Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Back in 1957 a young guy from Canada had a massive worldwide smash hit with his second single - Diana. That was Paul Anka the man who went on to write My Way or to be precise the English lyrics.

However 41 singles after Daina(never realised he was that prolific)he released this track.

Your thoughts.


http://s64.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2YGEK3G7H8DYC3PKPW6XI69KRO

I found that painful to listen to quite frankly.

I turned it off after two verses.

Ah... lovely... now i think i know who actually inspired Robert Smith, Billy Joe Armstrong, etc. Well, in fact, i quite enjoyed it... or "the bad side of me" did...

Roy: This song is the worst I have heard in a very long time. I consider it my good fortune to have not heard it until now. You have certainly stirred the pot for me.

Where does one begin in attempting to comment on a song that must have taken a few minutes from start to finish to write? I also expect it was recorded in a single take.

I did listen to it in its entirety, although I was tempted, even during this short number to end it after a few bars.

The drums are horrible, the saxophone is abrasive and repetitive in its borrowed "Diana" riff over and over, and Anka's voice is stained and without passion.

I would need some more time before being able to critique it somewhat more objectively, however, it is unlikely that I will ever listen to it again. Thanks for sending it along though, it certainly woke me up quickly this morning.

The title is almost right but Remembering Dia.. ,something else, would be closer to the mark.

But anyway, somehow it "worked", Peter?
The worst song? Why? It's kind of funny, IMHO. The vocals... uh... maybe not "dia", rather a talk on a certain kind of phone... quite popular a style of vocal delivery nowadays...

Don't worry I have never listened to it in it's entirety just thought it may amuse some of you because some while back we touched on answer songs and I have some other examples and may share one more because frankly I never grasped the concept, I will list later some examples of songs that were issued in response to another song and in some instances were really the same song. The thing with this one is that Anka released it 6 years after Diana and I can only assume it was because his hits at this stage had dried up, but 63 was the start of The Beatles etc, he was clearly badly advised though one has to concede that it did not effect his career overall. But I don't want anyone to be of the opinion that I thought it was good like everyone so far I thought it was dire.

I LOVE this song!!! It's GREAT!!!
Well, kiddin' of course, but i've listened to it up to the end three times (time for fourth, uh?) - and still alive, as you see...
...or maybe it's time for a thread "Post the worst song recorded in the 60s - HERE"? Just a suggestion...

Thanks Roy. I feel better now. I had hoped that you too did not like that particular offering by Paul Anka.

What on earth was he thinking? To say the least, his obviously disinterested effort to perform vocals resulted in a result that was weak and pitchy.

Overall it reminded of a "Weird Al" parody except that at least Mr. Yankovic has inspired professional musicians (in most cases) supporting his ridiculous efforts and his recording engineer does make an attempt to provide a decent mix.

In early 60's Carole King and Gerry Gofffin wrote a great song IMO for Bobby Vee, Take Good Care Of My Baby, the song more than any other he's remembered for I reckon.

Three answer songs came about Sammi Lynn -I'm still your baby
Ralph Emery -I'll take good care of your baby and He takes good care Of Your Baby by Dora Dee and Lora Lee.
Never heard any of these and frankly don't want to but here is Carol King's demo version of the latter and you have to ask yourself why did she feel the need to write it? A bonus point if you can actually listen through it to the end.


http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1OQ97GVFCJGPG3FSCGSD4QW3Z5

I too thought the Anka tune was a rushed one take tune, but thought the band sounded good, just that I had never heard him sing off-key before. I thought it was new and was hopeful actually, haha! I will probably not listen to it again either but didn't think it was that bad. I had Paul Anka's Big 16 when I was a kid, got it from my aunt, so I've always had a soft spot for him.

Well, I must be a sucker for this type of music, the King demo sounds like a normal one-take demo, but I like the original tune so much I actually enjoyed this also. I think if anyone had ever actually had a hit with it, she would have had to have sued herself though.

Mmm... i did listen it to the end, re-listening now... not a big fan of female vocals, to be true, but no problem, Carol King sings MUCH better than me!
Sounds like an amateurish record, though...

I have always been a big fan of Gofffin and King. They were prolific songwriters in the 60s. For the most part their work was extraordinary. This however leaves me cold just like the first song posted on this thread did.

I did listen to it all the way through. Interestingly enough I found myself surprised at how young Carole sounded on this demo. She normally has a fair bit more depth or timbre to her voice. Her style when she tinkles the ivories is normally easily recognizable and her timing is normally impeccable. This demo only hints at those qualities IMO.

This is extremely humourous-do you think he could be parodying himself? Seriously-is there a little tongue in cheek here? I find it almost kitschy.

Brian she would have been in early twenties when she made that demo, her first hit as a singer was It Might As Well rain Until September which was released around about the same time and on which she sounded so much better.

Her albums of the seventies were a different thing altogether from her early works.