A Gardener's Diary

[Monksdream]

Once recorded music became available recording companies sprang up like mushrooms. Radio and the record companies worked hand in glove to promote sales of just about any genre one could think of. They also appealed to regional or provincial tastes, including ethnic and racial preferences. It wasn't unusual for record companies to include the words "race record" on their 78 and later 45 discs.

The practice continued into the 1950s and even the early 60s. Black artists would enjoy good sales and airplay on the R&B chart. The record companies would cover the songs using white artists for airplay on stations that appealed to a predominantly white audience.

"Life Could Be A Dream" is a Doo-Wop song created and recorded by the Chords for Cat Records in 1954. The same year, a Canadian vocal quartet called the Crew Cuts (this was the 50s after all) covered the song so the label could sell to predominately white listeners. The Crew Cuts' version zoomed to #1 on the AM Top 40 chart.

The Chords' version is faster paced, more emotional, includes a solo by the bass vocalist and a rousing saxophone bridge solo so filled with a joyous enthusiasm enthusiasm it had to get the kids off their feet and onto the dance floor.

The Crew Cuts' version is more structured, and includes full orchestra touches. The saxophone bridge is replaced by the group doing some vocal acrobatics followed by a kettle drum hook then back to the lyrics.

Why no saxophone in the Crew Cuts' version. Because parents of white kids would associate the saxophone's raucous tone with black performers. It was that kind of era. Later, saxophone bridge solos would be included in R&B and early rock n roll songs created by white artists. But the prejudice would persist, especially in the segregated South. And still does.

As an aside the alternative music artist Tori Amos covered the Crew Cuts' version for the movie Mona Lisa Smile. It is an absolutely perfect reproduction, with Tori Amos singing lead. How could she have done it? She happens to have a condition known as chromesthesia. Early on, children with this condition can repeat a song, note for note, after having listened to it only one time.