Apple 1

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:47 am

Here's an interesting perhaps little known fact, unless you are a Beatles expert and I don't doubt there are some on these forums.

The first Apple release is widely recognised as Those Were The days by Mary Hopkin yet the number of that release was Apple 2.

So what was Apple 1, well it was private pressing and supposedly only one copy was ever made,the master tapes were destroyed.

The artist was no less than Frank Sinatra and the record was made for Maureen Starkey for her 22nd birthday.

It was a reworking of Lady Is A Tramp called Maureen is a Champ, someone close to The Beatles at the time persuaded FS to do the track as a favour.

Of course she and Ringo were childhood sweethearts so it goes but they parted years later and sadly she passed away some years back.

So if anyone has that copy it must be worth quite a bit.

I do have a mp3 of it but not the actual disc regretfully.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:29 am

Need I say more Roy?

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:38 am

Interesting. Wonder what it sounds like.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:16 pm

Before someone correctly, corrects me the first Apple release was Hey Jude but it was not numbered.

richard_havers · Post by **richard_havers** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:37 pm

Here's a reply I got from a guy named Ed O'Brien, who is without doubt the leading authority on Frank Sinatra's recordings, and just about anything else Frank, that I know.

This is what Sammy Cahn had to say

Frank called me one time and said, ÒRingo StarrÕs getting married and hisbride is my No l fan and is also having her birthday, and I want you to write something that I could sing to her.Ó So I wrote special lyrics for RingoÕs bride, Maureen. This is Sinatra singing to her, with special lyrics by me.
(Plays cassette and Sinatra sings, missing a couple of notes. ÒIt was early the morning and Sinatra was a little tired,Ó says Sammy. No matter, itÕs great.)

Here are the lyrics Sammy wrote for a combined parody of "Tramp and
"But
Beautiful."
ÒThereÕs no one like her,
But no one at all,
And as for charm,
Hers is like wall to wall.
She married Ringo
And she could have had Paul,
ThatÕs why the lady is a champ.
ÒCreates excitement
Whenever itÕs dull,
She just appears
And there goes the lull.
She merely smiles
And youÕre out of your skull,
ThatÕs why the lady is a champ.
ÒThe folks who do and donÕt meditate
Agree sheÕs great,
They mean
Maureen,
IÕve got more lyrics right after this vamp,
Because the lady is a champ.
ÒThough weÕve not met
IÕm convinced sheÕs a gem,
IÕm just F S
But to me sheÕs Big M,
Mainly because she prefers me to them,
ThatÕs why the lady is a champ.
ÒIÕve lots of fans, well, at least one or two,
But Peter Brown called me to tell me itÕs true,
She sleeps with Ringo but she thinks of you,
ThatÕs why the lady is a champ.
ÒBut I can boast, boast as much,
As much as I please,
The fact is that sheÕs
His wife,
But thatÕs life,
But itÕs her day so I whistle and stamp,
Because the lady, the charming lady, Mr RingoÕs lady, is a champ.Ó
ÒMay I toast you all the way
Lift my glass and softly say
I have thoughts for you this day
But beautiful.
Thoughts for you and for your Ringo
That I must express
With the warm and deep affection of F S.
Would you kindly ask the guys
If theyÕd grab a glass and rise
ÕCause I think weÕd harmonise
But beautiful.
May your birthdays and birthday candles
Softly gleam and glow
For that would be
But beautiful I know.Ó

Here are Sammy's concluding remarks on the subject:
They were just thrilled. This is what I do most of the time now, special lyrics for special occasions.

We have some problems here: Sammy claims that Ringo and Maureen were getting married and her birthday was coming up. They wed on 2-11-65 and her 22nd birthday was 8-4-68. It's possible they could have renewed their vows in August
of 68, but I'll bet Sammy's memory was playing tricks on him.
This parody was one of the first rare recordings I picked up back in the early '70s. Frank is not in great voice and having just Bill Miller backing him on pianodoesn't hide the flaws.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:49 am

Welcome Richard to the forum and look forward to your comments in the future, Richard has I am sure many tales to tell, having worked in the music industry with big name stars, he has also wrote a number of books in collaboration, in some instances, big names from the Sixties.

j_gary · Post by **j_gary** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:31 am

Wow, what the heck was going on back in the 60's?

I can't imagine anything like that happening these days with complicated recording contracts and all worrying about their image or cut.

Great stuff!