Rachel & The Revolvers, "The Revo-Lution" c/w "Number One," Dot 45-16392 (rel. 9/1962)

 

In 1962, The Beach Boys had released two singles. Signed to Capitol Records (thanks to the cajoling of Murry Wilson, father of three members of the Hawthorne, California group) after the success of their lo-fi debut "Surfin'," they had a long way to go. At the time today's single came and went in a blink, they'd progressed no further than "Surfin' Safari," which introduces an unconventional chord change but offers no further proof of musical innovation.

        The group was seen as flash-in-the-pan teen rock 'n' rollers who might have a year or two in them. Their first album did nothing to further their case; its contents reveal the haste to scrape up enough original songs to fill out half an hour's listening. Some of the songs are appealing, but nothing evokes an "a-ha!" from the modern listener.

      That moment comes on their second Capitol LP in the introspective, moody song "The Lonely Sea." This was a rough sketch for future efforts by composer/producer Brian Wilson, but its sudden complexity stands out on another spotty LP. Issued in the spring of 1963, "Lonely Sea" was preceded by a little-heard single written and produced by Wilson and Gary Usher and released on Dot Records.

       This one-off single was a meeting of BWs--Brian Wilson and Black vocalist Betty Willis. In a rare moment of following a trend, Wilson and Usher took notice of the chart-topping success of "The Loco-Motion" by Little Eva Boyd. Written and produced by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, this was one of 1962's big hits, and its sound rivaled what Wilson's idol, Phil Spector, achieved on their shared home turf of Los Angeles.

         Wilson's wife Audree, who was a member of white girl-group The Honeys (soon to be produced by Brian for Capitol and other labels), demoed the two songs for Ms. Willis to learn. A demo survives of the haunting B-side--one of Wilson's finest early songs--but the single was the young man's first opportunity to produce another artist. It was an experiment and a chance to further his skills.

        "The Revo-Lution" betrays its debt to Little Eva's hit at every turn. Its flittering melody is more busy than tuneful, and doesn't give Willis much to do. It's a big arrangement with lots of sax and drums (no doubt Steve Douglas and Hal Blaine, among other session musicians present here), but its oddness rather dooms it. As the first effort by a major American musician to think outside the (sand)box, it's important. The B-side is the reason this record deserves to be remembered.

In the fall of 1962, this was just another girl-group/dance-craze record. Brian Wilson's wasn't yet a name many music fans knew, as The Beach Boys had just gotten started. Thus, this debut outside production by the group's creative force got no special treatment.

A demo for "Visions" (BKA "Number One") exists, with the same backing track as the Dot recording. Brian and Audree duet on this out-of-nowhere song with a dreamy, ethereal feel; that recording, with its opening banter, can be heard here:
https://youtu.be/TTsG0-EAp08

          Sung by Betty Willis solo, to a Western shuffle*, Brian's piano and finger-snaps, "Number One" is a yearning, spectral song of romantic hope and longing: the bedrock of Wilson's future ballads, from "Surfer Girl" on.

        The simple arrangement adds to the intimacy of this performance, and Willis, gifted a luscious melody, seizes the moment and delivers a tender, aching performance that has haunted me since I first heard it on the 2002 Ace Records CD Pet Projects, an invaluable gatherum of Brian's early non-Beach Boys material.

          I recall hearing a cover version by a female Japanese vocalist sometime in the 2000s, but can find no evidence of it online. Perhaps I dreamt it. It's that kind of song. I hope it connects with you as it always does with me.

          

In later years, vocalist Willis denied she made this single or that she ever met Brian Wilson. One suspects she got little or nothing for her efforts on this record, which failed when released and is extremely rare. Ms. Willis also recorded for Phil Spector; she made a spectacular version of Buck Owens' "Act Naturally" for guest producer Leon Russell. To be fair, the voice on today's record doesn't sound congruent with her other recordings; she made a fine single for Rendezvous Records in 1962 where she sings with full soulful fervor. It's possible the lead voice on this single is some unknown performer. She sounds inexperienced (perfect for the moody tone of the B-side). 

            Willis might well be the lead singer on "Revo-Lution." The voice is brassier and more forceful. Thus, I feel that "Number One" singer is unknown to us--a phantom voice ideal for such a mysterious recording. It's a performance I treasure, whomever it may be.

* This rhythm seems inspired by the string arrangement of Harold Dorman's 1960 pop hit "Mountain of Love." Brian Wilson loved this record and a version appears on the Beach Boys Party LP of 1965.

Tomorrow: Dr. Feelgood and The Interns return to deliver their final single for Columbia Records--a soulful smash from 1966. Excellent stuff!