Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: gillymor
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 04:34 PM

I'm not much for song parodies but the one Steve Goodman did of Come a Little Bit Closer is a stitch.

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: JennieG
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 04:28 PM

In past years one of the best attended and most fun gigs at Ozzie folk festivals I have attended has been the 'rock 'n' roll night'. Just imagine well-respected folkies letting their hair while performing the songs of their giddy youth - I remember Eric Bogle ripping into "Heartbreak Hotel" with great gusto!

As someone said at the time, scratch a folkie and you'll find an old rocker underneath.

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 03:32 PM

Well and truly put in my place here,
and yet I would have felt worse for NOT daring to request.

It's true that I'm not in Mudcatter Jim Dixon's lead
(he worked hard on the Lyric thread for
Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman 's
Save the Last Dance for Me, here at the Mudcat Cafe).
So I didn't presume to do what Jim Dixon does.

My position is that I appreciate the emphasis, at the Mudcat,
not only on songs but also on songwriters.
I enjoy the perpetual controversy around Bob Dylan,
to whom Doc Pomus gave his blessing.
And as it is possible for readers of Jay Black's obit thread,
in some cases, not to be aware of who wrote This Magic Moment,
it does seem to me right to give credit where credit is due.

As for Doc Pomus
(he adopted that name so that his mother wouldn't know that
he was up to disreputable music making as a young man),
if we can't share the wealth of his lyrics here,
maybe there are other ways to celebrate him at the Mudcat.
A thread, perhaps,
on the documentary filmed by his daughter, Sharyn Felder ...

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: saulgoldie
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 03:09 PM

More "pop"ish, for sure. But don't some of "us" venture outside of pure folk--and I am NOT invoking "1954"--for our listening pleasure? "Some Enchanted Evening" was a show tune. But I have heard at least a few show tunes in folk settings. Even pop songs. And there is this, from the late, great Steve Goodman:

""...it was blues, ballads, ragtime, dixieland, olde time, SHOWTUNES, and then, Carl sang some songs nobody else knew, and some I haven't heard since then.
An he said, "ya better get it while you can..."""
But I digress...

Anyway, one of Jay's traits that I especially appreciated was his articulation. Many people in many genres do not articulate clearly enough for listeners to hear the words. No one here, of course. Cause that would be, just, just..."un-folkie." And the punishments would be swift and severe. As they should be!!

Anyway, resume speed...

Saul

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: clueless don
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 06:52 AM

In a little hotel
just the other side
of
the border ...

---

In a little cafe
Just the other side of the border
She was just sitting there givin' me looks
That made my mouth water

So I started walking her way
She belonged to bad man Jose
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
When I heard her say, yeah

"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"

So we started to dance
In my arms, she felt so inviting
And I just couldn't resist
Just one little kiss, so exciting

Then I heard the guitar player say
"Vamos, Jose's on his way"
Then I knew, yes I knew I should run
But then I heard her say, yeah

"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"

Then the music stopped
When I looked the cafe was empty
Then I heard Jose say
"Man, you know you're in trouble plenty"

So I dropped my drink from my hand
And out through the window I ran
And as I rode away
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah

"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"

Writer/s: Tommy Boyce, Wes Farrell, Bobby Hart
Publisher: Downtown Music Publishing, MORRIS MUSIC, INC.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 11:11 PM

I really don't think that Mudcat is the place for purely pop songs that can easily be found on the Internet, but here ya go. You, too, can use Google. If you want to fully research a song and give us background information with corrected and documented and properly attributed lyrics, that's another thing. But don't go posting pop song requests on Mudcat if you can just as well find them on Google. We don't need that shit, and we certainly don't need a new thread with it.

This Magic Moment:

Jay and the Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msNUmlRQfyg


Recording by Ben E. King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bacBKKgc4Uo

"This Magic Moment" is the title of a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It is one of their best known successes. It was recorded first by Ben E. King with The Drifters and scored #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1960. It was recorded by Jay and the Americans during 1969 and went to #6, earning gold record status.

The song was recorded as a cover version by Lou Reed on a Doc Pomus tribute album entitled Till the Night is Gone and later featured in David Lynch's Lost Highway. It was also covered by horror punk music band the Misfits for the album Project 1950 and by indie rock band The Mountain Goats for their first cassette release Taboo VI: The Homecoming. (Wikipedia)

Lyrics (uncorrected)

This magic moment
So different and so new
Was like any other
Until I kissed you

And then it happened
It took me by surprise
I knew that you felt it too
By the look in your eyes

Sweeter than wine (sweeter than wine)
Softer than a summer night (softer than a summer night)
Everything I want to have (everything, everything)
Whenever I hold you tight

This magic moment (this magic moment)
While your lips are close to mine
Will last forever
Forever, till the end of time (this magic moment)

Whoa, oh, (this magic moment) oh

Sweeter than wine (sweeter than wine)
Softer than a summer night (softer than a summer night)
Everything I want to have (everything, everything)
Whenever I hold you tight

This magic moment (this magic moment)
While your lips are close to mine
Will last forever (this magic moment)
Forever, till the end of time (magic)

Whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh

Magic, magic, magic


Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jerome Pomus / Mortimer Shuman
This Magic Moment lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Spirit Music Group

Subject: Lyr Req: This Magic Moment (Pomus/Shuman)
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 09:59 PM

Well, Jay and the Americans had a success with this song,
years after Ben E. King did so.
The lyrics at least
are part and parcel of many Mudcatter's life itineraries.

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 08:40 PM

I have to agree with Joe Offer's message here about them being so commercial and all but I actually came to really like some of their music. Two songs in particular are "Cara Mia" and my very favorite song was "This Magic Moment." Loved that song and found myself always singing along when it came on the radio.
Just listened to it on Youtube a few minutes ago. Really a very good song!

Rest in peace Jay Black.

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: gillymor
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 09:48 AM

He made some music that was pleasant to listen to during my teen years but also gave jobs as backup musicians in "the Americans" to a young Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, later of Steely Dan fame.

Subject: RE: Obit:Jay Black of Jay and the Americans(1938-2021)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Oct 21 - 08:31 PM

He seemed disgustingly commercial at the time, but I couldn't stop myself from liking his music and involuntarily memorizing his songs. May he rest in peace.

Subject: Obit: Jay Black of Jay and the Americans.
From: saulgoldie
Date: 23 Oct 21 - 07:49 PM

Not a folkie. But one of the great tenors of all time. That Heavenly choir is receiving too many new angels these days.



Jay Black passes.

Saul