Here They Are (1962)

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HERE THEY ARE!
THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS

After much interest from many foreign governments and the United States Department of Agriculture, a record company has submitted to the heavy pressures and released the first "GOLDCOAST SINGERS" album. As is plainly seen on the reverse side THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS consist of two boys and a guitar. You will notice no women, color photography, filtertips, or any other gimmicks in the photograph, nor do they exist behind the scenes. This record is being pushed solely by the performers and commercial interests behind this pressing and they feel it ought to be part of the permanent collection of every phonograph owner.

Of the many ideas and stories sent into THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS, to be used as background material the following biographical sketch has been used since it is fairly free of... "earthquakes during birth" ....... "strange goings on in the heavens" ..., ..."animals born with two heads"..., ..."inspiration received from inner tube and musical saw virtuosi" ... etc.

The propped-up musician on the left of the cover is George Cromarty, born 15 September, 1941, in the capitol of the entertainment industry, Los Angeles. Fortunately for him, he moved to Fresno after three years in the "Capitol." He stayed in Fresno until he was old enough to have his own passport and then went on to Europe. He came back to the United States in late 1959 in order to attend school at Monterey Peninsula College. He studied English at Monterey for three semesters. During this time, he, like many other college students, found himself strapped for funds and was forced to form a partnership with another friend and student, Ed Rush.

Ed and George first met while they were students in Fresno.  Ed traveled in Mexico and Central America for a year. They met again while going to college in Monterey. Both were interested in folksinging, though neither had ever considered it seriously. At a party one night they discovered that their voices blended well with that of a girl who was a fellow student and decided to sing together. Only half serious at first, they discovered that a restaurant called "Kalisa's," on Cannery Row in Monterey, was in need of something to bolster its faltering trade, so they offered their services as entertainers and chose the name, *THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS. The three started with an iron pot for collections and a wild desire to make sufficient money to fend off poverty. Starvation was coquered, because their only salary was dinner.  "Kalisa's" business swelled, but contributions didn't exactly pour into the waiting pot. One night the take consisted of two Montreal bus tokens.

"Kalisa's" became a hangout for the many students in Monterey.  The walls were covered with enormous murals, the lights were dim, and the place was packed night after night. The girl dropped out, but Ed and George persevered. After two years, they decided to try the big city and the big time.

They moved to San Francisco in order to determine if they could catch on professionally. They played at a number of places in San Francisco for peanuts. In fact the nightspot in San Francisco called the "Monkey Inn" appears to be on the "peanut standard" for those who have ever had the pleasure of going there. Switching from one vegetable to the other, they finally ended up at North Beach's "Purple Onion." They were so well received at the "Purple Onion" they were able to stay on for six months. After the "Purple Onion" they undertook the college circuit. Going back to collegeby way of the stage was the cause of interest in this present album.

On a foggy Sunday afternoon in March of 1962, THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS clambered on stage at San Francisco State College before an unsuspecting audience of 1,000 or so. After they were introduced as the final performers at the San Francisco State Folk Festival, people in the audience mumbled, "Who?".  This query was followed by shouts of "More!". The reaction was, to say the least, wild. After five encores, breathless and perspiring like pigs, they came on for one last "song," entitled "Plastic Jesus." This ode flattened the audience. All through the performance people had been walking out of the auditorium grumbling, "Mis-guided youth" and "Whippersnappers," but the finale was too much for those whose soft spots had not yet been touched. A dozen (actually twelve) marched up the aisles in righteous indignation. The remaining nine hundred some odd rose in a tremendous ovation. Fortunately that concert was taped, and this record
is the product.

*NOTE: During the 1800's, the Monterey area was known as The Goldcoast. G.M.C.

Side 1:

SCHNEY CHAVERIM (Two Friends) Russian/Hebrew soldier's song.

     Originally some sort of Russian Soldier's song which someone, for his own mysterious personal reasons, translated into Hebrew.  THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS have translated it into something else. Whatever that may be is open to unlimited speculation.
 

COPLAS-

      A Mexican wedding song with spurious translations. Brides in old Mexico undergo numerous tribulations unknown to their sisters in other nations. Among these is the custom of sitting through innumerable songs of questionable moral tone sung by the bridegrooms' rascally friends and sundry local rabble. Coplas is an outstanding example of this sort of song, i.e., having an exceptionally low moral tone. DON'T PLAY IT WEST OF THE ROCKIES.
 

THIS MORNIN' SO SOON (partly traditional Western).

     A mystery story, with lots of false clues strewn about. Was it this mornin' or this evenin'? Why was the 44 gun still smokin'? How could Bill's boy, riding out of town in the evening, hear that his Pa had been shot down both in the morning and the evening? Why all the references to times of day? Why is Bill's boy hanged twice? Wasn't once enough? Listen to this gentle and mournful ballad of the extremely old West and ask yourself these questions. Maybe you'll think of some more and if you do, please send them, along with a self-addressed envelope, to: THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS, c/o World Pacific Records. All entries will be forwarded to the FBI for processing and possible criminal action against you.
 

THE OLD FOOL

    Why, just the other night, I was saying to my wife's cousin, Alfonse (he's been visiting us for a year or so) that it would take a real fool to act in such a manner.
 

AN IRREVERENT MEDLEY (Altered domestic sources).

    Although these three attempts at eroding our cultural heritage are proffered to the listener as American folksongs, one is not a well-known, well-loved American folksong. It is not American at all and comes from a foreign land. Can you guess which one it is?   If you can write the name of the nasty foreign song and send it to the House Committee on Un-American Activities. They like to hear about things like that.
 

PLASTIC JESUS (Traditional Spiritual)

    THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS often go to church socials in order to relax, sometimes they are called upon to sing by their friends and neighbors. At one of these socials they were called upon to sing before a film short. During a reel change an old parishioner approached them and remarked that she liked the song and thought that they showed good taste in their radio-listening. However, "Plastic Jesus" was not well received by several educators who have called it blasphemous. It is felt that the only thing objectionable about this song is that the manufacturers of these icons might feel that it cheapens their product. It is assumed that the educators involved have at one time purchased one of these items to decorate their automobiles. (Note: these icons are no longer manufactured in Del Rio, Texas, but due to expansion problems have moved to Chicago.)
 

Side 2:

POLLERITA (Traditional Bolivian)

     Amid happy screams of "Otra!" and "Muerto!", THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS enter deliriously into the spirit of a Bolivian Indian "Huayno"-kind of a dance-around-the-fire song accompanied by the twang of the Bolivian Charango, a sort of banjo affair made out of a sweet potato. A sweet potato? At any rate the performance is rife with authenticity.
 

GREEN STAMPS

     Success in the entertainment field is measured by financial gain. As the money rolls in, so do the stamps. This song is dedicated to the Trading Stamp Industry. THE GOLDCOAST SINGERS interest in Buxtehude, Couperin, and other Baroque song writers is evidenced by their performance of this work.
 

PEACE CORPS REJECTS

    This song is an out-and-out plug for a certain form of vehicular transportation, disguised as a "social protest song," with a kind of reverse leftish twist, and if you haven't tried dancing the "leftish twist," Krush, you haven't twisted.
 

SHIR NOKDIM (Israeli Shearing Song)

    Try this one at 45 RPM and you'll swear that someone imported chipmunks into Israel.
 

PLEASE MR. KENNEDY
An unfortunately unpopular plea of those who would rather not.
 

ROYAL LAOTION CHA, CHA, CHA
The reason.
 

VAYIVEN UZIAHU

     One of the oldest folk songs extant. Musicologists place it as being composed around the time of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.). Whether it was used during formal meetings or to entertain visiting prelates is not known. (Research courtesy of La Societe Folkorique de St. Rapheal.)

by/ Greville Healey
and many others

 

A RICHARD BOCK PRODUCTION

album design by Woody Woodward
cover photo by Fred Lyon
audio by Riece Hamel & Richard Bock

WORLD-PACIFIC RECORDS            WP-1806   (A911/B911)
Copyright 1962 by World-Pacific Records

A Subsidiary of Pacific Enterprises, Inc.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

Printed in U.S.A.


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