[ratnobMember]

So, as you’ll recall, I spent five days in Dallas, visiting sites of historic jingle interest and spending much of the time with the team at JAM Creative Productions. An undoubted highlight was sitting at the piano talking to Jon Wolfert (JMW) about how jingles are made.

You can read my account here and hear all the audio:
http://www.bobdinan.co.uk/Blog/Jingle_Podcast/Entries/2014/2/17_Bobs_Jingle_Pilgrimage.html

You can see the video of the visit here:
http://youtu.be/CLQOuNBPfvU

But here’s the final dimension. When he was talking about how to create jingles, JMW spontaneously said ‘So if it’s the Geoff Barton Love Longs Show … ‘. He then plays a few notes of such bewitching beauty that they illustrate precisely why I love these silly little songs so much.

Back home in the UK, I decided to ask whether Jon could take that brief impromptu idea and make it into a jingle. I said I’d like the lyrics to be ‘The Geoff Barton Lone Songs Show; Geoff plays the music that makes us cry’. I said I have a particular love of those high, earnest male vocals (think of that Radio One cut: ‘Remember when you heard this song many years ago’) and could the jingle have that feel to it.

Thus, in effect, JMW was unleashed to play in the jingle sandpit (aka sandbox), choosing a PAMS track with the original vocal group featuring the legendary Marv Shaw. You get to hear those male singers in the background singing the ‘ooh-aahs’.

The audio, which builds up tantalisingly to the finished cut, begins with that casual conversation at the JAM piano in Dallas. Neither JMW nor I thought at the time that it might then become a finished jingle.

I hope you love this revelation of the process just as much as I do, and agree that it’s special both as an insight into the way spontaneous ideas can be developed into jingles and also as a tribute to the jingles and singers of PAMS (then) and of JAM (now).

http://geoffbarton.co.uk/files/_IDs/GB-Love-Songs.wav

[SeanMartin]

Geoff, you’ve taken the whole meaning of “personal cuts” to a new level

Respect to the singers! And thank you for sharing.

[Prometheus]

Geoff, you’ve taken me on an utterly incredible, magical journey. Not only with the audio and your photos but also with your descriptive writing.

Proving that Jon is a genuinely nice guy, JAM really are the best in their art and that there’s a lot more to the jingle story that can be discovered around every corner. Jon’s ‘WABC’ explanation following your not-so-silly question was fascinating.

Many thanks for spending the time and effort to share your experience.

David

[GrahamCollins]

Great story and quite magical. Thank you Geoff. All you need now is a Love Songs Show…..

[jonnoMember]

I’ve said it previously Geoff, you’ve taken us on a marvelous journey with your blog, audio and video.

And now your personal cut, the pièce de résistance !!

[MarcMannetje]

That is wonderful! Thanks for the story, audio and great idea…

[professor1036]

Impressive as always Geoff! Thanks for sharing!

[scotronMember]

Magical. That vocal sound is just incredible. And love that saxaphone.Talk about making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You must be more than over the moon with this fabulous production Geoff.

[IanF]

This is wonderful stuff. Thanks for this Geoff

[Duncan]

Oh yes, the acca is lovely. Great to hear the birth of a new jingle, well done.

[LenGroat]

Geoff that is a great story leading to a wonderful new jingle for you. Sitting with Jon discussing jingles at a piano must be a rare event. I know that during the ‘evolutionary years’ of the 70s and hectic 80s and 90s there really was ‘never a spare moment’ at JAM.

Looking back it’s amazing how many classic CUSTOM packages appeared in quick succession week after week, and always done on tight schedules. I think it was about a week for a small custom package (?) but then Jon would spend endless hours adding the ‘fx’ and ‘pretty bits’ that gave the jingles their final polish. Then of course they had to create those fabulous demos..

The nearest I got to this was when Jon put up a notice in the canteen asking for a name for the latest Z100 package. I suggested ‘Hurricane Z’ but it did not go down well

I never had the budget (or courage!) to say ‘let’s do a custom’ and in any case I always felt there was just SO MUCH ‘good stuff’ to cherry-pick there was no need – all that musical talent had done most of the work…. I just had to do new lyrics!

What else do you know about that old PAMS cut, the package it came from? It’s certainly a VERY adaptable classic, and the 2014 vocals are THE best…

As Graham said “All you need now is a Love Songs Show…..” and with THAT jingle… we’d certainly like to hear a demo for one on Solid Gold Gem AM !

[ratnobMemberAuthor]

Thanks for your lovely comments. I am, as you can imagine, almost speechless at the quality of this cut and feel very privileged.

Having been to JAM, spent 5 days talking endlessly with Mr W about jingles, heard him playing stuff at ‘the’ piano, and then hearing this final cut – it is, simply, an extraordinary sensation. I don’t take it for granted.

And seeing the kind and positive affirmation of so many fellow jingle fans – none of whom I have met in person – means a great deal.

The master log lists the jingle as coming from PAMS ‘Beautiful But Beautiful’ – a package I don’t know at all. Jon has sent the original, which you can hear here:

http://geoffbarton.co.uk/files/_IDs/KXYZ.wav

He’s also said he will give a bit more background to how the jingle was put together, so at some point I’ll add some context.

Thanks again, funsters.

[bland75Member]

Pure genius. Thanks Geoff for posting all about your jingle journey here for us to enjoy.

Made a sunny day here in London even more delightful.

Cheers, Paul.

[IainJohnston]

The logo that Jon has adapted there sounds like the very melodic one that (I think) Hugh Heller used originally circa 1969 on a WNBC New York custom, and it crops up on various e.g. WIBC Indianapolis Heller packages after that date.

BUT I don’t think I’ve ever heard that logo with such an elegant STRUCTURE on the piano chords played there by Jon then into the actual resing for Geoff. And sounds “better” than the logo on the original KXYZ Houston version.

Also, I know many “grumble” (!) about the use of reverb/echo on “modern” jingles, but that shows how to use it to enhance the texture of a vocal rather than use it to just BLAST out the vocals.

Definately “spine-tinging” audio. Thanks for posting it Geoff – and JMW for creating it

[bossjockMember]

Fabulous re-sing Geoff. Superb vocals – lovely harmonies – brilliant execution of the original idea. Hats off (yet again) to Jon and his team. Thanks for sharing it with us :-bd

[Jim Donahue]

Another great cut Geoff – thanks for sharing.

[ratnobMemberAuthor]

Thanks to Tracy Carmen for providing another couple of cuts from the PAMS ‘Beautiful But Beautiful’ package.

The mini-montage now sounds like this:

[LenGroat]

I’d also never heard of this PAMS package so after all these years your trip uncovered something very special Geoff – thanks. I wonder what else may lurk in the vaults?

[Tracy CarmanMember]

Thanks to Tracy Carmen for providing another couple of cuts from the PAMS ‘Beautiful But Beautiful’ package.

It’s ” Carman ” … but that’s okay. Everyone seems to make that mistake.

[UKJinglesMember]

It’s when they start calling you Tracey……Tracy! )

[Tracy CarmanMember]

It’s when they start calling you Tracey……Tracy! )

Actually, I get both, Pete. It doesn’t really phase me. I went to my god daughter’s wedding yesterday and they had my last named spelled as CARMEN. I’ve come to accept this over the years. I always tell people on the phone “The only ” E ” is my middle initial… All A’s otherwise!”

Now they can spell it any way they like it on checks to me…

[Author]

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