The 70's Game: King Harvest vs. Hurricane Smith

[Rick Henry]

Here we are ladies and gents after a full month of inactivity we are back with The Carpenters Online's exclusive 70's Game. This round finds a face to face competition between two songs which reached the top 15 in early 1973.

Which one do you want to send to the semi-finals?

"Dancing In The Moonlight" by King Harvest - This song reached #13 in January 1973. Formed in New York City around 1972, King Harvest was best known for its one US hit single, "Dancing In The Moonlight", in 1973. The band comprised of three keyboardists, Ron Altback, Sherman Kelly and Davy "Doc" Robinson, plus Ed Tuleja (guitar), Tony Cahill (bass), Rod Novak (saxophone) and David Montgomery (drums). All had been involved previously with other bands and done session work. In 1972, they signed to the small Perception label. Their first single was "Dancing In The Moonlight", a soulful pop song that Altback, Sherman Kelly and Robinson had performed with their earlier band, Boffalongo.

The track used a Rhodes piano throughout.
The song was written by Sherman Kelly in 1968, whose brother, Wells Kelly - King Harvest's drummer in the early 1970s - introduced the song to the band. It was originally recorded in 1970 by the British band: Boffalongo.

"Oh Babe, What Would You Say" by Hurricane Smith - This song reached #3 in February 1973. Born Ron Smith in Northern England, Smith engineered several albums for the Beatles and produced some of Pink Floyd's early albums before going solo and making his own hit with "Oh Babe, What Would You Say" - a song which has a style reminiscent to Rudy Vallee.

In 1971, Smith, as a recording artist under the name of Hurricane Smith, had a UK hit with Don't Let It Die. In 1972 he enjoyed an international hit with Oh Babe What Would You Say?, which became a US # 1 Cashbox hit. This recording was a demo of a song that he had written for a different artist to record. When he played it for record producer Mickie Most, he was so impressed with the recording that he wanted Smith to release it as it was.

[smoothie2]

Both songs are good but I like Dancing in the Moonlight the best.

[Rick Henry]

I also like both songs quite a bir and although "Oh Babe, What Would You Say" was the bigger hit in it's time I feel that "Dancing In The Moonlight" has lasted the test of time better.

I voted for "Dancing In The Moonlight" as I've always enjoyed it's somewhat Southern California easy rock easy going sort of feel. Great song.

[wisejester7]

"Dancing In The Moonlight" has been a fav of mine for a while. No contest.

[ps11932]

"Dancing In The Moonlight" sticks out to me as a great song of that era (I vote for it) but my lack of overall musical knowledge is such that I can't recall any familiarity with the other entry- I suppose if I heard it I would remember it.

[Rick Henry]

By unanimous vote "Dancing In The Moonlight" by King Harvest goes to the semi-finals.

The round is officially closed.