Hello
Greetings from England.
As a teenage listener in the UK during the late fifties, I recall an instrumental that no end of web searching has been able to identify.
All I remember is the title 'Clear Water' and the group 'The Velvets' but both/or one of these are/is obviously wrong (it's my age...)
It was a dreamy, slow number featuring, I would think, soprano sax or similar sound. I can sing the tune all the way through, but that's not much good when you're on line!
Love and peace
Zenobia

Wouldn't be 'I will Return', by Springwater, would it? The writer/performer's real name, as I recall, was Phil Cordell, if I am indeed correct (this is a bit of a shot in the dark, as it was slow & dreamy, but used guitar, I believe...?...)

There again, on the other band...

http://www.artistfacts.com/getArtistfacts.php?combineda...e+Clearwater+Revival

Hi Ritzmar
Thanks for your speedy replies.
Sorry but neither of these are the tune I'm after, but such instant responses do lend me hope!
I'm sure I'm right about the details (never knowingly wrong...), but as I said, nothing comes up on the web!
Love and peace

Sorry, Zenobia, I don't know the answer (I am way too young ).

But I just wanted to say:
Ritz you are back !
I missed you dg

Was this a song that could've been found on the radio, or was it something you had to dig around to find? Were you one to listen to unknown stuff in the 50s?

The only thing I found is a song by some seemingly unknown band called The Blue Velvets which I found while trying to find more from the The Blue Velvets that originally became Creedance Clearwater Revival according to Ritz' link, and who just happened to be "primarily an instrumental band" for a time (quite a coincidence).

Hello Jusork
Thanks for your response.
This song was played fairly regularly on the American new release shows that we tuned into over here on Saturday nights, that's how I'm able to remember the melody and the arrangement (mind you, I did have a brain like a sponge in those days; memorised absolutely everything, even the stuff I didn't like. Sad eh?)
Up until 1996 I had a rock'n'roll show on local radio that ran for thirteen years, so I have a pretty good selection of discs, but this one just isn't anywhere, even on any of my many compilations, yet it must have been popular to have been played so often.
Saying that, I've just listened to the track you suggested and that's a new one on me(and a great one!), so I did miss some of them!
This track I'm after was almost theme tune-ish; slow, haunting reverb, muffled tom-tom, with this high sweet melody (soprano sax or clarinet or such like: not a flute, too pure)floating over the top. No words at all. I'm sure, positive in fact, that it was called Clear Water.
After years of searching for this song, I stumbled upon this site purely by accident, and I'm really encouraged by the responses so far. I've a feeling somebody, probably over there in the States, will sort me out!
You'd think a man of my age would have something better to do...
Thanks again.
Love and peace

Hi Zenobia, and welcome.

Could you be thinking of an insrumental version of "Cool water"? It was written, in the 1940s and a hit for several people in the fifties (Look on Wikipedia for a listt). It would make a fine candidate for just such an arrangment as the one you've described. Listen to a sung version here:

http://www.barb-coolwaters.com/c004/cool_water.html

Good luck. In the meantime, a big welcome back from me too to Ritz - I've missed ya!

Hi Colin
Thanks for the input, but no, I'm familiar with that song. I have a version of it by Asleep At The Wheel, featuring Willie Nelson (in shorts...)
Great to hear from you all. Please don't give up on me.
PS Where has the popular Ritzy been? I'm new to this site, but seeing and reading his highly informative postings, I think we need to know!
Love and peace

quote:

Originally posted by Zenobia:
PS Where has the popular Ritzy been? I'm new to this site, but seeing and reading his highly informative postings, I think we need to know!
Love and peace

Yes, how was rehab Ritz? I believe you are down to one bottle a day now. Well done!

Oh poor Ritz.
Teaching can be so stressful, I hear.

Poor Ritz! He has a similar reputation to Dean Martin and I.

All totally untrue of course!

BTW, One of my favourite fifties instrumentals is Take Five by Dave Brubeck and his Combo.

Brilliant.

Just to say, watch this space. I am on the Lagavulin at the moment (down to 1½ bottles daily, actually Jen) so sense & intelligence are seriously impaired. Nevertheless I ought to be back in the ascendency by tomorrow afternoon, so I shall contribute here and also here as promised!

Love to all, and all the best for 2008 to everyone...

I hope you are using your new glass Ritz!

quote:

Originally posted by Jenny Roberts:
I hope you are using your new glass Ritz!

Jenny, you mean to say he was drinking straight out of the bottle before?

Yep DG, no culture at all!

Hi
Happy New Year to all.
Have enjoyed reading about Mr Ritz, and glad I inadvertantly coaxed him back into the forum. As to my original question: so it's a no then.....

Hi Zenobia,
Well at least you got Ritz back from his vacation! But I am sorry that nobody has, as yet, been able to answer your question.

That's the trouble with instrumentals, we have no lyrics to work with! Otherwise people here (jusork in particular), are pretty good at coming up with the answers. dg