Happy Music Monday! It's always neat how different layers can combine to make a greater harmony. Today Scott's looking at some of these layers when they're dissected one by one. You'll catch on pretty quick if you know your music history. Let's begin, shall we?
The Journeymen - Run Maggie Run
In the early '60s, this trio of folk friends formed to harmonize sweetly. Dick, John and Scott put out a few albums and did okay, but never really broke any records or anything. But don't they sound nice? That's harmony right there!
More harmonies to come! Sing along if you wanna!
The Mamas & The Papas - I Call Your Name
Oh, hey, one of those three guys in the Journeymen was also the original Papa John, because he was John Phillips. You can see how his time with folk harmony helped to hone is producing abilities, right? If not, just play this song again and again until you understand why this was the project that really made him a star. Also note Mama Michelle, who did her part to make sure she and John lived up to their names. But more on that in a bit.
Naturally we can't talk about harmonies without at least a nod to the Beach Boys. Under the guiding hand of Brian Wilson, the group was sort of the American version of The Beatles. Even today, a Beach Boys hit can still get people nodding along.
The Honeys - Surfin' Down The Swanee River
Sounds a bit Beach Boys-y, doesn't it? It's not going to surprise you, then, that Brian Wilson was to the Honeys what Prince was to Vanity 6. Like the Beach Boys, this band was a family too (two sisters and a cousin) and at some point, one of those sisters started dating Brian Wilson, and then they got married, and then they had kids, and then...
The funny thing about harmonies is that they just kind of unfold on their own. Everybody does their part and the song becomes something more than you could ever have suspected. Wilson Phillips showed up as the legacy of multiple bands, uniting the harmonies into some kinda Bene Gesserit breeding experiment on how to make a number one hit. And guess what? They had one. And another one. And a bunch of small hits besides. See? Harmonies pay off.
Let us just remind you: some images come from the corresponding Wikipedia page and are here under fair use. See you next week.