Riviera. On it’s release, the better known track was the opener “Johnny (Si Tu Viens À Saint-Étienne)”, co written by TV – radio host, comedian Jacques Martin. I am not an expert by any means with the French language, but I feel like it’s a call out to idol Johnny Hallyday from the fan girl. “Johnny if you come to Saint-Etienneuh, for one evening, I want to be yours”. A quirky and fun tune, but c’mon the real reason to sought this EP out is because of NICOLAS! My goodness what a track! This is as good as go go beat gets, and Vetty’s unique vocal, makes this such a stand alone track. Yes her odd vocal style, somehow fits this dance floor mover, and because of it’s peculiarity and distinctiveness, it actually demands attention! I don’t play this out much, but when I do, it turns heads and is responsive!
(Emma) Vetty would also appear on the “Petipatapon” LP, the soundtrack to a musical french show played at Bobino (Paris), April 1967. Recorded in 1968, the album would also feature Jacques Martin and chanson Catherine Franck, who sang the beautiful track Plus La Même (He’s My Little Devil).
So what happened to Vetty? I believe she found plentiful work through voice acting with children’s TV shows, and have read that she was the voice of the main character of the series “The Universe of M. Touchatou” from 1968 to 1970. She also toured with Nana Mouskouri in 1970, and for a time, worked in small theatre plays, and had a movie role in the 1983 film Sandy.
This is a prized 7″ and feel lucky to have found a copy a long time ago. Like I said, it doesn’t go into my dj box too often, but whenever I do play it, I’m just reminded how bizarre, great and gigantic this little Vetty treasure is!
– DJ del Piero
United Artists Records – UA 36 033 Releaesed 1975
Track A: Executive Party
Track B: Executive Party Dance
Jazz influenced classical music composer-conductor, Andre Previn was responsible for one of the most funkiest spaced out film tracks you will ever hear, called Executive Party, released for the Rollerball soundtrack in 1975. Although I had watched this movie numerous times, the first time I really gave this track some serious and well deserved attention, was when I purchased the The Mighty Mellow (A Folk – Funk Psychedelic Experience) compilation in 1997, from the infamous Sydney record store Good Groove, which was recommended by the owner Tom. The comps linear notes and information was vague, mixed up and song titles were incorrect. I was certain that Andre Previn was incorrectly credited until I discovered it was from his Rollerball soundtrack.
Previn was born in Berlin to a Jewish family, with three children of Charlotte and Jack Previn, a father who was a lawyer, judge, and music teacher. All three children received piano lessons but André was the one who enjoyed them from the start and displayed the most talent. At six, he enrolled at the Berlin Conservatory. In 1938, Previn’s father was told that his son was no longer welcome at the conservatory, despite André receiving a full scholarship in recognition of his abilities, on the grounds that he was Jewish.In 1938, the family left Berlin for Paris, and Previn’s father enrolled him into the Conservatoire de Paris where he learned music theory. In 1938 his family left Paris and sailed to New York City, then their journey continued to Los Angeles, and Previn learned English, his third language after German and French, through comic books, reading the dictionary, and watching films.
In 1946 he graduated from Beverly Hills High School, but had already started working for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a composer-conductor, and arranger, after their music department noticed his work for a local radio program and hired him. Previn recalled that MGM was “looking for somebody who was talented, fast and cheap and, because I was a kid, I was all three. So they hired me to do piecework and I evidently did it very well”. Previn focused his attention on film scores and jazz, and stayed at MGM for 16 years, but despite the secure job and good pay, he had come to feel increasingly confined, and consequently desired to pursue classical music outside of film scores. He resigned from MGM at 32, wanting “to gamble with whatever talent I might have had”.
Previn would branch out into classical music, theatre, easy listening music and contemporary classical music. His jazz recordings, as both leader and sideman, were primarily during two periods: from 1945 to 1967, and from 1989 to 2001, with just a handful of recordings in between or afterward. Previn was involved in creating the music for over 50 films and won four Academy Awards* for his work, and in 1966, Previn was the first person in the history of the Academy Awards to receive three nominations in one year. Some of his releases that I lean towards to, are two collaborations…Ravi Shankar & André Previn – London Symphony Orchestra Concerto For Sitar & Orchestra, from 1971, and the Valley Of The Dolls soundtrack, which was conducted by John Willams, and feature song composing by Previn and his then wife Dory, who was a poet, lyricist and singer song writer. I’m also a admirer of his Holst release of The Planets, Op. 32, in 1974.
Rollerball is a classic seventies sci-fi action film, with a large cult following and a very iconic look. It was directed by Norman Jewson, who had also directed The Cincinnati Kid (1965), In The Heat Of The Night (1967), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), amongst others. These all did well for him, and taking on this dark, futuristic, violent action film, must have been a challenging curve ball he was looking for.
The Storyline: In a futuristic society where corporations have replaced countries, the violent game of Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality. However, one player, Jonathan E., rises to the top, fights for his personal freedom, and threatens the corporate control (IMDB – Jeff Hansen). The film is based on a short story by William Harrison’s “Roller Ball Murder”, first released in Esquire magazine in 1973. Although Rollerball may first look like a science fiction sports movie, it’s actually a deep philosophical look into a dystopian future, and looks into government control versus free will. James Cann plays the hero Jonathan, the ultimate champion and hero of Rollerball, and is adored by masses of fans of the blood sport. But he is getting on, well for a demanding sport that is evolving by becoming increasingly more violent. However the head of the energy corporation who runs society, wants him to retire, but when Jonathan refuses, things get intensely dangerous, and the game becomes a fight for his life. The film demonstrates that the individual can triumph over insurmountable odds and cautions against corporate control of society.
Jewson was a big fan of A Clockwork Orange, and used the film as a reference point for defining a world of concrete and steel imagery. He also adopted the idea of using classical music for this fierce movie, because of Clockwork, and also 2001 A Space Odyssey, and believed the timeless score would less likely age the film in the future. Previn composers The London Symphony Orchestra to perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 movements to establish tone, mood, and atmosphere for certain scenes, and also cunningly uses Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz for action and drama. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor plays during the opening title sequence and again at the final scene, book-ending the film. Previn wrote the space jazz track Executive Party and it’s lounge accomplice Executive Party Dance, and as isolating as they may seem on the album, they sit well within the more laid back dining scenes in the movie. Unfortunately Executive Party, one of my most favourite soundtrack instrumentals of all time, clocks in at only 1. min 47sec. But there’s also something nice about that.
These two tracks may feel odd or misplaced on the LP, amongst Previn’s composed The London Symphony Orchestra works. And I’m sure many like myself, that knew this track, before finding a copy of the soundtrack, were expecting and hoping for more wigged out grooves, like these featured tracks. But it shows us the diversity and dexterity of Previn’s mind, and how he was an artist of all musical styles. After learning more about Previn and this soundtrack, I like how the tracks sit amongst the classical tracks on film and on vinyl. I do admit I wish there was more of this to be found in his extensive catalogue, but I’m ever so grateful that these tracks not just made their place onto the LP, but also were released as 7″ singles.
- Previn won four Academy Awards for Gigi (1958), Porgy And Bess (1959), Irma La douce (1963) My Fair Lady (1964) and was nominated 11 times.
Previn was married four times which included 9 years with Mia Farrow.
Newsom has been nominated for the Academy Award Best Director three times in three separate decades for In the Heat of the Night (1967), Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Moonstruck (1987).
Japanese and French movie poster releases.
If you like this kinda stuff, check out some other soundtrack titles I’ve dug into….
Berto Pisano featuring Doris Troy – Kill! Them All!
Christy – Deep Down (Danger: Diabolik OST)
Ennio Morricone – Svolta Definitiva (Città Violenta)
RCA Italiana – PM 3581 1971 Track 1: Chissa’ Chi Sei Here is a real fire cracker from Raffaella Carrà! After losing her just a short time ago (on 5 July 2021), I thought this would be a good time to post what I think is one of her best tracks! Shine on Raffaella! Raffaella […]
CBS 1647 Netherlands 1973 12 years ago today we lost the legendary Marc Moulin, so I thought this is a nice opportunity to post the one and only seven inch Placebo ever released, in his honour. I was hoping I’d be able to dig up and share some hidden knowledge about this great man, […]
Mercury DJ-369, 73387 Mono, Promo US 1973 Track 1 Hercules Track 2 Going Home Aaron Neville has a gentle voice that could bring the hardest man down to his knees. A distinctive voice that closes the eyes and opens the soul. Hercules is his lost gem that deserved to outshine so many popular soul hits […]
ABC Records 11343 Stereo Year 1972 Nolan Porter’s If I Could Only Be Sure is one of my absolute favourite soul 45’s, and while it gets copiousness amounts of rotations around the house, that fervor it holds to me has never dwindled. But once again, it’s a little sad to discover that the man behind […]
Columbia 16540 Year 1979 India So I just recently returned from a short but incredible trip into country India, which I’m just refusing to let go of at the moment. The experience was one I’ll never forget because of the people I met, the things I saw, and the sounds I heard. Somehow, in the […]
Seventy 7 Records 77-104 US Year 1972 Track 1 – You’ve Been Gone Too Long Track 2 – You’re Letting Me Down Mary Ann Sexton was born In Greenville, South Carolina and was yet another child raised by a family heavily influenced by gospel music (a time it seems when heavenly angels were certainly handing […]
Soulhawk Records USA Cat.# 1008 Year 1969 I thought researching this extremely beautiful and soulful New Holidays composition (and one of my top ten I must add) was either going to be fairly easy (such an outstanding recording from them…surely credit and facts should be well documented)…or quite difficult, (other than collector’s of fine soul […]
RCA Victor – Aus Cat# 102975 1977 Track 1 – Star Wars Title Theme Track 2 – Funk Okay, so I may need to explain something here. I’ve just had a very significant birthday (a number which really relates to this blog content) and thought I really should post something that is quite special to […]
Music City USA Cat#45-894 Year 1972 Upon learning of the recent loss of the great and mighty Darondo, I thought it an appropriate time to praise what I think, is one of the most beautiful and soulful songs you will ever hear in your lifetime, by this unknown master. Born October 5, 1946, William Daron Pulliam […]
Gold Cup 0005 A US Year 1970 So my first of what will be without a doubt, many Eddie Bo and related posts, is this fab piece of New Orleans lady funk mastered by the genius himself. As a lot of Bo’s ventures go, it’s difficult to find specifics and particulars with so many scattered […]