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ian Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: July 10 2009, 19:09 Listening to Froggy Went A Courting and am not quite sure who the male voice is. It sounds a bit like Mike but not sure. Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: July 11 2009, 07:47 I can't find where we speak to the male singer... http://tubular.net/lyrics/FroggyWentACourting.shtml (or in the FAQs) but the wikipedia suggests that it is Mike: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Oldfield%27s_Single From side two of the "UK Single" section: "Side 2 is the popular children's song, set to a new melody by Oldfield, and spoken rather than sung by Mike Oldfield and Vanessa Branson (sister of Virgin boss Richard Branson), who take turns reciting lines. Despite the way it's spelled on the label, Oldfield deliberately enunciates his opening line as "The frog went a-courting...", and nowhere does the word "uh-huh" appear, as it did frequently in the better known children's version. No list of musicians appears on the cover, but the song is believed to have been played by Mike Oldfield on vocals, guitars, mandolin, probably bass guitar, and possibly piano (or the latter may have been played by David Bedford), Vanessa Branson on vocals, Lol Coxhill on saxophone, and an unknown drummer. A number of places also cite the female vocalist as Bridget St John, instead of Branson.[2][3]" From the "European singles" section: "Side 2 is an alternate mix. On the UK mix, the verse with the lyric, "The owls did hoot and the birds did sing" is recited entirely by Vanessa Branson. On this version, the first part of the verse is recited by Mike Oldfield. This version fades out slightly earlier, although some labels quote the UK mix's timing." -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

ian Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: July 11 2009, 16:31 I always thought that Sally Oldfield sang the other part. Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 11 2009, 18:32 She sounds too young to be Sally. Mike in 1974 was 21, so Sally would have been at least 26. The voice in the song doesn't sound at all like a 26-year-old woman, at least to me. It sounds like she is 12 or 13. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: July 11 2009, 19:10 Both sources say Richard B's sister, so who knows... -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

ian Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: July 12 2009, 05:26 Was it recorded at the beacon ? Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: July 12 2009, 09:06 I would think the Manor.  Even Hergest Ridge, which Mike wrote at the Beacon, was actually recorded at the Manor.  Branson's sister is credited with the female vocals on Froggy. While RB occasionally drove over to the Beacon to see Mike, there isn't any indication that he ever brought his sister along for the ride....or the recording. -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

Airborne Group: Members Posts: 192 Joined: Sep. 2006 Posted: July 12 2009, 09:45 It was recorded at The Manor prior to August 1973 as the track was mentioned in a music press article around that time. I'm pretty sure it was Tom Newman who told me that Vanessa Branson was the female voice (it is definitely not Bridget St. John or sister Sally). Mike is unmistakable as the male voice and it is a wonderful early gem using his dexterity and Tom's production technique. Listen out for the taped chord that rises an octave when the speed is changed (doubled) just as in Tubular Bells. Difficult to reproduce in this digital age. Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 12 2009, 11:02 @ Airborne: the chord rises two semitones, not an octave. Yes, of course it's the same as the "Taped motor drive amplifier organ chord" mentioned in the TB instruments list. And it's actually very easy to reproduce with today's keyboards, most of which have a pitch-bend lever. By the way, how did you ever manage to speak with Tom Newman? You sure are lucky... but then I had a chat with Mike Oldfield himself, so I guess I may consider myself lucky too. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

ian Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: July 12 2009, 15:07 Quote but then I had a chat with Mike Oldfield himself, so I guess I may consider myself lucky too. When was this then and what did you chat about ? Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 12 2009, 15:42 @ ian: It may have been in 2001, or however very shortly after I first joined. It happened right here on tubular.net, when the 'chat' feature was still working. There were me, Korgscrew, a third chatter (maybe Tim Highfield?) and Mike himself. I took that chance to ask him some 'technical' questions which had bothered me for quite a long time: for example, whose vocal was that on the Sana Rosana bit of Taurus 1 (it turned out to be a mixture of Maggie Reilly and himself), how did he do the Fast Waltz on Amarok (of course it was played at half the speed it has on the final recording) and  - I couldn't avoid it - what did he say in "On Horseback" (chaos, obviously! ). It's a shame that the chat applet within tubular.net was Java-based, which meant I couldn't log or save anything... However, it was a very pleasant talk. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Airborne Group: Members Posts: 192 Joined: Sep. 2006 Posted: July 12 2009, 17:52 Quote (Ugo @ July 12 2009, 16:02) the chord rises two semitones, not an octave. .. And it's actually very easy to reproduce with today's keyboards, most of which have a pitch-bend lever. By the way, how did you ever manage to speak with Tom Newman? Ugo, thank you for the clarification. Can you get pitch bend to happen over a few seconds as on these recordings? It is used to great effect and I haven't heard anything similar. I was invited to Tom's house one August when he had his albums rereleased on Voiceprint. We chatted for two to three hours and I played the Froggy single to him to get his reaction. The A-side, Mike Oldfield's Single, was a complete mystery to him! Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 12 2009, 18:57 Quote (Airborne @ July 12 2009, 23:52) Can you get pitch bend to happen over a few seconds as on these recordings? Actually, on the keyboard I have now, I can get a pitch-bend to happen in less than half a second... the lever is customisable, so the duration of the pitch-bend depends just on you - on the amount of pitch-bend than you decide to use, and on the actual time you make the bend last by moving the lever. Of course, not only single notes but also chords may be pitch-bent. The bend in TB and "Froggy" is a rather slow one: it can be achieved by selecting a high bend value, and by moving the lever rather slowly. I clearly remember Mike talking about this on at least one occasion, I don't remember when (maybe about TB 2003?): he said that, in taping the chord and accelerating it, his intention was exactly that of making it rise in pitch... and remarked that it was rather hard to obtain such a thing in 1973-'74, while it was so very easy with the pitch-benders on contemporary keyboards and synthesizers. About "M.O.'s Single" being a mystery to Tom... well, apparently it's a mystery to Mike as well! Indeed, at least judging from what he writes in the TB 2009 Ultimate Edition book, he has no recollections at all of the whereabouts of the recording... or of its chronology. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

ian Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: July 13 2009, 07:54 I asked Mike a couple of questions on the Radio 2 chat a few years ago. I asked if he played the sailors hornpipe at full speed on Tub Bells 2003. He of course said no, he couldn't do that again and had to slow it down. I know he seems to enjoy talking if you ask him technical questions. Has anyone a transcript of this chat ? I was also lucky to have Richard Allinson read my email out to him on radio 2 telling him how much I am influenced by his music and am now making my own. He said..."Mmmm...my kind of man " That was it ha ha. I have it recorded. Does anyone remember that ? I nearly fell off my chair when it was read out as I sent it on a whim thinking he wouldn't read it out. Back to top

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