The Beat Goes On (Vanilla Fudge album)

Last updated
The Beat Goes On
The Beat Goes On (Vanilla Fudge album) coverart.jpg
Studio album by
Vanilla Fudge
ReleasedFebruary 1968
StudioUltra-Sonic Studios, Hempstead, Long Island
Genre
Length44:06 (original LP)
52:00 (CD reissue)
Label Atco
Producer John Linde, Shadow Morton
Vanilla Fudge chronology
Vanilla Fudge
(1967)		The Beat Goes On
(1968)		 Renaissance
(1968)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

The Beat Goes On (Atco Records 33-237/mono, SD 33-237/stereo) is the second album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge, released in early 1968. The album doesn't contain any actual "songs", but rather a sound collage featuring many different elements: the voices of world leaders past and present, the band reciting pre-written mantras and reflections, and excerpts of songs (done "Vanilla Fudge style") by The Beatles and Sonny Bono.

Contents

Recording

The group was at odds with producer George "Shadow" Morton during recording, as Morton made his own concept album without significant input from them. In the liner notes of Sundazed Records' 1990 CD reissue, the band denounces it as a failed experiment on the producer's part. The Fudge's third album, Renaissance , released quickly after The Beat Goes On, would be Morton's last collaboration with the band.

In his autobiography Stick It!, Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice declares: "Even listening to it now – which, let me tell you, I rarely fucking do – The Beat Goes On sounds like an album that Spinal Tap would be wary of making." [5]

Reception

While not as successful as their debut album, The Beat Goes On was a moderate hit despite the band's reservations, peaking at #17 on the Billboard album charts in March 1968. [6] It reached number 9 in Finland in April 1968. [7] Music author Christian Matijas-Mecca describes the album as an "experimental and pretentious album" that, similarly to Frank Zappa's album Lumpy Gravy , does not live up to its meticulous collage creation. [3]

Vanilla Fudge's The Beat Goes On is used as bumper music in the Pop Chronicles music documentary. [8]

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Sketch" (Appice, Bogert, Martell, Stein) - 2:55

Phase One

  2. "Intro: The Beat Goes On" (Sonny Bono) - 1:57
    1. Eighteenth Century: Variations on a Theme by Mozart: "Divertimento No. 13 In F Major" (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) - 0:46
    2. Nineteenth Century: "Old Black Joe" (Stephen Foster) - 0:46
    3. Twentieth Century - 3:09
      1. "Don't Fence Me In" (Cole Porter) - 0:52
      2. "12th Street Rag" (Euday L. Bowman) - 0:49
      3. "In The Mood" (Garland, Razaf) - 0:45
      4. "Hound Dog" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 0:43
    4. The Beatles - 1:45
      1. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
      2. "I Feel Fine" (Lennon, McCartney)
      3. "Day Tripper" (Lennon, McCartney)
      4. "She Loves You" (Lennon, McCartney)
      5. "Hello Goodbye" (Lennon, McCartney)

Phase Two

  2. "The Beat Goes On" - 1:32
  3. Beethoven: "Fur Elise" & "Moonlight Sonata" (Ludwig van Beethoven) - 6:33
  4. "The Beat Goes On" - 1:05

Side two

  2. "The Beat Goes On" - 1:00

Phase Three

  2. "Voices in Time": Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Other Voices - 8:09

Phase Four

  2. "The Beat Goes On" - 1:50
  3. "Merchant/The Game Is Over" - 8:57
    1. "Merchant" (Appice, Bogert, Martell, Stein)
    2. "The Game Is Over" (Bourtayre, Bouchety): Vinnie
    3. "Merchant"
    4. "The Game Is Over": Tim
    5. "Merchant"
    6. "The Game Is Over": Carmine
    7. "Merchant"
    8. "The Game Is Over": Mark
    9. "Merchant"
  4. "The Beat Goes On" - 2:20

Bonus Phase [CD release only]

  2. "You Can't Do That" (Lennon, McCartney) - 4:27
  3. "Come By Day, Come By Night" (Appice, Bogert, Martell, Stein) - 3:27

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanilla Fudge</span> American rock band

Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band known predominantly for their slow extended heavy rock arrangements of contemporary hit songs, such as their hit cover of The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On".

<i>Blow by Blow</i> 1975 studio album by Jeff Beck

Blow by Blow is the second album released under the name "Jeff Beck". It was recorded in October 1974 and released via Epic Records in 1975. A mostly instrumental album, it peaked at No. 4 on the American Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmine Appice</span> American drummer

Carmine Appice is an American rock drummer. He is best known for his associations with Vanilla Fudge; Cactus; the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice; Rod Stewart; King Kobra; and Blue Murder. He is also Vinny Appice's older brother. Appice was inducted into the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Bogert</span> American musician (1944–2021)

John Voorhis "Tim" Bogert III was an American musician. He graduated in 1963 from Ridgefield Memorial High School in his hometown of Ridgefield, New Jersey. As a bass guitarist and vocalist he was best known for his powerful vocal ability and his fast runs, fluid agility and ground-breaking sound on his Fender Precision bass. He was one of the pioneers of using distortion with his bass to help it cut through the mix with the low-powered amps of his time which also imparted a very sharp-edged sound to it. He was a frequent collaborator with drummer Carmine Appice; the duo performed in such bands as Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Martell</span> Musical artist

Vince Martell is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for Vanilla Fudge. Martell was born in the Bronx to parents who played the guitar and encouraged him to play as well. While in his teens, Martell joined the Navy, where he discovered his skills as a guitarist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Keep Me Hangin' On</span> 1966 single by the Supremes

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge released a cover version in June of the following year, which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. English singer Kim Wilde covered "You Keep Me Hangin' On" in 1986, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1987. In the first 32 years of the Billboard Hot 100 rock era, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" became one of six songs to reach number one by two different musical acts. In 1996, American country singer Reba McEntire's version reached number two on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The BBC ranked the Supremes' original song at number 78 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all-time UK downloads and streams.

<i>Vanilla Fudge</i> (album) 1967 studio album by Vanilla Fudge

Vanilla Fudge is the debut studio album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge. Released in summer 1967, it consists entirely of half-speed covers and three short original instrumental compositions.

<i>Renaissance</i> (Vanilla Fudge album) 1968 studio album by Vanilla Fudge

Renaissance is the third album by rock band Vanilla Fudge, released in June 1968. It was their first album to feature mostly original material, with five of its seven tracks penned by band members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beck, Bogert & Appice</span> Hard rock supergroup

Beck, Bogert & Appice was a rock supergroup and power trio formed by English guitarist Jeff Beck, evolving from the Jeff Beck Group. It included bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, Americans who had played together in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.

<i>Beck, Bogert & Appice</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Beck, Bogert & Appice

Beck, Bogert & Appice is the only studio album by the rock band Beck, Bogert & Appice, released on March 26, 1973. The group was a power trio featuring guitarist Jeff Beck, bassist Tim Bogert, and drummer Carmine Appice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Stein (musician)</span> American singer-songwriter

Mark Stein is an American keyboardist, composer and arranger, who is a member of the Psychedelic rock group Vanilla Fudge. Stein also worked in the Tommy Bolin band and Alice Cooper's band during 1978 and 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cactus (American band)</span> American rock band

Cactus is an American hard rock band formed in 1969, and currently comprising Jimmy Kunes as lead singer, guitarist Paul Warren, drummer Carmine Appice, bassist Jimmy Caputo and Randy Pratt on harmonica.

<i>Near the Beginning</i> 1969 studio album by Vanilla Fudge

Near the Beginning is the fourth album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge. It was released early 1969 and featured a cover of the Jr. Walker & the All Stars song "Shotgun".

<i>Rock & Roll</i> (Vanilla Fudge album) 1969 studio album by Vanilla Fudge

Rock & Roll is the fifth album by American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge, released in September 1969. It peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard album charts in October of that year. The album was the band's last studio album prior to their initial break-up in the spring of 1970.

<i>Out Through the In Door</i> 2007 studio album by Vanilla Fudge

Out Through the In Door is the eighth album by Vanilla Fudge, released in June 2007, with the US finally following in August 2009. According to the band's official webpage, it originally was to be released in February 2007. The following statement was taken from their website:

Coming in February, 2007... A New Album! It's true! Mark, Vince, Tim, and Carmine were in California in July recording an album of Led Zeppelin covers. Mark said, "Basically, we rearranged some songs — we're doing a lot of their stuff Vanilla Fudge style. Some of the arrangements are slowed down, and some speeded up but I think we've done the songs justice."

<i>The Age of Atlantic</i> 1970 compilation album by various artists

The Age of Atlantic is the second in a series of rock music samplers released by the Atlantic label in the UK. The compilation is credited to Janet Martin. Issued at a budget price of UK £0.99, the album was for many an inexpensive introduction to new rock acts, and was one of the earliest samplers of "progressive" or "underground" music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty Day</span> American rock vocalist (1945–1982)

Russell Edward "Rusty Day" Davidson was a lead vocalist, best known for his work with Cactus, The Amboy Dukes, and Steve Gaines.

<i>Cactus V</i> 2006 studio album by Cactus

Cactus V is the fifth album by American rock supergroup Cactus released in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Hanson (guitarist)</span>

Paul Hanson is an American guitarist. He started playing guitar at the age of 8. He formed bands in his hometown of Seattle, Washington, most notably Krakatoa, Silverload and Max. He is best known for his instructional series of books, CDs and videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Bremy</span> American rock bass player

Pete Bremy is an American rock bass player. He is best known for his associations with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.

References

  1. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo (February 24, 2013). "When Vanilla Fudge Got Weird on 'The Beat Goes On'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ Neff, Joseph (January 14, 2021). "Graded on a Curve: Vanilla Fudge, Near the Beginning". The Vinyl District. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Matijas-Mecca, Christian (2020). "Must-Hear Music". Listen to Psychedelic Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 159. ISBN   9781440861987 . Retrieved August 13, 2022. They followed up with the experimental and pretentious The Beat Goes On, which was nothing more than an aimless collage. Frank Zappa created similar work on his 1967 LP, Lumpy Gravy, and while constructing these collages is tiring and difficult manual labour, the end result seldom matches the intention or effort.
  4. ↑ The Beat Goes On at AllMusic
  5. ↑ "Carmine Appice: Stick It! My Life of Sex, Drums, and Rock 'N' Roll - book review". 23 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia (2 ed.). DK Pub. p.  1035. ISBN   0789446138.
  7. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. p. 243. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  8. ↑ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 1" (audio). Pop Chronicles . University of North Texas Libraries.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.