Can you imagine David Cassidy singing this song? Mickie Most, a very successful English record producer, apparently offered "Touch Too Much" (written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn), to Cassidy who passed on it, dismissing its chart-topping potential. Miffed and wanting to prove Mr. Cassidy wrong, Mr. Most then offered it to The Arrows, a band fronted by Alan Merrill whose similarity to Cassidy starts and ends with the shag. The Arrows had a British hit with the song in 1974. Check out Merrill's come-hither looks in the clip below. Another bit of trivia: Merrill wrote "I Love Rock & Roll". Yeah, that "I Love Rock & Roll", the earworm made immortal by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. Read more about Mr. Merrill here.
Here's another link between David Cassidy and Alan Merrill: both recorded "Walk Away Renée". I hear more vulnerability in Cassidy's version. It can be found on his 2003 "A Touch of Blue" CD.
Seeing as some of you enjoy these comparisons, here's the original version of "Walk Away Renée" by The Left Banke. The voice here is as grating and unforgivable as nails on a chalkboard.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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12 comments:
You seem to be dredging through the same stuff as me! I found that info about the Touch Too Much record a few months ago. David made the right decision in not recording it.
I had a crush on The Arrows 1973/74. They looked very pretty, all three of them. I thought Alan Merrill was rather gorgeous, not a patch on David though. They had their own TV show for a while, I believe that clip is from it, used to race home from school to watch it. LOL! It's only years later I realised how icky the words to that song are, don't know how they got away with it! If only David Cassidy had been given his own TV show to showcase his songs. We would have sold our souls for that!
The Arrows version of I Love Rock and Roll wasn't half bad though. There's some vids floating round somewhere. Think Merrill lives in New York now.
I quite like David's version of Walk Away Renee, especially compared to those other versions. I enjoyed that. Thanks DD.
I love David's version!! That's a great video too. One other similarity to Alan Merrill: lip lickin'. LOL! Thanks!
That Touch Too Much has a lot in common with Rock Me Baby. Very catchy. It does have the long spoken part in the middle, though---I wonder if that's why DC turned it down.
I remember both the old versions of Walk Away Renee! DC's version is too slow for me---the vocals are great, but it needs more punch. Thanks for posting them!
Ah, I see you have I love Rock and Roll on the link to Alan Merrill. Nice one. They got labelled with the teen brigade too, could have made a fair rock band given the chance. They wrote this song after all. Actually Jake was rather dishy, always reminded me of a native American. I'm a sucker for dark haired chaps.
SLK, I feel that way too about the Touch Too Much song!! It reminds me of some of the others he's done, except the lyrics are a bit cheesy.
I think it definitely would have been something that David could have done extremely well. Can you imagine David singing this song? I can see/hear him singing it watching and listening to Alan here. It would have been SO HOT!!!!!!!!!! Geez, it very well could have doubled or tripled the heat in the already out-of-control frenzy.
LMAO Singme, I dont think David could have dared sing Touch Too Much. There would have been riots. If he sang that at one of his concerts there would have been a stampede!!
Joking aside, it was probably a step too far for David as he so craved some credibility.
That's a good point about the credibility, Br, and the talking SLK. I do wonder if self-preservation of his person might have been one of the reasons too. LOL!!!
What happenned to my fingers Br indeed!
That drooling becoming a problem again, Bf? ;-)
The Arrows singer Alan Merrill was never comfortable with comparisons to David Cassidy and it baffled him, although their producer Mickie Most tried to corner the band Arrows into the slipstream of David's fanbase. Mr. Merrill would be the first to admit that he never saw the similarity. Alan Merrill was already a glamrock star in Japan with his own look and image before The Arrows with his band Vodka Collins, with far longer hair and glam flamboyant clothing around 1971-74. In the UK Mr. Most tamed that image to suit the UK teen market, which was very fixated on would-be Cassidy clones like for example Barry Blue.
Yes, "Touch Too Much" is a bit naughty lyrically and Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who wrote it, have some explaining to do! LOL
It was a top 10 hit for The Arrows all the same, and in the end that's all that counts. If it hadn't sold we wouldn't be discussing it here on this forum.
I think The Arrows far more important contribution to rock music is "I Love Rock N Roll" a song Alan sang, wrote and the band recorded the first 45 rpm released version.
In recent years, as a singer Alan Merrill has recorded the original released versions of songs later covered by Lou Rawls ("When The Night Comes"), Wilson Pickett (It's Harder Now"), Robert Cray ("24/7 Man"), BB King ("All You Ever Give Me Is The Blues"), Buddy Guy ("Midnight Train"), Felix Cavaliere (Holiday Heroes"), Freddie Scott ("Brand New Man") and other R&B greats. Far from the pretty boy field, and I'm sure he's more at ease in his new role as a music veteran rock 'n blues vocalist.
Sincerely,
Jen
Thanks for your contribution, Jennifer. Appreciate the info. I'll have to check out those songs you mentioned (long live YT!). I think "I Love Rock & Roll" is one of those great classics - I hope Alan is fiercely proud of that song.
Just as well he didn't get pegged as a pretty poster boy - they never get any respect.
Alan Merrill and ARROWS were /are the best absolutely my favourite.Love TOUCH too MUCH ,grabbed my attention and my first sexy song.In my opinion Alan was much better looking than the over hyped Cassidy
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