Casuals - out of tune?

[Bbrich]

whenever i play this the missus reckons the singing is out of tune and anyway she prefers the linda jones version. for me i just like the rawness of it. So is she right?

 

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by bbrich

[Tlscapital]

Everything and/or everybody in there is out of tune + on speed I always found. Linda Jones  and the Whatnauts is good but the O'Jays is the one fa me !

[Bbrich]

i agree the o'jays is the more polished/finished article.

[Dobber]

i think a lot of group soul stuff is borderline in and out of tune,maybe cos they only got one crack at the whip,but i think thats why we all appreciate it the first place!

my missus thinks magnetics lady in green is insufferable,she cant believe that made it to vinyl! her words are...thats flippin painful to listen to!

dont worry,i took her round the back and put a bullet in the back of her head..haha

anyway i like that casuals tune for its rawness...end of!

[Mal C]

Couple of these for sale reciently, I know It's always been around, so I thought should I pick it up...

on listening to it again, I think Linda / whatnauts is better, and the flip although sounds good on a first listen, I know I'd get bored of it and never spin it... one of those 45s that promises allot but actually isn't all that good...

still the collector in me wants it for the label, expensive 45 to make me feel good while flicking through through the box as they say -- :-)

mal

[Tlscapital]

5 hours ago, bbrich said:

i agree the o'jays is the more polished/finished article.

Not only that "polished/finished" I find. The O'Jays is also much more inspired and soulful IMHO. Even through the years one can discover any "classic" revisited version that takes a tune to another dimension, here it's only more messy I find. On this case, the O'Jays does it for me all the way.

Actually I knew the O'Jays version first and Linda Jones second as a fresh 7T's re-do version. Where the last I heard by the Casuals still sounds like a wrecked garagy cover to my ears. Not even of real interest even on the "collection" side of things. Only my opinion since you asked and I respect those who think/have otherwise.

And this ain't no "hipster" testimony since all the right jocks are going for the dance beatin' of Linda Jones's version. Only it's kinda hard to do better than the O'Jays teamed with George Kerr soulful wise. No matter how I love Linda Jones (also teamed up with George Kerr) stuffs altogether.

[Robbk]

The Casuals' version sounds out of tune in a lot of individual places in the song.  I don't like their song at all.  The O'Jays' version is so much better, they're on different planets.  I could stay on the melody as written a lot better than that lead, and I'm a lousy singer.  Some people call that style "raw" and "primitive" and "simple", and so, they like it a lot.  To me, songwriting and melody is the biggest part of whether or not I like a song.  So, I'll take the "polished" singers, who stay on key, EVERY TIME!  That's why I like good singers, like Betty Everett, Gladys Knight and Garnett Mimms singing a Van McCoy song to a "raw", "primitive" untrained 16 year old, singing a self-written tune, recording in some podunk makeshift bathroom "studio", by some amateur "producer", every time.

No offence to The Casuals group or their producer or their arranger, or their studio engineer intended here.  It's a matter of individual taste.  But, I'm being honest here, and would be just as honest evaluating our own Airwave recordings, if asked to do so.

Edited August 1, 2017 by RobbK

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

I like the other side better anyway.

They (Casuals) were part of the Glass City Review that was sponsored by Clark's record store. This 45 was recorded in the back of the Toledo record store in 1969. The label Glass City was the sister label to Clark's famed for Ramona Collins.   Gus Walker was the arranger and musical force, as he was on all of the Glass City related records.  The record seems to be the second release with Ramona Collins on Clark's, being the first.

I was told many moons ago that there was a connection with Johnny Jones & King Casuals on Brunswick - but I think that's wrong and the person who told me was confused. Jones is from the south although he did live in Chicago for a time in the early sixties. His Brunswick releases came between 68-69 although one was leased from Peachtree.

[Davenpete]

F****g awful version - absolutely criminal.

Dx

[Robbk]

33 minutes ago, Andy Mac said:

I like the other side better anyway.

They (Casuals) were part of the Glass City Review that was sponsored by Clark's record store. This 45 was recorded in the back of the Toledo record store in 1969. The label Glass City was the sister label to Clark's famed for Ramona Collins.   Gus Walker was the arranger and musical force, as he was on all of the Glass City related records.  The record seems to be the second release with Ramona Collins on Clark's, being the first.

I was told many moons ago that there was a connection with Johnny Jones & King Casuals on Brunswick - but I think that's wrong and the person who told me was confused. Jones is from the south although he did live in Chicago for a time in the early sixties. His Brunswick releases came between 68-69 although one was leased from Peachtree.

Stranger things have happened.  But, somehow, I doubt it.  Johnny was a Chicago artist, and The King Casuals sound nothing like those Toledo Casuals.  And Toledo is a Detroit Area suburb.  I don't remember any connection of Johnny Jones to Detroit.

[Windlesoul]

The King Casuals were Nashville based (though did have Atlanta based recordings for Peachtree). Certainly no Toledo connection as far as I am aware.

 

Edited August 1, 2017 by Windlesoul

[Weingarden]

Whoa, they really go astray around 0:32!

[Guest Spain pete]

Casuals , very apt name for this group  . o'jays everyday George Kerr brilliance 🎶🎶🎶

[Bbrich]

Thanks to all for your comments and background info. I will have to keep this version as a late night alone at home play (after a few drinks..). !!!