Let's take a brief tour through some interesting examples of celebrities who've attempted a career in music. I'll get things rolling right away with what I initially thought was the worst cover version of song ever recorded from Goldie Hawn's 1972 release. She sounds absolutely loopy. However, upon reflection, I remembered all the simply godawful cover versions displayed on "American Idol" week after week. Give me Goldie any day over Idol contestants who stretch each syllable into a dozen octaves. But I digress, here's Goldie with Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight":
LINK BROKEN. IMEEM SUCKS
Check out Telly brandishing a firearm on the cover of his album This Is Telly Savalas... Perhaps, a more appropriate title would be This Is Telly Savalas About to Put a Cap in Your Ass. Telly released a few albums during his heyday, and really they're not that bad. Sure, he seams like he's trying a bit too hard to be Dean Martin, but it kind of grows on you. "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" ranks up there with "Alone Again (Naturally)" as one of the most depressing songs of the decade. Telly sings about drinking himself sick and wishing he was stoned. Who loves ya' baby.
LINK BROKEN. IMEEM SUCKS.
I almost didn't want to bring up the amazingly bizarre Transformed Man because it has earned a certain degree of notoriety, and so I figured everyone had already heard it. However, this album is so special that it's like talking about the British Invasion and not mentioning The Beatles. The delivery is way over-the-top and the songs are often strange (one is called "Spleen") but the end result is, for some reason, oddly enjoyable. I will admit that the sounds of Captain Kirk butchering "Mr. Tamborine Man" have been heard coming from my cubicle on more than one occasion.
LINK BROKEN. IMEEM SUCKS.
Of course, if you're going to bring up Bill Shatner, you've got to include at least one of Nimoy's numerous forays into music. In his "Highly Illogical", Nimoy is still assuming the Spock persona and commenting on such things as modern man, automobiles, and marriage... very deep stuff. A personal favorite of Nimoy's was his Bilbo Baggins song, but that's for another day, another post.LINK BROKEN. IMEEM SUCKS.
Some record company deterimined that Marcia and Peter were the most popular characters on the show and so threw them together on an album, irregardless of Chris Knight's utter and complete inability to sing. This may be my favorite album cover simply for Knight's awful expression on the cover. 
Of course, the numbers of actors who have tried their hand at music are legion. I could basically devote an entire blog to the subject and never run out of posts. Among my favorites are Kristy McNichol, Donny Most from "Happy Days", Lisa Welchel from "The Facts of Life", and Ralph Carter from "Good Times".
No celebrity album collection would be complete without Patty Duke singing tunes from Valley of the Dolls. Also, YouTube has a number of clips of Cheryl Ladd's numerous attempts at a recording career, even singing with Waylon Jennings. Of course, if you've been taking notes from my previous posts, you'll know that Ladd actually began as a singer with Josie and the Pussycats. That's her on the record cover. Peace out.
Here are a choice pair from my collection:
ReplyDeleteJoe Pesci - "Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings just for You"
Robert Mitchum - "Calypso is like so..."
Blasted I can't get the IMEEM player to go here, I may try it in my IE browser, I want to hear Telly Savalas. I think I can download these tracks from IMEEM...not sure, which is great. I use a flash player uploader sometimes because it is quick, but of course usually you can not download those songs, but on some sites I use a downloadable player.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall an album by Richard Harris that had some notoriety to it for being ...bad... but it didn't stop him.
I recall seeing David Hasselhoff doing some of his singing stuff. And maybe it wasn't bad, bad, but he was so arrogant back in those days, Okay, I guess it was bad.
Ah, Kristy McNichol. Yes, there was a crush there. I used to sit through Family (which was unbearable) just for her. I wish to God they would release Little Darlings on DVD. I still have this old shitty vhs of it and can't even play it! Great Post Gil as per usual.
ReplyDeletehooliganyouth- Joe Pesci? Wow. I don't want to imagine what it's like to hear that shrill little voice coming out of a pair of speakers.
ReplyDeletebill- There's a number of different 80's stars who took a stab at singing: Hasselhoff (as you mentioned), Eddie Murphy, Don Johnson, and Bruce Willis to name a few. I understand Hasselhoff's musical career was pretty well received in Germany.
chick- I loved Little Darlings, all the way till the end when "Let Your Love Flow" plays at the closing credits. Classic.
The gilligan household has lately taken to renting After School Specials where you're likely to find a McNichol appearance (along with a ton of other pre-teen icons of the 70's).
Don't forget Mr. Clint Eastwood had an album or two but he's actually a really good pianist.
ReplyDeleteAnother gem from the collection:
"A Bonanza Christmas"
Sorry. All these music links appear to have died.
ReplyDelete