I was going to wait a little longer for another Renée Geyer post, but many of you seem to be into this stuff, so let's go! Some rarities here that I've packaged together as an EP.
I dug reasonably deeply to put this together, even going through her career as a backing vocalist for Troublefunk, Sting and Joe Cocker, none of which made the cut - I've stuck mainly to soulful 70s funky stuff ...
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01. “IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S WORLD” (1974)
Renée's cover version of the James Brown classic, from her 1974 album of the same name. If you like this I'll post the album some time. (edit : album now posted).
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02. “IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME” (1977)
The rarest find - this was recorded for a series of radio concerts in 1977 by 2JJ, a “youth-oriented” government-owned radio station, and released on a compilation album called “Long Live the Evolution”. Great slow track with rhodes and trumpet.
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03. “BE THERE IN THE MORNING” (1976, alt. version)
7" single release, an entirely different version to the one that appears on the 1977 album "Moving Along". This one's rootsier and rhodesier (that's my new adjective, and i'm sticking to it).
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04. "MONEY (THAT'S WHAT I WANT)" (1978)
This comes from the 2nd album she did in L.A with legendary Motown producer Frank Wilson. The album was called "Winner". Renée fought with Polydor Records, took the tapes back to Australia and remixed them, and the album bombed. Was it the hair ? For some reason, this track was tacked on to the end of one of her greatest hits collections, although it was not a single or a hit. I'll dig for the album. (edit : album now posted).
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05. "THE RESTLESS YEARS" (1977)
"The Restless Years" was an appalling TV soap that was inflicted on the Australian public from 1977-81. The theme song was a candy floss drifting piano and vocal piece that run over shots of clouds, a la "Days Of Our Lives". In a strange twist of fate, the TV network paid Renée to record a slightly funky (in a "Love Boat" sorta way) version, which charted reasonably. One skip on this track.
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06. "IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S WORLD"
(Drum n Bass mix,1999)
For her third Greatest Hits collection in 1999, her record company enlisted electronic producers to remix her songs on a bonus CD. Almost always a bad move! Have you heard the way those people murdered Curtis Mayfield's classics last year? Well anyway - I'm not a big drum'n'bass fan, but for some reason this remix by the UK duo "Pound System" grabbed me - as busy as it is, it somehow gives her voice plenty of space .. trust me on this one ...
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Please leave a comment, hope you enjoy it!
01. “IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S WORLD” (1974)
Renée's cover version of the James Brown classic, from her 1974 album of the same name. If you like this I'll post the album some time. (edit : album now posted).
********************************************
02. “IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME” (1977)
The rarest find - this was recorded for a series of radio concerts in 1977 by 2JJ, a “youth-oriented” government-owned radio station, and released on a compilation album called “Long Live the Evolution”. Great slow track with rhodes and trumpet.
********************************************
03. “BE THERE IN THE MORNING” (1976, alt. version)
7" single release, an entirely different version to the one that appears on the 1977 album "Moving Along". This one's rootsier and rhodesier (that's my new adjective, and i'm sticking to it).
********************************************
04. "MONEY (THAT'S WHAT I WANT)" (1978)
This comes from the 2nd album she did in L.A with legendary Motown producer Frank Wilson. The album was called "Winner". Renée fought with Polydor Records, took the tapes back to Australia and remixed them, and the album bombed. Was it the hair ? For some reason, this track was tacked on to the end of one of her greatest hits collections, although it was not a single or a hit. I'll dig for the album. (edit : album now posted).
********************************************
05. "THE RESTLESS YEARS" (1977)
"The Restless Years" was an appalling TV soap that was inflicted on the Australian public from 1977-81. The theme song was a candy floss drifting piano and vocal piece that run over shots of clouds, a la "Days Of Our Lives". In a strange twist of fate, the TV network paid Renée to record a slightly funky (in a "Love Boat" sorta way) version, which charted reasonably. One skip on this track.
********************************************
06. "IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S WORLD"
(Drum n Bass mix,1999)
For her third Greatest Hits collection in 1999, her record company enlisted electronic producers to remix her songs on a bonus CD. Almost always a bad move! Have you heard the way those people murdered Curtis Mayfield's classics last year? Well anyway - I'm not a big drum'n'bass fan, but for some reason this remix by the UK duo "Pound System" grabbed me - as busy as it is, it somehow gives her voice plenty of space .. trust me on this one ...
********************************************
Please leave a comment, hope you enjoy it!
15 comments:
Hi Simon, I just recently discovered your blog. You have some really great stuff here. Thank you for sharing it with us. I love the Renee Geyer stuff that you posted. If it's not too much trouble, could you post the "It's A Man's Man's World" album? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Simon, this is a wonderful, well put together post! Cheers!
Fun stuff, Simon. Love that Restless Years track. Nice work! How come all these great Australians and we get Olivia Newton John? :)
Too cool, man. Thanks so much.
Do you have her 2007 CD - Dedicated?
1 Why Can't We Live Together
2 I Wish It Would Rain
3 Please Leave Your Light on
4 Somebody's on Your Case
5 Dedicated to the One I Love
6 When a Woman Loves a Man
7 Steal Away
8 Beautiful Morning
9 So I Can Love You
10 Distant Lover
11 It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World
If you don't holla and I'll up it!
Hi guys, just catching up to comments here, glad you're enjoying it all.
Dreamer - I will be posting that album, but have a few others to do first of all, including another Renee one ...
Musicmelho - thanks for the offer, must admit I'm not a big fan of "later" Renee, although I'm glad she's been successful of course. However others may enjoy, so feel free to up and link in this comments thread - or maybe up it to your own blog and link here?
Ish - it was difficult to get rid of Olivia, we worked on it for many years, so sorry that you guys had to be the "beneficiaries". She did a big production number of "Xanadu" at this year's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras party - all the over-40s (except for me) were very excited, and the younger people were like, "Who the F&$% is this?" :)
Wow Simon.........
thanks Simon. I downloaded the previous Renee posts and was stunned by how good she is. She had evaded my radar prior to this but your posts fixed all that. What a voice. Thanks for doing this. Very very much appreciated...
Hi Dreamer and others -
just posted the album ”Renée Geyer “It’s a Man’s Man’s World” (1974)
Have now posted ’Easy Pieces’ featuring Renée Geyer
Simon ,
Pound System were not strictly speaking UK artists. One guy ( they were a team of 2 ) used to come into the record store I owned in Kings Cross SYD . He was a pom but living here.
I give credit to Renee for being willing to mix it up with the styles that were happening with the kids at the time ( 90's)
Are you the John who I used to talk about Curtis Mayfield with ?
Simon! That alternate version of "Be there.." is so beautiful. I'm on an imaginary trip to Rhodesia now...
hey basso :)
I used a "found file" for that one when I did this post, actually going to do a better vinyl rip of it soon - will post here when I do ...
Good morning. First time on this blog. I found a few albums I like.
Thanks.
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