This hit instrumental from 1972 was one of my favorites, and the album, along with Wendy Carlos's electronic and innovative "Switched on Bach",served as a introduction to the German composer many would say was one of the greatest geniuses of European music. It's probably not for classical or baroque purists but you can't please everybody.
I was seven and do not remember the album when it first came out
ReplyDeleteHere's a little bit about the British studio group, courtesy of Wikipedia:
ReplyDelete*************************
Arranger Tom Parker put together the band in 1972, with drummer Clem Cattini, guitarist Vic Flick, guitarist Zed Jenkins, percussionist Jim Lawless and bassist Brian Odgers. Their first single, "Joy", based on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", rose to number 6 on the pop singles chart in the US. None of their subsequent efforts was as successful, and they broke up in 1973.
"Joy" has subsequently been featured in the soundtracks of the films, One Day in September, Boogie Nights and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
****************************
They had a couple more albums after this one I'm pretty sure.
I was 12 when this came out. I would sometimes listen to this song and others on the album to to "psych" myself up before a Little League baseball game. I would like to add that we won the District Championship that year and I batted .400. but the Moreland Little League "Reds" were 10-11 for the season that year. My hittting was okay, but did not bring out the high school scouts. Still, I think "Joy" improved my game.
hey, I was just listening to this on youtube last night and thinking about posting it, but you beat me to it. When I first heard it back in junior high, I didn't know it was a famous classical comp...
ReplyDeleteSorry about that...I'm sure, being the same age and all, that you'll beat me in posting some music or movie clip down the road....I'll be sure and let you know, too;-)
ReplyDelete