Customer Reviews

Popsicles & Icicles

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Popsicles and Icicles" was #2 in the nation for a while. The Murmaids also released "Wild and Wonderful" and "Heartbreak Ahead" as singles - they both faired well but were not national hits. The two sisters of the group have reformed...While the other member carried on as The Murmaids when the sisters left in the late sixties. I always wondered if The Murmaids had recorded enough material for an album and am glad to know that those songs were preserved. I'm happy to hear these tunes now as the original group had a distinctive and pleasureable style. I still love many of the 60's groups as they showed the innocence of the times, and the Murmaids were part of that sound.

I WAS AMAZED THAT THIS C.D.WAS RELEASED, HOWEVER BEING AN AVID COLLECTOR, I WAS THRILLED!THE MURMAIDS BIG HIT WAS OF COURSE "POPSICLES AND ICYCLES". THEY WERE THREE VERY PRETTY GALS WITH SIREN-LIKE HARMONIZATIONS. EVERYONE LOVED THIS RECORD AND YOU NEVER GOT TIRED OF HEARING IT, BECAUSE THEIR VOICE WAS SOOO BEAUTIFUL! THE C.D. FEATURES SOME 0-K REMAKES OF SUCH HITS AS THE FIREFLIES' "YOU WERE MINE" and THE CHORDETTES'"MR. SANDMAN", WHICH WERE BIG 50'S HITS, BUT NOT FOR THE MURMAIDS. THERE IS A REALLY PRETTY SONG IN THE C.D. TITLED "WARM AND WONDERFUL" WHICH I FEEL COULD'VE MADE AN EXCELLENT FOLLOW-UP RECORD, ONLY I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER RELEASED.I RECOMMEND THIS C.D. ONLY TO TRUE COLLECTORS, LIKE MYSELF, WHO WANT TO HEAR IT ALL!!

Sisters Carol and Terry Fischer, ages 15 and 17 in 1963, came by their love of music honestly as dad Carl was a renowned pianist/composer and long-time musical director for Frankie Laine, while mom Terry sang with several Big Bands, including that of Stan Kenton. Even their grandmother and three great aunts once performed on the vaudeville circuit as The Locus Sisters.

Along with friend and Los Angeles neighbour, 17-year-old Sally Gordon, the girls would sing demos for friend and then 18-year-old Mike Post, as well as back-up vocals now and then at Gold Star Studios. It was there they were discovered by Kim Fowley, record producer for Ruth Conti's Chattahoochee Records, and at their first recording session, where they took on the name The Murmaids, they cut five tracks, including Popsicles And Icicles, written by David Gates who would later go on to become the front-man for the 1970s soft-rock group Bread.

Aside from the fact this would become their only hit single, thereby establishing their place in that club known as The One-Hit Wonders (# 2 Adult Contemporary and # 3 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in late 1963/early 1964), the unique thing was, it had 4 different flipsides circulating simultaneously and all bearing the same label number - Chattahoochie 628. Two were pure instrumentals by a house-band - Bunny Stomp and Huntingdon Flats, while two others were Murmaids vocals - Blue Dress and Comedy And Tragedy. Only Blue Dress is in this volume.

The totally unexpected success of the record (this was right in the opening stages of the British Invasion, making its results even more remarkable) caught the girls up short, especially the Fischer sisters who were already making plans to finish college, a priority for them. Still, they did go back to the studio to cut more sides in late 1963, but without committing to a touring/promotion schedule, which they felt would adversely affect their schooling. Thst made chances of further success slim. Heartbreak Ahead, which came out in 1964 on Chattahoochie 636 b/w He's Good To Me, did get some fair local attention, but that was it.

The label also released two more of their cuts, Wild And Wonderful and Bull Talk, not once, but twice in 1964, the first on Chattahoochie 641 and the second on Chattahoochie 650, promoting both sides as the A-side at different times. Just before those two, they also released a cover of the Gerry & The Pacemakers hit How Do You Do It? b/w Liverpool (Chattahoochie 637) by The Lady-Bugs, which ostensibly involved Jackie DeShannon singing with The Murmaids, but there is some doubt as to whether that was true.

They certainly did try to capitalize on the name, likely out of pure frustration after experiencing such a huge hit, by releasing records billed to The Murmaids but really involving vocalists under contract named Cathy Brasher and Yvonne Young on things like Stuffed Animals/Little White Lies (Chattahoochee 668) in 1965, and Little Boys/Go Away (Chattahoochee 711) in 1966. The same ploy was used by Liberty Records in 1968, probably through a licensing arrangement to the name, with Paper Sun/Song Through Perception (Liberty 56078). None of those tracks are here.

What is here, in addition to the legitimate Murmaids sides released as singles, are several tracks cut at that late 1963 session but only released years later in a 1980 album: You Cheated, Mr. Sandman, Playmates, Alone, So Young, Don't Forget, and Three Little Words.

The sound quality is excellent and inside are informative liner notes by Mark Marymont.

By listening to this diverse range of the Murmaids' work (and reading in the liner notes about how the members changed around a few times - sort of like Reparata & the Delrons) it seems like the most they had going against them was settling down in to one style and sticking to it. My vote would have been to go for the novelty value tunes, but who knows how profitable that could have been in those days unless something really caught on big! Instead it looks like they did what the Pretenders tried a number of times by re-writing a big hit ("Back in the Chain Gang" - "Never Give in"; Pretenders); and recreate the magic again- "Popsicles" being mirrored both in "Heartbreak Ahead" and a little of the same tempo style in "Three Little Words". The mesmerizing "bloop-bloop-blee-bloops" changing to "blip-blip-blip-bleep" in "Heartbreak" particularly. To me this is very funny, actually. Just like one of my favorite campy tunes on this collection - "Bull Talk" (..if-bull you-bull love-bull the-bull boy-bull..." etc.) what a scream! "Playmates" was interesting done in a jazzy tempo, but the things other artists did like "Alone" (Petula Clark) and "Mr. Sandman" (The Chordettes) probably should have been left alone unless they were going to tweak these popular hits and make them their own, IMO. Hopefully more of their "lost" works will resurface at some point.

I love this CD but on Luxuria Music internet radio, I just heard them do some late 1960's trippy music in the way of a very guitar-heavy psychedelic version of Traffic's "Paper Sun," probably from late 1967 or early 1968. Their clear harmonies really cut through the backing tracks and overall it was a really good recording, so I hope those recordings get reissued someday.

The Murmaids sang beautifully with voices clear as bells and also quite strong and powerful. This album gives us thirteen of their wonderful songs; and I doubt you'll be disappointed! The quality of the sound is quite good.

"Popsicles And Icicles" is perhaps their biggest hit; and when they sing this you'll want to listen to it over and over again. The Murmaids harmonize perfectly; and this sweet tune is so catchy it's positively infectious. "You Cheated" has a slower beat but The Murmaids sing this every bit as sweetly; and I really like "Mr. Sandman." The Murmaids give "Mr. Sandman" an early rock and roll flavor that works well. The guitars on "Mr. Sandman" work wonders for the musical arrangement.

Listen also for "Wild And Wonderful;" this pop tune features The Murmaids singing an unblemished performance and I like the sound effects of the musical arrangement. The Murmaids sing of how much each of them wants romantic time with their special true love.

"So Young" has a great early rock and roll beat and The Murmaids never miss a note! They handle the very subtle tempo changes well and the key changes also make "So Young" a very good tune. "Bull Talk" also has the group harmonizing well.

"Three Little Words" shows again The Murmaids in a good light as they switch keys and tempos quickly as only pros can. I predict you will enjoy "Three Little Words" very much.

The liner notes give us information about this great act. I just wish they had added an extra song or two. That disappoints me so I will rate this CD as a four star album.

Overall, The Murmaids weren't together for the longest time; but what they did together truly deserves recognition. The harmonized and sang well; and they could handle tempo and key changes like pros!

I don't doubt for a minute that these youg women had their eyes on stardom. But, they picked the wrong producer for their talents. The result is this album, in which the only song worth listining to the the first one, Popsicles and Icicles. The rest are songs that are forgettable,and really do sound like elevator music.
Buy the Ultimate Petula Clark CD , not this!

They will be remembered for Popsicles And Icicles and little else. Twelve songs in mono, only track 13 is stereo.