Harriet Schock
Encyclopedia
Harriet Schock is an American singer, songwriter, teacher, author, and actress. She made three albums for a major label in the 70s, scoring gold and platinum awards for her Grammy-nominated Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
, before moving into teaching and soundtrack work, and then resuming an ongoing recording career in the 90s.
as one of two sisters, and was encouraged to play piano from an early age. Her natural ability to play by ear quickly became apparent.
recording artist. Shortly thereafter, she signed with 20th Century Records
, and her recording career began in earnest, with a series of three albums, Hollywood Town, She's Low Clouds (both 1974), and You Don't Know What You're In For (1976), all notable for their pithy lyrical approach, and musical incisiveness. On the strength of these recordings, Schock was twice awarded Cashbox's Best New Female Artist.
During this period, Helen Reddy
scored a #8 Billboard Hot 100 with Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
. Schock's original version had appeared on her debut album, Hollywood Town. Reddy recorded further Schock-written songs, while many other artists began to interpret Schock's work, including
Roberta Flack
, Johnny Mathis
, Smokey Robinson
, Syreeta, Nancy Wilson, Manfred Mann
, Vicki Carr, and Jeannie Kendall.
In addition to "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady", another widely recorded Harriet Schock song is "First Time On A Ferris Wheel", co-written with Misha Segal
. Among the most celebrated versions is Carl Anderson's
, which appeared on his eponymous 1986 album for Epic Records. The song was composed during the period in the 80s when Schock worked for Berry Gordy
, writing songs for Jobete.
Schock then resumed her own recording career with two albums produced by Nik Venet - American Romance (1995) and Rosebud (1999). In 2010, she released her seventh album, Breakdown on Memory Lane.
Having taught songwriting at the University of Southern California
from 1986 to 1988, she moved into private tuition, and - in the late 90s - her songwriting manual, Becoming Remarkable, was published by Blue Dolphin.
, The Last Dragon
and The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
. Television shows include The Partridge Family
, The Benny Hill Show
and the Jane Seymour
TV movie Matters of the Heart.
Schock wrote the theme song for the PBS series Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks
, and then provided music for the Henry Jaglom
films Going Shopping, Hollywood Dreams
(2006), and Irene in Time
(2009).
(2009).
In 2009 and 2010, Schock took a role in the Henry Jaglom play Just 45 Minutes From Broadway.
Produced by Roger Gordon
Produced by Roger Gordon
Produced by Gene Page
and Billy Page. Arranged by Gene Page
.
Produced by Nik Venet
Produced by Nik Venet
Produced by Phil Appelbaum
Produced by Travis Allen
Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
-Recording and Release:An apparent farewell to a self-absorbed lover, "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" was first recorded by its composer Harriet Schock who'd recall having written the first verse and title of "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" on a serviette "on an airplane as I was leaving someone...
, before moving into teaching and soundtrack work, and then resuming an ongoing recording career in the 90s.
Childhood
Schock, whose father was a dermatologist, grew up in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
as one of two sisters, and was encouraged to play piano from an early age. Her natural ability to play by ear quickly became apparent.
Songwriting and Recording
After a brief spell working in advertising, Schock became a staff writer for Colgems-EMI, and, in a deal that fell through, almost became a Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
recording artist. Shortly thereafter, she signed with 20th Century Records
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
, and her recording career began in earnest, with a series of three albums, Hollywood Town, She's Low Clouds (both 1974), and You Don't Know What You're In For (1976), all notable for their pithy lyrical approach, and musical incisiveness. On the strength of these recordings, Schock was twice awarded Cashbox's Best New Female Artist.
During this period, Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
scored a #8 Billboard Hot 100 with Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
-Recording and Release:An apparent farewell to a self-absorbed lover, "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" was first recorded by its composer Harriet Schock who'd recall having written the first verse and title of "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" on a serviette "on an airplane as I was leaving someone...
. Schock's original version had appeared on her debut album, Hollywood Town. Reddy recorded further Schock-written songs, while many other artists began to interpret Schock's work, including
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Syreeta, Nancy Wilson, Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
, Vicki Carr, and Jeannie Kendall.
In addition to "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady", another widely recorded Harriet Schock song is "First Time On A Ferris Wheel", co-written with Misha Segal
Misha Segal
Misha Segal is an Israeli-born music producer and film composer.-Early years:Born in Haifa, Israel, weaned on jazz , and raised in Tel Aviv, music called Misha from an early age...
. Among the most celebrated versions is Carl Anderson's
Carl Anderson (singer)
Carl Anderson was an American singer, film and theatre actor best known for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in the Broadway and film versions of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.-Early life:Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Anderson was one of 12 children of...
, which appeared on his eponymous 1986 album for Epic Records. The song was composed during the period in the 80s when Schock worked for Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
, writing songs for Jobete.
Schock then resumed her own recording career with two albums produced by Nik Venet - American Romance (1995) and Rosebud (1999). In 2010, she released her seventh album, Breakdown on Memory Lane.
Having taught songwriting at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
from 1986 to 1988, she moved into private tuition, and - in the late 90s - her songwriting manual, Becoming Remarkable, was published by Blue Dolphin.
Film and Television Music
Schock has written songs for film and television since the 1970s. Among the films are Delta Force 2: The Colombian ConnectionDelta Force 2
Delta Force 2 is a tactical first-person shooter video game. It is a member of the Delta Force series of games produced by Novalogic, and a sequel to Delta Force.-Story:...
, The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts musical film produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. The film was a critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher...
and The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking is a 1988 Swedish/American fantasy–adventure–musical film based on the books of the fictional character Pippi Longstocking, created by Swedish children's book author Astrid Lindgren . While the title suggests the movie is a continuation, it is in...
. Television shows include The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
, The Benny Hill Show
The Benny Hill Show
The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill.There were various incarnations of the show between 1951 and 1991, and it aired in over 140 countries. The show is generally sketch-based with heavy use of slapstick, mime, parody and double-entendre...
and the Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as queen consort following the latter's execution for trumped up charges of high treason, incest and adultery in May 1536. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of...
TV movie Matters of the Heart.
Schock wrote the theme song for the PBS series Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks is a children's television series. The show is animated using computer-generated imagery and broadcast in the United States on PBS Kids from 2003–2008, currently WMBC, and Univision ; in Ireland on RTÉ Two, as part of The Den; in Australia on...
, and then provided music for the Henry Jaglom
Henry Jaglom
- Life and career :Born January 26, 1941 in London, England to Simon and Marie Jaglom, Henry Jaglom trained with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York, where he acted, wrote and directed off-Broadway theater and cabaret before settling in Hollywood in the late 1960s...
films Going Shopping, Hollywood Dreams
Hollywood Dreams
Hollywood Dreams is an American film starring Tanna Frederick, Justin Kirk, David Proval, Karen Black, Eric Roberts, Seymour Cassel and written and directed by Henry Jaglom.-Plot:...
(2006), and Irene in Time
Irene in Time
Irene in Time is a 2009 American indie film directed by Henry Jaglom. It marked the second collaboration between director Jaglom and his protégé, actress Tanna Frederick, who also starred in Hollywood Dreams, Jaglom's 2006 film. Irene also starred Victoria Tennant, Lanre Idewu, and Andrea...
(2009).
Acting
Harriet appeared with her band in Henry Jaglom's Irene in TimeIrene in Time
Irene in Time is a 2009 American indie film directed by Henry Jaglom. It marked the second collaboration between director Jaglom and his protégé, actress Tanna Frederick, who also starred in Hollywood Dreams, Jaglom's 2006 film. Irene also starred Victoria Tennant, Lanre Idewu, and Andrea...
(2009).
In 2009 and 2010, Schock took a role in the Henry Jaglom play Just 45 Minutes From Broadway.
Albums
- Hollywood Town (20th Century, T-437, 1974)
Produced by Roger Gordon
- She's Low Clouds (20th Century, T-460, 1974)
Produced by Roger Gordon
- You Don't Know What You're In For (20th Century, T-499, 1976)
Produced by Gene Page
Gene Page
Eugene Edgar "Gene" Page, Jr. was an influential conductor, composer, arranger and record producer most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s....
and Billy Page. Arranged by Gene Page
Gene Page
Eugene Edgar "Gene" Page, Jr. was an influential conductor, composer, arranger and record producer most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s....
.
- American Romance (Future Schock, FSD-19201-2, 1992)
Produced by Nik Venet
- Rosebud (Evening Star, E*SRNKV 2002, 1997)
Produced by Nik Venet
- Live - from Fairfax to Pasadena (Thunder Digital, TDD-10107-2, 2001)
Produced by Phil Appelbaum
- Breakdown On Memory Lane (Future Schock, 2010)
Produced by Travis Allen
External links
- Official website
- Blue Dolphin Harriet Schock page
- [ All Music Guide Harriet Schock page]
- Harriet Schock at CD Baby