Zager & Evans 'In The Year 2525' MIXES

Leon Russell?

 

I would love to find a clean mono version of this one...

 

back
to
mono

(!!!)

 

The only way to hear it, has that 'punch' the stereo Lp version lacks. Began life on the Calendar label, then Kirshner changed the label's name--but not the design--to Kirshner, just to remember he owned it!

The Kirshner 45 is the one that finally made the Hot 100, though Billboard listed it as being on Calendar well after that pressing was gone....

"Sugar, Sugar" is also a litmus test: if you don't love this one, you're too cynical to love music. I keep my cynicism healthy and alive, but like a pretty woman, this finest of bubblegum records steals your heart away. It's really a classic 45.

As for the keyboard player, my money's on Jeff Barry. He played on a lot of stuff he never took credit for....


ED

 

Thanks Ed; the search is on for the Calendar/Kirshner 45.

Oh, and btw, this thread has been hi-jacked!

 

That it has, with the help of a Gort and a Tonmeister, no less! Happens more than you might suppose....besides, how long can you talk about a hunk of sludge like "2525" without bending toward something more, shall we say, worthwhile? "Sugar, Sugar" meets that test, and I'd add "Time Of The Season"(mono mix)and any '69 CCR you might want to name....

And the point has been made: someone SHOULD start a thread every day, just pick an old hit and flog it to death, figuratively....you never know what we might learn along the way.....


ED

 

Till the Year 2525...

 

Although I quite like it now, at the time I *really* *really* hated it.

Maybe I was a cynical old man and now I'm becoming childish....

Well you all got me curious, so I pulled out my old RCA (we're talking about 2525 again). It's horribly torn up (someone's bad stylus - not mine!) but I don't hear any more phasiness when I press the mono button than in stereo.

You're right, it has a good beat, you can dance to it...

 

Sorry, Bob, I only have the RCA LP, not the 45, and it also has the overdubbed horns (right) and strings (left). I don't remember a mono promo version of the single, but our radio station's program director asked RCA about the sound quality and was told that's what they - Zager & Evans - wanted.

The LP liner notes say the album was produced by the duo, but there's an interesting note that reads, "The hit single was included in place of Crutches which is listed on the cover." So the album was apparently going to be released without In The Year 2525, which quickly took the place of another track.

White Whale released an album of early Zager & Evans tunes in 1969 titled Early Writings, but 2525 was not one of them.

GM

 

Thank you, most humble of hosts!

You know, the truth is, "2525" is an awfully depressing song, and seems mixed that way, to bum you out....makes the Sex Pistols sound like Dr. Phil....

Well, we still don't have an answer on the Truth 45. My hunch is that bugger was mono. I'll have to check around and see if I can find one, it's uncommon but not rare....I should dig out Tim's price guide and see what it fetches, but maybe I don't want to know...


ED

 

I still would have liked to have found a nice mix of 2525 but......

 

Gary,

Thanks - it was worth a shot! Also thanks for the story and additional information.

Bob

 

10 Wheel Drive /Genya Raven

Wasn't Genya Raven in 10 Wheel Drive, or am I thinking of someone else? I have a Genya Raven vinyl LP I'd alsolutely love to see on CD some day. There's this great song on it called "Jerry's Pigeons". It always made me think of Gerald 'Jerry' Ford. "Jerry's pigeons are above us all!"

 

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70305141709&sql=Bxmem97b7krrt

 

The big question is, does anybody actually like the 2 Zager & Evans RCA albums? I have had them since I was a kid and I love 'em. Especially the self titled album. Those goofy lyrics about people freezing their friends and covering them with chocolate ice cream and jelly beans (The Candy Machine) just make me smile everytime. I used to drive my friends nuts in high school with Overture. Someone should put these out on CD, but I know that will never happen.

Keith