Harpers Bizarre
Encyclopedia
Harpers Bizarre was an American
pop
-rock band
of the 1960s, best known for their Broadway/Sunshine Pop
sound and their remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
."
that had some local successes with Beatlesque songs in the mid 1960s. The Tikis had been signed to Tom Donahue
's Autumn Records
from 1965 to 1966 and had released two singles
on that label. In 1967, record producer Lenny Waronker
got a hold of the Simon & Garfunkel song "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
", determined to make it into a single
. The Tikis recorded it using an arrangement created by Leon Russell
, featuring extended harmonies reminiscent of the work of Brian Wilson
or even the Swingle Singers. The song was released under a new band name, "Harpers Bizarre" (a play on the magazine Harper's Bazaar
), so as not to alienate The Tikis' fanbase. The Harpers Bizarre version of the song reached #13 on the US
Billboard Hot 100
chart
in April 1967, far exceeding any success that The Tikis thus far had. The track reached #34 in the UK Singles Chart
.
The success of the single prompted Harpers Bizarre to record their debut album. At this point the band consisted of Ted Templeman
(born 24 October 1944; vocals
, drums
, guitar
); Dick Scoppettone (born 5 July 1945; vocals, guitar, bass
); Eddie James (guitar); Dick Yount (bass, vocals) and John Petersen
(8 January 1945 – 11 November 2007; drums, percussion, vocals). Petersen had previously already enjoyed a brief spell of success as member of The Beau Brummels
; James left after the release of the group's second album and was replaced by Tom Sowell. Under the guidance of producer Lenny Waronker (and Templeman, who emerged as the leader of the group), Harpers Bizarre developed a unique sound which experimented with heavy vocal layering. Most of Harpers Bizarre's recordings
are cheerful and airy, both in subject matter and musical accompaniment, often with string and woodwind arrangement
s. Their music is most closely associated with the Sunshine Pop
and Baroque Pop
genres.
In addition to covering several old standards (including Cole Porter
's "Anything Goes
" and Glenn Miller
's "Chattanooga Choo Choo
"), Harpers Bizarre also recorded the work of several contemporary songwriters, including one-time Tikis member Randy Newman
, Van Dyke Parks
and Harry Nilsson
, who also appear on their recordings in the guise of session musicians and/or arrangers.
After the band's initial chart ascendancy with "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", none of Harpers Bizarre's subsequent singles achieved the same level of success. "Chattanooga Choo Choo" did reach #1 on Billboard
's Easy Listening
chart, despite a drug reference ("do another number down in Carolina"). The band broke up shortly after their last album was released in 1969.
Their music can be heard in the 1968 film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas
, and their rendition of "Anything Goes
" is heard over the opening scenes of the 1970 film The Boys in the Band
.
In 1976, a partial reunion of the group occurred (without Templeman) to record an album, As Time Goes By, that is often overlooked in Harpers Bizarre discographies.
Drummer John Petersen, husband of Templeman's sister Roberta, died suddenly on November 11, 2007 of a heart attack
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-rock band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
of the 1960s, best known for their Broadway/Sunshine Pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
sound and their remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
"The 59th Street Bridge Song " is a song by folk music duo Simon and Garfunkel, appearing on their 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. "59th Street Bridge" is the colloquial name of the Queensboro Bridge in New York City...
."
Career
Harpers Bizarre was formed out of The Tikis, a band from Santa Cruz, CaliforniaSanta Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
that had some local successes with Beatlesque songs in the mid 1960s. The Tikis had been signed to Tom Donahue
Tom Donahue
Tom "Big Daddy" Donahue , was a pioneering rock and roll radio disc jockey, record producer and concert promoter....
's Autumn Records
Autumn Records
Autumn Records was a 1960s San Francisco-based pop record label. Its most prominent contract was considered The Beau Brummels, a band who released a pair of top 20 singles, "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little"....
from 1965 to 1966 and had released two singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on that label. In 1967, record producer Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker
Lenny Waronker is a record producer for Warner Bros. Records.-Career:He produced recording sessions for Nancy Sinatra, The Everly Brothers, Van Dyke Parks, The Beau Brummels, Harpers Bizarre, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Arlo Guthrie, Maria Muldaur, Gordon Lightfoot, Rickie Lee Jones, James Taylor, ...
got a hold of the Simon & Garfunkel song "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
"The 59th Street Bridge Song " is a song by folk music duo Simon and Garfunkel, appearing on their 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. "59th Street Bridge" is the colloquial name of the Queensboro Bridge in New York City...
", determined to make it into a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The Tikis recorded it using an arrangement created by Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
, featuring extended harmonies reminiscent of the work of Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
or even the Swingle Singers. The song was released under a new band name, "Harpers Bizarre" (a play on the magazine Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
), so as not to alienate The Tikis' fanbase. The Harpers Bizarre version of the song reached #13 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in April 1967, far exceeding any success that The Tikis thus far had. The track reached #34 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The success of the single prompted Harpers Bizarre to record their debut album. At this point the band consisted of Ted Templeman
Ted Templeman
Ted Templeman is an American record producer.-Career:He began his career in the mid 1960s in the Santa Cruz area as a drummer in a band called The Tikis. At the suggestion of Lenny Waronker, the group decided to change their name. Harpers Bizarre was born in 1966, with Templeman switching to...
(born 24 October 1944; vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
, drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
); Dick Scoppettone (born 5 July 1945; vocals, guitar, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
); Eddie James (guitar); Dick Yount (bass, vocals) and John Petersen
John Petersen (musician)
John Petersen was an American drummer, most notably for rock bands The Beau Brummels and Harpers Bizarre. In 1964 he joined the Beau Brummels, whose first two singles, "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little", reached the U.S. top 20...
(8 January 1945 – 11 November 2007; drums, percussion, vocals). Petersen had previously already enjoyed a brief spell of success as member of The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino , Ron Elliott , Ron Meagher , Declan Mulligan , and John Petersen...
; James left after the release of the group's second album and was replaced by Tom Sowell. Under the guidance of producer Lenny Waronker (and Templeman, who emerged as the leader of the group), Harpers Bizarre developed a unique sound which experimented with heavy vocal layering. Most of Harpers Bizarre's recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
are cheerful and airy, both in subject matter and musical accompaniment, often with string and woodwind arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s. Their music is most closely associated with the Sunshine Pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
and Baroque Pop
Baroque pop
Baroque pop, Baroque rock, or English baroque, often used interchangeably with chamber pop/rock, is a pop and rock music subgenre which originated in the mid-1960s in the United Kingdom and United States...
genres.
In addition to covering several old standards (including Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
's "Anything Goes
Anything Goes (song)
"Anything Goes" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for his musical Anything Goes . Many of the lyrics feature humorous references to various figures of scandal and gossip in Depression Era high society...
" and Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
's "Chattanooga Choo Choo
Chattanooga Choo Choo
"Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a song by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon . It was recorded in a big-band/swing manner by Glenn Miller and his orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade, which starred Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glenn Miller and his orchestra, The Modernaires, Milton Berle...
"), Harpers Bizarre also recorded the work of several contemporary songwriters, including one-time Tikis member Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
, Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
and Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
, who also appear on their recordings in the guise of session musicians and/or arrangers.
After the band's initial chart ascendancy with "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", none of Harpers Bizarre's subsequent singles achieved the same level of success. "Chattanooga Choo Choo" did reach #1 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Easy Listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
chart, despite a drug reference ("do another number down in Carolina"). The band broke up shortly after their last album was released in 1969.
Their music can be heard in the 1968 film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas
I Love You, Alice B. Toklas is a 1968 comedy film starring Peter Sellers, directed by Hy Averback and featuring music by Harpers Bizarre. The film is set in the counterculture of the 1960s. The addition cast includes David Arkin, Jo Van Fleet, Leigh Taylor-Young, in her film debut, and a cameo by...
, and their rendition of "Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
" is heard over the opening scenes of the 1970 film The Boys in the Band
The Boys in the Band
The Boys in the Band is a 1970 American drama film directed by William Friedkin. The screenplay by Mart Crowley is based on his Off Broadway play of the same title, Crowley penned a sequel to the play years later entitled The Men From The Boys...
.
In 1976, a partial reunion of the group occurred (without Templeman) to record an album, As Time Goes By, that is often overlooked in Harpers Bizarre discographies.
Drummer John Petersen, husband of Templeman's sister Roberta, died suddenly on November 11, 2007 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
Discography
- Feelin' GroovyFeelin' GroovyFeelin' Groovy is an album by Harpers Bizarre, released in 1967.Two Ted Templeman/Dick Scoppettone originals from 1966 were added as bonus cuts to the 2001 Sundazed CD reissue of this title: "Bye, Bye, Bye" and "Lost My Love Today." The latter tune was the "B" side to the single of "The 59th...
(1967) - Anything Goes (1968)
- Secret Life of Harpers BizarreSecret Life of Harpers BizarreSecret Life of Harpers Bizarre is an album by Harpers Bizarre, released in 1968.Two bonus tracks were added to the 2001 Sundazed CD reissue of this title. They had previously been the two sides of a single: "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell and "Small Talk" by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon.-Track...
(1968) - Harpers Bizarre 4Harpers Bizarre 4Harpers Bizarre 4 is an album by Harpers Bizarre, released in 1969. Ry Cooder contributes on slide guitar.The film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas featured music from Harpers Bizarre....
(1969) - As Time Goes By (1976)
- Feelin' Groovy: The Best of Harpers Bizarre (1997)
Singles
- The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) / Lost My Love Today (1967)
- Come To The Sunshine / The Debutante's Ball (1967)
- Anything Goes / Malibu U. (1967)
- Chattanooga Choo Choo / Hey, You In The Crowd (1967)
- Cotton Candy Sandman (Sandman's Coming) / Virginia City (1968)
- Battle Of New Orleans (EP) (1968)
- Both Sides Now / Small Talk (1968)
- Knock On Wood / Witchi Tai To (1969)
- Poly High / Soft Soundin' Music (1970)
- If We Ever Needed The Lord Before / Mad (1970)