Sorry about disappearing for what seems to have been all of November. I had two very busy weeks which didn't leave me any time for blogging (work and MBA), and anyway the system administrator at work has removed access to all blogspot sites, meaning that I couldn't read many of my favourite blogs at work, let alone add to my own. Although the pressure eased up this week, I managed to catch a bad cold, so I wasn't able to focus much. But now I'm back.
One of the rarer items in the Sandy Denny discography is the handful of songs which she sang for a forgotten film from 1970 called 'Swedish fly girls'. This was shown on tv last night and I had the presence of mind to record it ... only I needn't have bothered. The film has not aged well, and probably wouldn't have been well thought of even when it was released. Then it would have been considered somewhat risque, as the eponymous air stewardess (only one, and she's Danish) spent about a third of the film naked. But let's say that the nudity was non-sexual; this certainly wasn't a precursor to 'Emmanuelle'.
Sandy sings maybe ten lines in the film, although apparently the soundtrack featured four songs with her singing. Digging through the old letters from the Sandy mailing list, I found this gem from Moses Henry (grammar slightly corrected by me):
I was in London for 12 weeks the spring and summer of 1970. Manfred Mann and I co-produced the music for "Christa". The rhythm section was the band who did the London Production of 'Hair" and we used London Philharmonic strings and brass. At times a 30 piece rock orchestra for the film. I wrote all of the music, Dereck Wadsworth arranged it [and] Manfred [was the] # 1 Producer. I was associate producer without credits. I sang "I Need You" with Sandy. Sandy was ill and after she saw the lead sheets of the music she came to the studio to record it anyway, She told me 'What Will I Do With Tomorrow' was the most beautiful song she had ever heard. In my book she sang it like an angel. When she sang the final take for that recording the entire studio was lifted to another place and time words cannot describe. The recording said it well enough.
I also sang lead vocals on 'Make it to the Land that I Know', 'She is Free', and 'Love is All I Need'.
The film opened in New York in Three Theaters; I got to go to one in a Limo and I asked the owner of a theater [in] uptown New York why he had booked the film. He (not knowing I had written and sung the music) said the music touched his heart. The film titled 'Christa' did not make enough money as that title so it was re-titled 'Swedish Fly Girls'. I know that more people saw Christa because of the new title and that is good. It will always be 'Christa' to me. I have 54 pages of lists of countries from BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) of all the countries the film played in, some for over six years. The film played all over the earth for 18 years.
Almost every movie since then has been modeled on 'Christa'. It was the first film edited to the beat of the music and other film makers are using a lot more music in their soundtracks. We were the first to edit to the beat of the music with 'Christa'.
A wonderous project. I am still doing concerts: read 'The Miracle Concert' on my website and 'The Last Breath' film treatment. It is my true story; I, however, did not want the hassle of the publicity for that film project.
Let's keep touch; perhaps I will be doing a concert in your area some day. and we could put together a video salute for Sandy. She truly has the voice of an angel.
One Heart
Moses
I also sang lead vocals on 'Make it to the Land that I Know', 'She is Free', and 'Love is All I Need'.
The film opened in New York in Three Theaters; I got to go to one in a Limo and I asked the owner of a theater [in] uptown New York why he had booked the film. He (not knowing I had written and sung the music) said the music touched his heart. The film titled 'Christa' did not make enough money as that title so it was re-titled 'Swedish Fly Girls'. I know that more people saw Christa because of the new title and that is good. It will always be 'Christa' to me. I have 54 pages of lists of countries from BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) of all the countries the film played in, some for over six years. The film played all over the earth for 18 years.
Almost every movie since then has been modeled on 'Christa'. It was the first film edited to the beat of the music and other film makers are using a lot more music in their soundtracks. We were the first to edit to the beat of the music with 'Christa'.
A wonderous project. I am still doing concerts: read 'The Miracle Concert' on my website and 'The Last Breath' film treatment. It is my true story; I, however, did not want the hassle of the publicity for that film project.
Let's keep touch; perhaps I will be doing a concert in your area some day. and we could put together a video salute for Sandy. She truly has the voice of an angel.
One Heart
Moses
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