"Our Song" This is an agreeable enough number - the kind of thing you might play to get yourself in the mood for a Happy Days marathon. If you know who you are listening to, you can just about hear their recognisable voices in there. 2.5/5.
“Our Song” is very good. It’s a successful knock-off of music Paul and Art loved and a good example of Paul’s adolescent songwriting abilities. (I wonder how much Art had to do with the writing here, he didn’t do a lot of songwriting until much later, aside from a couple of early singles.) I think it’s as good as or better than early songs from early 1958 by their contemporaries and even surpasses most of what their friends and rivals were doing. 3.5/5
This was re-released as an expanded CD a few years ago. I found it on eBay and bought it. I can´t remember whether the Paul Simon track was on it. Good luck finding it!
My pure guess that he contributed some words and maybe some melodic ideas and probably otherwise "steered Paul through" (as Tim Finn calls the act of the "junior partner" in a songwriter: like Tim says "Neil mainly wrote "Tall Trees" and I sort of steered him through it" -- got Finns on the brain thanks to Fangradio). Paul Simon in 1957 maybe needed some help that he wouldn't need in 1965. Art had a couple of solo singles circa 1960 that he wrote; they are kind of melodically nice but seem very unfinished as songs. I suppose he had some talent as a songwriter from the beginning, but probably needed someone to help him develop or needed a strong partner to help develop his ideas; he never developed after S&G hit big because he was in a group with Paul Simon and thus had no shortage of great songs to sing. And before he hit big, he probably didn't think he was going to ahve a career in music, so did not push through these early obstacles the way Paul did. It is also possible that he continued to make suggestions to Paul's songs that were not deemed credit-worthy -- Paul is not exactly the most generous songwriter when it comes to sharing credits, as we all know.
I have those Artie Garr songs, too, and they don’t do it for me, either. Art as sounding board for Paul was a lot more useful to Paul in 1957-58 than he’d ever be again. I also have a hunch that Paul wouldn’t have been likely to spend too much time helping someone else with their songwriting, he was pretty focused on his own ambitions. (I don’t mean that as a criticism.)
Our Song: This isn't much good compared with the debut. A few more building blocks of Everly's are shuffled around to no great effect. But they were only kids so...2/5
Our Song... This little tune was pleasant enough. Nothing too special about it, but it was nice to hear their natural Everly bros imitation harmony singing again, instead of an Elvis/Buddy imitation. This is going to be a fun journey. 2.5/5
The YouTube link (apparently sourced from the Purple Chick set) omits the first verse ("Lunchtime isn't happy anymore..."). Here's the full version:
A LOTTT! We all have to start somewhere. I know my first lyrics were dreadful... Just like my recent ones! Oh, dear...
OUR SONG it's interesting to hear how the vocal limitations are masked by the blend. Their respective vocal issues don't overlap so they soften each other together. However, the material itself is similarly derivative juvenilia. At least it's more stylistically appropriate to their skills. Just listened to the four Art Garr tracks for the first time. WOW! He really should have kept composing. A shame he didn't develop his skills from such a promising start. Lance's point about partnering with Simon taking away the need to push through the early stages and create for himself is well made. 1/5
"Our song" sounds like it was written to ressemble Hey Schoolgirl just enough and to be different enough to have its own spark. Maybe it wan't a hit because the record company just didn't do the payola this time. Or I just know HS better for having listened to it some times in the last 25 years. But imo Hey Schoolgirl is a better single.
`Our Song`, I like it,it`s spirited,some surprises in the structure,with nice hooks,especially in the verse melody, and I thought at once of a Beatles` song guitar instrumental when this song`s solo kicked in...the one in `All My Loving`,but I suppose that may be a generic rockabilly/country style. Strong 3/5.
Today's song is "Two Teenagers", written by Rose Marie McCoy. Performed by Tom & Jerry with the Lee Simms Orchestra. Tom & Jerry - Two Teenagers Lyrics | Musixmatch Line Up: Jerry Landis: co-lead vocals, acoustic guitar Tommy Graph: co-lead vocals The Lee Sims Orchestra: Lee Simms (aka Louis Simon): stand up bass Unknown musicians: percussion,drums, piano, electric guitar with Unknown female vocalists: backing vocals The B-side to "Our Song" Note: Because this is not a Paul Simon original, and is perhaps of marginal interest I'm going to hold up a second song today.
Today's second song is "That's My Story", written by Tommy Graph and Jerry Landis (aka Art Garfunkel & Paul Simon). Performed by Tom & Jerry with The Lee Sims Orchestra. Tom & Jerry, Jerry, Tom - That's My Story lyrics, lyrics and translation Line Up: Tommy Graph (aka Art Garfunkel): lead vocals Jerry Landis (aka Paul Simon: vocals, acoustic guitar Lee Sims Orchestra: Lee Sims (aka Louis Simon): stand up bass Unknown musicians: piano, drums, electric guitar, saxophone Unknown vocalists: backing vocals The A-side to Tom & Jerry's third single, "That's My Story" failed to dent the charts. Released on the many compilations listed above.
"Two Teenagers" is pretty twee and silly, and that stupid hick accent is back and I don't like it. I mean, I have nothing against that accent, but it just sounds stupid and forced and even twee-er coming out of their mouths. I do like the percussion and the lead guitar a lot though! And the harmony is excellent: lots of detail in the lead vocals performances. Those guys were really good. So lots of good things going on but the song is a bundle of musical cliches and a bit annoying. 2.3/5 "That's My Story" is certainly less annoying, and I actually kind of like the music, even though it's pretty rote (and watered down) doo-wop. I bet my Dad would like this song. There's a gear change key change towards the end, which is nothing special, but it's shows some hints of sophistication. This was, after all, nearly 75 years ago: they are allowed some cliches. The lyrics are rather weak: bunch of teenaged love stuff, but Art sounds beautiful and I just enjoy this song for what it is: a doo-wop also ran. This song is to doo-wop classics what "Hey Schoolgirl" was to Everly Brothers classics. 3.5/5
"Two Teenagers" The main thing that drew my attention in this one was the lead guitar - some nice chiming licks in there! The song itself holds little of interest - the call-and-response of "two teenagers/that's us!" is one of those so-bad-it's-good moments. "That's My Story" This one was so gripping that I was typing out the review of the previous song while listening to it. The voices are a little more recognisable in here, but the song is a real damp squib. 1.5/5 for both.
“Two Teenagers” reached for that brass ring and fell extremely short. At about the same time Paul and Art were trying for a real hit record with this Rose Marie McCoy song, The Quarrymen’s Paul and George were plundering her “Trying To Get To You” for the music to “In Spite Of All The Danger” I have to respect that Paul and Art were working with the real deal while the future Beatles were scraping together a few shillings for petty larceny. 2.5/5 Years later when Paul sang about “The Penguins, The Moonglows, The Orioles and The Five Satins”, it wasn’t the first time he invoked those groups (and of course Art covered “I Only Have Eyes For You” in 1975.) “That’s My Story” is a really good attempt at doo-wop. In 1959 Paul and Art were incapable of reaching those heights they later would seek, but it's pretty good for this era and I like it, too. 3.5/5
I keep having to remind myself that these recordings need to be judged in the context of the era. There isn't that much music from this period, late 1950s/early 60s, that I really like.
