Margo Guryan
Margo Guryan (born in Far Rockaway, New York City) is an American singer/songwriter who blends elements of pop, folk, and jazz. She is best known for her 1968 album Take A Picture. Her songs were recorded by Cass Elliot, Glen Campbell and Astrud Gilberto, among others.
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[edit] History
Margo Guryan grew up in the suburbs of New York City, and took an interest in music from an early age. Jazz singer Chris Connor recorded her song "Moon Ride" in 1958, while Guryan was still in high school. Connor recorded Guryan's "Lonely Woman", in 1962, which was covered in 1966 by Finnish jazz singer Carola Standertskjöld. At Boston University, she studied classical and jazz piano, idolizing musicians such as Max Roach and Bill Evans. She was primarily a jazz musician until a friend, David Frishberg, urged her to listen to the song "God Only Knows" from the album Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. According to Guryan,
"I thought it was just gorgeous. I bought the record and played it a million times, then sat down and wrote 'Think of Rain.' That's really how I started writing that way. I just decided it was better than what was happening in jazz."
Her song "Sunday Morning" was recorded by Spanky and Our Gang as "Sunday Mornin'". Released in December 1967, it reached No. 30. In 1968, she released Take a Picture, an album of light, jazz-tinged pop melodies. Guryan refused to tour and the album failed to make an impact. Resigned to this, Guryan withdrew from the professional scene and became a music teacher.
Take a Picture was reissued in 2000 by Franklin Castle Records. A collection of demos entitled 25 Demos was also released. In 2006, the song "Take a Picture" was used in a TV advert for mobile camera phones.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1968: Take A Picture
Tracklist
- Sunday Morning (2:17)
- Sun (2:34)
- Love Songs (2:34)
- Thoughts (2:23)
- Don't Go Away (2:00)
- Take a Picture (3:07)
- What Can I Give You (2:29)
- Think of Rain (2:23)
- Can You Tell (2:31)
- Someone I Know (2:43)
- Love (5:25)
- I Think a Lot About You (2:16)
- It's Alright Now (2:02)
- Timothy Gone (1:50)
- 2001: 25 Demos
Tracklist
- What Can I Give You (2:17)
- Something's Wrong With the Morning (1:44)
- I Love (2:06)
- Sunday Morning (2:14)
- Can You Tell (2:07)
- Think of Rain (2:20)
- Sun (2:30)
- Most of My Life (2:09)
- The 8:17 Northbound Success Merry-Go-Round (2:08)
- Love Songs (2:52)
- Thoughts (2:14)
- I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You (2:18)
- Come to Me Slowly (2:21)
- Timothy Gone (1:44)
- It's Alright Now (2:00)
- Values (2:31)
- I Think a Lot About You (2:15)
- The Hum (2:43)
- Please Believe Me (3:52)
- Yes I Am (3:09)
- I'd Like to See the Bad Guys Win (1:41)
- California Shake (3:27)
- Shine (3:02)
- Hold Me Dancin' (2:52)
- Good-bye, July (3:55)
[edit] Singles
- 2007: 16 Words
[edit] Songs recorded by other artists
- Moon Ride - Chris Connor (1958)
- Lonely Woman - Chris Connor (1962)
- Milano - Chris Connor
- This Lovely Feeling - Dizzy Gillespie (1963)
- Think of Rain - Jackie DeShannon (1967)
- Sunday Morning - Spanky and Our Gang (1968)
- Can You Tell - Carmen McRae (1968)
- Don't Go Away - Carmen McRae (1968)
- Think Of Rain - Astrud Gilberto (1969)
- Sunday Morning - Julie London (on Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, 1969)
- Come To Me Slowly - Julie London
- I Think a Lot About You - Cass Elliot (on Don't Call Me Mama Anymore, 1973)
- Shine - Linus of Hollywood (2000)
- Sunday Morning - Linus of Hollywood
- Think of Rain - Space Kelly (2006)
- Love - Dawn Landes (on Sweet Heart Rodeo, 2009)
