Stoney & Meatloaf 1971 Rare Earth Album now available for streaming

[Motown Eddie]

From SecondDisc.com-
Released in 1971 [without the space between Marvin Lee Aday's stage name], this duet recording with singer Shaun "Stoney" Murphy is the beginning of Meat Loaf's storied musical career, six years before Bat Out of Hell took the world by storm. Never before available digitally, it's a fitting tribute to the recently-deceased rock legend - and, dare we say, not the last involving this hard-to-find album. Stay tuned...

Tracks:
1. [I'd Love To Be] As Heavy As Jesus
2. She Waits By The Window
3. It Takes All Kinds Of People
4. Game Of Love
5. Kiss Me Again
6. What You See Is What You Get
7. Sunshine [Where's Heaven]
8. Jimmy Bell
9. Lady Be Mine
10. Jessica White

[iTunes / Amazon]

[1382hitsville]

Downloaded [[apple music) and love it! Thanks for those involved in getting this out.

[ralpht]

Looks like the original song list before the dreadful re-release years ago.

[TomatoTom123]

Awesome! I just checked out the samples on iTunes and will download the album soon.

My favourite track is "It Takes All Kinds Of People".

[ralpht]

Glad you like the song, Tom. I could have been added to writer credits on that one, but in those days I would add or change lyrics during sessions and not take any credit. Gotta wonder how much money I lost in shared royalties.
The line I gave this one is ..."Everybody's got to give just a little bit more." The previous line was being repeated " The young old and the rich and the poor." and I didn't want that to repeat.

[ralpht]

Speaking of royalties, I wonder where I stand in this present release.

[TomatoTom123]

Glad you like the song, Tom. I could have been added to writer credits on that one, but in those days I would add or change lyrics during sessions and not take any credit. Gotta wonder how much money I lost in shared royalties.
The line I gave this one is ..."Everybody's got to give just a little bit more." The previous line was being repeated " The young old and the rich and the poor." and I didn't want that to repeat.

Great line ralph! I really like the sentiment of the song as well as the music itself.

[TomatoTom123]

Speaking of royalties, I wonder where I stand in this present release.

Good question!!

Am I right in thinking that if music is reissued 50+ years after its original release, copyright no longer applies? Does this have any bearing on royalties? I do not know

[ralpht]

Copyrights and royalties are two different animals, Tom But I
do wonder if my original contract had some sort of provision where royalties are discontinued after a given length of time.

[TomatoTom123]

Copyrights and royalties are two different animals, Tom But I
do wonder if my original contract had some sort of provision where royalties are discontinued after a given length of time.

Yes, indeed they are!

Do most contracts have an expiry date for recieving royalties? Again, I wouldn’t know.

[TomatoTom123]

What’s your favourite track from the album Ralph?

[ralpht]

Probably "Heavy As Jesus." I like the chord changes and the song reminds me of the day I first played it for Meat, in New York, the day of the photo shoot. I didn't have lyrics at the time other than the chorus. Before it was recorded, Mike Valvano and Patti Jerome had the verses written.
Also, I enjoyed working with the background singers on this one. Telma Hopkins, Joyce and Pam Vincent. Such talented ladies.

[mysterysinger]

I take it they're also still working on the expanded set so maybe you'll be in line for royalties from that Ralph. I expect no one got their dues when the CD got released on Big Pink [[the one with the bonus tracks).

Mike Valvano seems to be one of Motown's unsung heroes as his name crops up everywhere.

[ralpht]

I wan't aware of the Big Pink album. I thought The Band had that album title.

Mike was around Motown since Mike and the Modifiers. Definitely a talented writer/producer.

[danman869]

Here's the Big Pink album info on Discogs:

https://www.discogs.com/release/1238...toney-Meatloaf

I snagged myself a copy about a year ago. Would love to see a more comprehensive Stoney & Meatloaf set. Heck, I'd love to see a LOT of comprehensive Motown sets, but I digress...

[ralpht]

Thanks, Dan. I was clueless about this.

[luckyluckyme]

Ralph,

Would you be so kind as to share the background to the song "Sunshine [Where's Heaven]" here? I read your posts on Facebook with Paul Stannard and was touched by the background story.

Thanks in advance.

[ralpht]

I wrote the song to be sort of a laid back , California style track with the title "Sunshine, Where Are You Going?" and was to be some sort of a love song. That is all I had. A title. Dean Taylor listened to what I had and asked if he could record the song.

Mike Valvano was over at my house one afternoon to help with the lyrics. We were sitting in my family room drawing blanks for lyrics. We would soon notice my three year old daughter playing in a sandbox in the backyard. The lyrics started to come. And the song becomes a tragedy of a couple losing a daughter. Great. The laid back track I originally visioned turned into a full blown track once in the studio. In all honesty, because of the content, I couldn't listen to the song for quite some time. That was my daughter I was writing about. The song was so far away from my original vision. However, time would smooth things out and these days I enjoy listening to the song for the vocal performance. S&M did the job on this song.


Stoney was pregnant at the time of this session. Listen to her final verse where she really lays it out. She was so emotional with those final lines that she broke down crying at the end of her part. I went out into the studio to comfort her, but was over joyed on what she had just dished.

[ralpht]

Lucky, it touches me that the song hit a nerve with you. Song writing becomes such a personal effort that, at times, creativity blurs the reality and something new pops out. In the case of "Sunshine" it took a while to accept what I did to the song. All is well that ends well, though. That entire album is loaded with backstories, but I don't think that is unusual for any songs recorded.

[luckyluckyme]

Ralph, the backstories are what help to make the songs even more memorable & meaningful. It was exciting, informative, and at times downright hilarious when the late Deke Richards used to share his recollections here before his untimely passing. And now with Dean Taylor gone, I wonder if he got to record a version of the song. I suspect many of the SDF gang would welcome more backstories about your recollections of various songs [and yes, I do have a copy of your & of Russ' book].
So, who here would like more recollections from Ralph????

[ralpht]

Lucky, Dean never did record the song. It became something too far away from my original idea for the song. It no longer fit Dean's style.

[mysterysinger]

Can see my scans of the Big Pink release here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...57663243894087

They did a good job. Here's the tracklist:
01 [[I'd Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus
02 She Waits By The Window
03 It Takes All Kinds Of People
04 Game Of Love
05 Kiss Me Again
06 What You See Is What You Get
07 Sunshine [[Where's Heaven)
08 Jimmy Bell
09 Lady Be Mine
10 Jessica White
Bonus
11 Stone Heart
12 Who Is The Leader Of The People
13 Everything Under The Sun

[ralpht]

#11 and #12 was produced by Nick Zesses and Dino Fakaris.
#13 was my mistake. I had envisioned New Orleans style horns on the song. I told arranger Dave VanDiPitte to give me a horn arrangement, thinking he knew what I wanted. Instead, I got something that sounded like a Sousa march. I learned a lesson on that one. Always be specific when working with arrangers. As an arranger, Dave was the best.....my bad all the way.

[ralpht]

I received an email from Stoney. I'll see if she will come on the forum to say hello.

[ralpht]

Stoney sent me a recent photo of her and Meatloaf.

[TomatoTom123]

Great photo! Thanks Ralph.

[ralpht]

You're welcome Tom. Making arrangements to bring Stoney on the forum.

[ralpht]

I notice the Christmas decoration in the pic which tells me Meat didn't have long to live. Makes me sad.

[ralpht]

Picked up your message, Eddie. Thank you.

[thommg]

What a fantastic photo! Thanks, Ralph.

[ralpht]

You are so welcome

[Boogiedown]

the photo was 'recent' , meaning from this very Christmas for sure?

Hopefully so, Meatloaf looks alert and with a twinkle in his eyes. Instantly recognizable.

[ralpht]

That makes me sad, Boog. He was full of life in the photo.

[Boogiedown]

Don't feel sad Ralph. I think it shows Meatloaf was an a good place.

[ralpht]

I'm sure you are right, Boog, I suppose seeing them together in a photo after all that has happened through the years finds a tender part in me.

[Boogiedown]

^^^^

And to have that sparkle in
our eyes to the very end , we can each only wish for.

hopefully Stoney can stop by.

[ralpht]

Stay tuned.....in the works.

[Shaun Murphy (Stoney)]

Hello everyone!! I finally figured out the 'in-sign' process....couldn't have done it without the help from my good friend and Stoney And Meatloaf producer/writer, Ralph Terrana!!!

[[Big thanks for creating this wonder site, Ralph....)

I'm still reeling over the loss of my old singing partner, and friend, Meatloaf....we were getting ready to record a duet for a new, upcoming album he was excited to get going....sort of a 'homage' to Stoney & Meatloaf! The picture of us here was mere weeks before his passing, no-one saw it coming.....he was full of life till the end, and am so glad we stayed in touch all these years!!!
All the best to you all,
Shaun AKA Stoney

[mysterysinger]

Hey Shaun welcome to the best forum around - we love being on here. Much respect and it's taken too long for the Stoney & Meatloaf album to be officially digitally available. Very sad about Meat - he made his mark though, big style. And you got top billing in the Rare Earth days. Great to be hearing those tracks again.

[ralpht]

Welcome Stoney. Glad you made it. Sorry for the earlier hassles.

[9A]

Hi Shaun,

I think I saw you perform in the Detroit company of ¨Hair¨ all those many years ago. It
was fabulous.

Nina


"Hair" 04/17/1970

[ralpht]

It was at that opening that Russ attended and was blown away by two singers. He would tell me about it the following morning and I went to see the play to learn what was getting his attention. No doubt about it, the two could haul the mail. After discussing the two singers, we would come to realize the smart move would be to make them a duo. Badda Bing....Stoney and Meatloaf.

[ralpht]

And Shaun, you will always be Stoney to me. The girl with the magic pipes.

[Boogiedown]

Ive gotten a little confused because some of the story takes place in NYC, and SUNSHINE
was written with a “California “ style…
but didn’t this album come to be in Detroit?

Also was there any interaction with Berry Gordy in this process? I wonder how this newly created singing duo was presented to Motown…
I also wonder if Berry after the mega success of BAT OUT OF HELL ever later said , “Man can you believe I let that one slip away?”

[ralpht]

Boog, what I meant by California Style had nothing to do with geography, But simply a laid back writing style. The song was written in Detroit.

Never spoke with Berry regarding the duo, but there was a time I was being pressured to dump Meat and concentrate on Stoney.

[ralpht]

I received an email from Universal's Randy Fairman. The release date for the album is May 8th. Many thanks to Randy for keeping me informed.

[snakepit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDcxwTMlq9k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j55Qiia9hS4

great 45 from Stoney


stoney
There's a note from Denver on this clip

[ralpht]

Shaun, are you still working with your band?

[ralpht]

Haven't heard those two songs in years. Nice work from Nick Zesses and Dino Fekaris and naturally, Stoney.

[snakepit]

hi Ralph

I had the demo 45 so I'm hearing the B side for the first time...really nice tune.

I recently Watched a documentary on the history of " I will Survive" featuring Dino Fekaris.
A great songwriter...mad some wonderful tracks