A Paul Anka Mystery (with Peter Cetera!) Song!

Sometime in the late 70s/early 80s (exact date of song genesis unknown), Paul Anka wrote a song called “Hold Me Till the Morning Comes.” And then he proceeded to record about fifty thousand different versions. Since 1997, I have been looking for the version that appeared on a tape that some attractive Marine made for me during the autumn of 1996 (we didn’t last, as a couple).

But around the turn of the century, the Internet didn’t yet have the answer to every single question I might have, because, well, see for yourself:

Amazon literally looked like an unkempt rainforest back then, didn’t it? No wonder I couldn’t find answers!

(cont.) and so I ended up with the crappy version (from the 1983 album “Walk a Fine Line”) that appeared on the album “Body of Work” that came out in 1998. Confused? You should be. Because I was. And have been, for 17 years, apparently. Anyway, that version sounds like this:

(Note: the above video is not the original video featured in this post. Youtube/SME blocked the original, which was great. IP is such a drag). 

The Youtuber who posted this is a marketing genius. Put Peter Cetera on the cover of your vid and get 239,952 views (5,000 of them are mine) vs. the comparison I’ll make later in this post.

And I knew it wasn’t the right version. Because this version just sounds . . . less punchy. It’s almost like Paul couldn’t let Peter have his moment, there, at the end, when Peter is saying, “Would you love me in the morning?” And Paul is like, “Would you lo-ove me?” over the top of Peter’s vocals. Not great.

I mean, I DO wonder what Paul was doing. And what he was thinking, because even if the critics didn’t love him or the album this song appeared on, he was hella successful. I mean, it’s the sort of thing when writers complain that Twilight sucked and why was it so successful? It’s crap! And then some wiser person, for instance, me, responds, “Yeah, it’s crap. That’s why Stephenie is laughing all the way to her bank account. The account in the bank she OWNS BECAUSE SHE’S UNIMAGINABLY RICH.”

That’s Paul Anka. He had some hits in the 50s, then made a series of business-brilliant moves and even if his voice is “slight” and “a little hard to hear” with “all that talent surrounding it” {link} HE DOESN’T have to be as impressive as Peter. Paul’s smart. And he did a lot of genius crap and now he’s reaping the rewards.

But I digress. That version, where Paul is like, “I will not let you steal my spotlight! I must dub my own vocals over Peter’s shit because he’s the BACKING vocals and I’m the main act!” It’s a crap version.

Amongst the weird vocal blips at the end, there are other instrumental differences as well, which I noticed and didn’t like. Plus I could obviously compare it to the track that was on the tape Matt the Marine made for me, because back then I still had my double-cassette tape deck. It looked exactly like this random image of the precise make and model of the stereo I had back when Matt made me that tape:

This puppy was for sale in Canada for $40. And now that I have no way to listen to cassettes, I obvs. wish I would have known. I could have bought it! And then proceeded to live in the past, where everything is sunnier and warmer all the time.

So, despite years of obstacles and insurmountable blockades by record labels looking to repeatedly release new albums full of bad versions of old songs and not reissue Japanese 45s, the Internet in 2017 wins. Because while it didn’t have the answer to every life-long mystery back in 1999 . . . . {drum roll}

IT HAS THEM NOW. Here is the BEST VERSION of Paul Anka’s hit “Hold Me Til the Morning Comes” (featuring Peter Cetera on backing [backing, dammit, backing!] vocals).

NOTE: Again, this is not the original version that made it into this awesome post. I can no longer find that rare single version. SME keeps blocking everything. They’re so FUN like that. They apparently only want the crap versions of Paul’s hit circulating in the world. But here’s the actual link. It won’t embed, but you may be able to see it on Youtube.

Here’s that comparison for you (update: which no longer matters, due to the shittiness of Youtube and SME): the above version of the song only has like 500 views, because unlike the other Youtuber, they didn’t put Peter on the cover. Or in the title. We need to get a marketing team on this, because it would be great to get that crap version of the song out of circulation!

And for your reference, here is the version I found before I found the version from the Japanese 45, which also features a hilarious (I just have to be honest about that) Euro-version at the end. I guess that one is supposed to be for the discotheques.

https://youtu.be/NTbKlJceLYk

(This link is the same link as above, because of the amorphous nature of Youtube and rules and b.s. stuff like that).

TL;DR — It took me 17 years to find a version of a song that I first heard in 1996. The Internet saved me, finally, from taking the complete mystery to my grave.

NOTE: This once stunning work of posting genius has been mangled by Youtube and my attempts to keep it up to date. I refuse to be stymied by THEIR whims. So I’m keeping it out of stubbornness. 

Recent Spins: Welcome to February, the Month of the Love Song

It’s all about love this month! I’ve put together some love-tracks (mostly). Broken hearts, hearts beating as one, heart-shaped candy, this is the season of song and hearts. And such. I love, love.

Anyway, I can’t be modest about it, but even though I have nothing to do with these awesome tracks, I DID find them. So many creative people are out there, doing fantastic things with their art, it just kills me! The following bands I heartily endorse. Listen till your heart bleeds!

I’m experimenting with embedding the tracks in my page via Spotify. I don’t THINK you have to have an account to listen, but I’m not certain. Let me know in the comments if you have trouble listening. I used to host the music on my own site but that got bandwidth-sucky.

First of all, Sky Ferreria. Just a good jam. She doesn’t mess around. She’s not Charli XCX, she’s more serious than that. Sky brings it.

 

FKA Twigs. “Two Weeks” is NSFW, probably, I mean, unless you work on the docks, a construction site, or possibly as stripper. It should be on the soundtrack to “Fifty Shades of Grey,” probably, I mean, I’ve never read that book, so I’m guessing. Yeah. But listen, it’s so good.

 

Little Green Cars. Don’t let the powerful opening fool you, this one is about falling for someone who doesn’t want you back. The harmonies are stunning, and the line “I know it’s your neglect / is the reason I’m so obsessed with you,” hits hard, and so true. I love it. “There’s more people out there to love / than people who love you.” Very good also. Well done.

 

Violent Mae. I’m still trying to figure out how this one is a “Mother’s Song,” because I haven’t had time to look up the lyrics. Upbeat, thoughtful, and easy to listen to. The song is fantastic. The vocalist has a great style. Straightforward excellent track.

 

Twin Shadow. I’ve been following Twin Shadow since 2010’s Forget. Retro, with that 80s feel, but so much better than anything that happened back then unless we’re talking about Joy Division, Jesus and the Mary Chain or other bands of that ilk. “To the Top” bursts with the kind of angst dreamers feast on.

 

Jessie Ware. Recommended if you like Sade, Rhye, and other artists that get a groove on. This track is amazing. The chorus will send you into cardiac arrest for love.

 

Sharon Van Etten. If you haven’t listened to this songstress yet, get on that. She’s evocative and vulnerable with a fragile quality that splits your heart. My favorite song of hers so far.

 

Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments and give me a heads up if there’s a band you think I need to hear. I never snub a recommendation.

 

Yours.

-N