Grand Finale credits

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Babysquid
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Grand Finale credits

Post by Babysquid » Tue Jun 30, 2020 5:50 pm

Forgive me if I appear stupid and this is well known but I’ve looked and I can’t find why Mack David and Elmer Bernstein are credited in Grande Finale. Is there a lift from one of their tunes on it? There’s still the musical quote from West Side Story but Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim don’t receive a credit.

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Jason » Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:26 am

Hey Babysquid, there's a 1962 film called "Walk On The Wild Side". I remember Bob Ezrin referencing along the lines of "..... we threw in a little Walk on the Wild Side...", and I knew he wasn't talking about Lou Reed! This is what he was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j9X7ON7RcM

You'll notice the melodies sound familiar!
"Same as always, different as ever"

pitkin88
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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by pitkin88 » Sun Jul 05, 2020 3:06 am

Good detective work Jason!

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Jason » Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:25 am

pitkin88 wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 3:06 am
Good detective work Jason!
Thanks pitkin!

I missed putting this in my first post: the credits!

Elmer Bernstein wrote the music and Mack David wrote the lyrics. Even though it's an instrumental version, the lyricist gets credited as well.

"Grande Finale" is it's own example of this: From 2:18 to 3:33 they're musically quoting themselves - "School's Out"!. :alice:

All five guys in the band wrote that, hence they all got credited on this track. And of course, Bob Ezrin is credited for being the mastermind who put it all together! :teach:

And as Babysquid's pointed out, Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim weren't credited for the "West Side Story" reference this time around.

I love hearing the origins/inspirations/influences of stuff I know so well.

As for "Grande Finale" itself, I've always and still like it after all these years. I like instrumentals, so a few thrown in here or there, is always good. Serves the same function on SO as another Ezrin creation, "The Underture" does on W2MN. Except not near as many musical quotes! (11 songs are quoted in "The Underture"!)

Although, I can imagine how some fans might have been thrown off a bit. It was indeed quite a departure, not only this track but the album in general, given the style of the two previous albums. But they definitely had this part in them too.

Just listened to SO last night, love this album! :rock:
"Same as always, different as ever"

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VinceRaven
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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by VinceRaven » Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:54 pm

I always found it a disappointing way to end the album. Although it's a challenge to rearrange the track listing to make it any different. Plus you'd need another song.

Since No More Mr Nice Guy was apparently available for this album but not used, it would be tempting to slot that in after My Stars, bump Public Animal #9 into the second spot after School's Out and replace Grand Finale at the end with Luney Tune.

Maybe that would work for people. Maybe not.

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Daggers & Contracts » Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:55 pm

Jason wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:26 am
Hey Babysquid, there's a 1962 film called "Walk On The Wild Side". I remember Bob Ezrin referencing along the lines of "..... we threw in a little Walk on the Wild Side...", and I knew he wasn't talking about Lou Reed! This is what he was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j9X7ON7RcM

You'll notice the melodies sound familiar!
Great catch Jason!
Ya'll might want to take another look & a listen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI9Or8rE_Dc
This may also be where the "Gutter Cat" sprung from. Sure it's a leap! :laugh:
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Si
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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Si » Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:26 pm

Jason wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:26 am
Hey Babysquid, there's a 1962 film called "Walk On The Wild Side". I remember Bob Ezrin referencing along the lines of "..... we threw in a little Walk on the Wild Side...", and I knew he wasn't talking about Lou Reed! This is what he was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j9X7ON7RcM

You'll notice the melodies sound familiar!
Excellent spotting!

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Ted Sallis » Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:12 pm

Jason wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:25 am
Although, I can imagine how some fans might have been thrown off a bit. It was indeed quite a departure, not only this track but the album in general, given the style of the two previous albums. But they definitely had this part in them too. Just listened to SO last night, love this album! :rock:
MB stated in his book that he wasn't crazy about all of the production on SO. The album was more of a departure from Killer than Killer was from LITD, likely due at least in part to Bob Ezrin being given free reign by Jack Richardson after Jack co-produced or oversaw the production on the previous 2 albums. I love the SO album too though, it's filled with great songs.

Ted

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by pitkin88 » Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:22 pm

I think Grande Finale is brilliant. From the jazzy lazy intro til the horns kick in just an amazing arrangement. Love Glens wailing guitars too. Both Glen and Dennis excel in the album.

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Re: Grand Finale credits

Post by Jason » Mon Jul 06, 2020 8:54 pm

VinceRaven wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:54 pm
I always found it a disappointing way to end the album. Although it's a challenge to rearrange the track listing to make it any different. Plus you'd need another song.

Since No More Mr Nice Guy was apparently available for this album but not used, it would be tempting to slot that in after My Stars, bump Public Animal #9 into the second spot after School's Out and replace Grand Finale at the end with Luney Tune.

Maybe that would work for people. Maybe not.
That definitely would have been a good alternate version. Having "Luney Tune" close things out would have been a really cool and creepy end to the album. Another "alternate universe" version could have the title track close the album. It could've worked, listen to the album and the bell rings at the end. Not to mention, it's worked as a great closer for the last 48 years! And then move "My Stars" or "Public Animal #9" to open the album.

I've always thought that "Call it Evil" from "The Life and Crimes..." box set, would have fit on this album. For me, it's that organ that gives it that SO feel. At times, it almost sounds like Ray Manzarek of the Doors! If the song had made it out of their rehearsal room, Alice would've added lyrics to fit the theme of the album. Where on the album would it go? Not sure, but it has a similar tempo to "Blue Turk", so I probably wouldn't sequence them next to each other on the album.

The best part is, once you have the albums, playlists/CDs for these fantasy/hybrid albums can be customized. But, it's fun to speculate all the "what ifs".
"Same as always, different as ever"

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