It'll Be Me Babe

[drakula63]

THIS has just gone up on Youtube. Sounds a bit different to the version we're all familiar with...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x4OwRxfi3U

[iefje]

Ah yes, I've heard this version before. It's a demo recording by Marvin & Farrar. It seems to me parts of it have been used in the final Shadows version. The only question is, who plays the bass guitar and drums on this demo version?

[JimN]

Is there any audible evidence that Bruce is on the version by The Shadows?

This sounds very similar to the released 45, the main differences being that the falsetto vocal is a bit low in the mix and the low-pitched spoken words are missing.

There's a nasty little click (mainly in the left channel) at around 2:20. It was soon repaired with the excision of three-thousandths of a second of the audio.

[Moderne]

Thanks for posting this - I knew it existed but had never heard it before.

[iefje]

Is there any audible evidence that Bruce is on the version by The Shadows?

This sounds very similar to the released 45, the main differences being that the falsetto vocal is a bit low in the mix and the low-pitched spoken words are missing.

There's a nasty little click (mainly in the left channel) at around 2:20. It was soon repaired with the excision of three-thousandths of a second of the audio.

Another major difference is the drumming. On The Shadows' version, Brian can be heard not only keeping the main beat, but also additional fills, which can be heard on the far left and far right positions in the stereo image. I'm not entirely sure if Bruce can be heard playing guitar on The Shadows' version, but I do think he sings harmony with Hank and John.

[drakula63]

Ah yes, I've heard this version before. It's a demo recording by Marvin & Farrar. It seems to me parts of it have been used in the final Shadows version. The only question is, who plays the bass guitar and drums on this demo version?

If it's a 'demo', then it could easily be John Farrar on bass.

[flingelbunt]

I well remember this track being discussed on a Radio 1 evening programme at the time. It was introduced as a 'mystery' single for a panel of various musos and music industry people to try and guess who it was. The comments ranged from sort of "ok" with one person commenting that it "sounded like a group of session musicians"! I did like the single from a personal viewpoint, but they followed up with 'Run Billy Run' which just stretched the genre too far (my opinion for what it's worth). As others have mentioned some of the B sides were stronger than the A sides around this time. Their vocal abilities were superb as during the MWF era, but they did go off on strange tangents at times....

[JimN]

I well remember this track being discussed on a Radio 1 evening programme at the time. It was introduced as a 'mystery' single for a panel of various musos and music industry people to try and guess who it was. The comments ranged from sort of "ok" with one person commenting that it "sounded like a group of session musicians"! I did like the single from a personal viewpoint, but they followed up with 'Run Billy Run' which just stretched the genre too far (my opinion for what it's worth).

Run Billy, Run was released as the follow-up to Let Me The Be The One in 1975.

It'll Be Me, Babe was the only Shadows record issued in 1976.

[bgohara]

I've just seen this thread - as my attention was drawn back to this song this week when I discovered that the Osmonds had recorded a cover of this song on their 'Brainstorm' album from 1976 (listed as It'll be Me' and with the Osmonds erroneously listed as composers on youtube).

I missed out on hearing this demo version - which has now disappeared from youtube.

[JimN]

I've just seen this thread - as my attention was drawn back to this song this week when I discovered that the Osmonds had recorded a cover of this song on their 'Brainstorm' album from 1976 (listed as It'll be Me' and with the Osmonds erroneously listed as composers on youtube).

I missed out on hearing this demo version - which has now disappeared from youtube.

I MIGHT still have the audio.

I'll check.