Puneet Varma (Editor)

More Than a New Discovery

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Released
  
January 1967

Artist
  
Laura Nyro

Label
  
Verve Forecast Records

Length
  
46:15

Release date
  
January 1967

Producer
  
Milt Okun

More Than a New Discovery httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen440Mor

Recorded
  
Nos. 4, 7: July 13, 1966 Nos. 1-3, 5-6, 8-12: November 29, 1966, New York City

More Than a New Discovery (1967)
  
Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968)

Genres
  
Pop music, Rhythm and blues

Similar
  
Laura Nyro albums, Pop music albums

Laura nyro goodbye joe


More Than a New Discovery is the debut album by Bronx-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro. It was recorded during 1966 and released at the beginning of the following year on the Folkways imprint of the Verve label (this imprint was changed to Verve Forecast Records after Verve was threatened with legal action by Moses Asch who owned the Folkways label). The album was reissued in 1969 as Laura Nyro, with a revised track order and slightly altered cover/back cover design—and again in 1973 as The First Songs, with an all-new cover design (featuring a rose illustration), and the song "Hands Off the Man" retitled to "Flim Flam Man". It gave Nyro a chart entry at #97 on the Billboard 200, then known as the Pop Albums chart.

Contents

In 2008, Rev-Ola released a remastered version of the original album in the original running order.

The album included several songs that would become hits for other artists. Blood, Sweat & Tears scored with "And When I Die" (US #2), The 5th Dimension with "Wedding Bell Blues" (US #1) and "Blowin' Away" (US #21), and Barbra Streisand with "Stoney End" (US #6).

In 1999, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Laura nyro wedding bell blues


Background

Nyro signed to Verve Folkways (later Verve Forecast Records) after supplying Peter Paul and Mary with her song "And When I Die".

Production

The album was recorded in 1966 with Herb Bernstein and Milton Okun at the helm. Bernstein arranged the songs, and there was some uncertainty about Nyro's ability to lead the musicians by playing piano. As a result, pianist Stan Free was hired, and Nyro was encouraged to play the guitar instead, which she rejected.

Songs

"Wedding Bell Blues" was released as a single in September 1966 and remained on the "Bubbling Under" segment of the Billboard Hot 100 (then "Pop Singles") for 12 weeks, peaking at #103.

For the single version of "Stoney End," Nyro was forced to rework some of the lyrics that referred to the Bible, because Verve felt it would cause too much controversy.

Track listing

All songs written by Laura Nyro.


More Than a New Discovery (original album) running order:


The First Songs running order:

Personnel

  • Laura Nyro - guitar, keyboards, vocals, songwriter
  • Jay Berliner - guitar
  • Stan Free - piano
  • Bill Lavorgna - drums
  • Buddy Lucas - harmonica
  • Lou Mauro - double bass
  • James Sedlar - French horn
  • Herb Bernstein - arranger, conductor, flugelhorn
  • Technical
  • Milton Okun - producer
  • Jean Goldhirsch - assistant producer
  • Jerry Schoenbaum - production supervision
  • Val Valentin - director of engineering
  • Harry Yarmark - engineer
  • Songs

    1Wedding Bell Blues2:44
    2Billy's Blues3:20
    3California Shoeshine Boys2:45

    References

    More Than a New Discovery Wikipedia