The Happiest Place in Town (Do-Re-Mi album)
Encyclopedia
The Happiest Place in Town is the second LP album by Australian rock
/pop
group Do-Re-Mi
and was released by Virgin Records
in August 1988. The album has twelve tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
, drummer
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
ist Helen Carter and guitar
ist Stephen Philip. Adultery
was released as an EP
/CD single in 1987, it peaked at #22 on the National singles charts, and also appears on this album. The album and three singles, "King of Moomba
", "Happiest Place in Town
" and "Haunt You" had little chart success.
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP
, Do-Ré-Mi
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room
EP which was released in September 1982. Their debut LP Domestic Harmony
was released by Virgin Records in 1985. The Happiest Place in Town was recorded in early 1988 but the album and three singles, "King of Moomba
", "Happiest Place in Town" and "Haunt You" had little chart success. Do-Ré-Mi returned to UK to commence recording their next album. Whilst in UK, Virgin Records offered Conway a solo deal, before continuing with the third album. However Do-Ré-Mi disbanded not long after The Happiest Place in Town was released and the third album was never finished. After the break-up, Conway eventually went solo and had success with her debut album String of Pearls in 1991, its associated single "It's Only the Beginning" peaked at #19; Bray joined Richard Grossman
of Hoodoo Gurus
and Rob Hirst
of Midnight Oil
in their side project Ghostwriters
for their debut self-titled album; Carter and Philip formed the band Lupi.
Additional musicians
Recording details
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Do-Re-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (band)
Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
and was released by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in August 1988. The album has twelve tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
, drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Helen Carter and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Stephen Philip. Adultery
Adultery (Do-Re-Mi album)
Adultery is the CD/EP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in October 1987. The EP has five tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
was released as an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
/CD single in 1987, it peaked at #22 on the National singles charts, and also appears on this album. The album and three singles, "King of Moomba
King of Moomba (song)
"King of Moomba" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi released by Virgin Records in May 1987 and later appeared on their second album The Happiest Place in Town. The song was written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummerDorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen...
", "Happiest Place in Town
Happiest Place in Town (Do-Re-Mi song)
"Happiest Place in Town" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi released by Virgin Records and is the title track from their second albumThe Happiest Place in Town. The song was written by , drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" and "Haunt You" had little chart success.
Background
Do-Ré-Mi had formed in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (Do-Re-Mi album)
Do-Ré-Mi or Standing on Wires is the debut EP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by independent label Green Records in August 1982. The album has four tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and...
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room
The Waiting Room (Do-Re-Mi album)
The Waiting Room is the second EP by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi and was released by independent label Larrikan Records in January 1983. The album has six tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
EP which was released in September 1982. Their debut LP Domestic Harmony
Domestic Harmony
Domestic Harmony is the debut LP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in August 1985. The album has ten tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
was released by Virgin Records in 1985. The Happiest Place in Town was recorded in early 1988 but the album and three singles, "King of Moomba
King of Moomba (song)
"King of Moomba" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi released by Virgin Records in May 1987 and later appeared on their second album The Happiest Place in Town. The song was written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummerDorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen...
", "Happiest Place in Town" and "Haunt You" had little chart success. Do-Ré-Mi returned to UK to commence recording their next album. Whilst in UK, Virgin Records offered Conway a solo deal, before continuing with the third album. However Do-Ré-Mi disbanded not long after The Happiest Place in Town was released and the third album was never finished. After the break-up, Conway eventually went solo and had success with her debut album String of Pearls in 1991, its associated single "It's Only the Beginning" peaked at #19; Bray joined Richard Grossman
Richard Grossman
Richard Lee Grossman was the former co-director of the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy . He was co-author of Taking Care of Business: Citizenship and the Charter of Incorporation. He lectured widely on issues of corporate power, law and democracy...
of Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
and Rob Hirst
Rob Hirst
-External links:*******...
of Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
in their side project Ghostwriters
Ghostwriters
-Singles:* "Someone's Singing New York New York" Virgin Records * "Runaway Bay" Virgin Records* "World Is Almost At Peace" Virgin Records* "Second Skin" Mercury Records* "Impossible Shame" Mercury Records...
for their debut self-titled album; Carter and Philip formed the band Lupi.
Tracklisting
All tracks were written by Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter and Stephen Philip, except where indicated.- "Haunt You"
- "King of MoombaKing of Moomba (song)"King of Moomba" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi released by Virgin Records in May 1987 and later appeared on their second album The Happiest Place in Town. The song was written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummerDorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen...
" - "AdulteryAdultery (Do-Re-Mi album)Adultery is the CD/EP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in October 1987. The EP has five tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" (Bray, Carter, Philip) - "Valentine's Day"
- "Take Me Anywhere" (Bray, Carter, Philip)
- "Heads Will Roll"
- "Disneyland"
- "Wild and Blue" (Conway, Carter, Philip)
- "Desert Song"
- "Friends Like You" (Bray, Carter, Philip)
- "That Hanging Business" (Bray, Carter, Philip)
- "Happiest Place in TownHappiest Place in Town (Do-Re-Mi song)"Happiest Place in Town" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi released by Virgin Records and is the title track from their second albumThe Happiest Place in Town. The song was written by , drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" (Philip, Bray)
Personnel
Do-Ré-Mi members- Dorland Bray — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals - Helen Carter — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Deborah ConwayDeborah ConwayDeborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
— lead vocalist - Stephen Philip — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Additional musicians
- Alan Dunn — piano accordionPiano accordionA piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more similar to that of an organ than a piano, as they are both wind instruments, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deiro in 1910—has remained the popular...
- Johnny MarsJohnny MarsJohnny Mars is an American electric blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter. Over a long career, Mars has worked with Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, B.B. King, Jesse Fuller, Spencer Davis, Ian Gillan, Do-Re-Mi, Bananarama and Michael Roach.-Biography:####Mars was born in Laurens, South Carolina,...
— harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Bob Noble — pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, organ (HammondHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
) - Frank Ricotti — trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Steve Sidwell — piccolo trumpetPiccolo trumpetThe smallest of the trumpet family is the piccolo trumpet, pitched one octave higher than the standard B trumpet. Most piccolo trumpets are built to play in either B or A, using a separate leadpipe for each key. The tubing in the B piccolo trumpet is one-half the length of that in a standard B...
- John Thirkell — trumpet
- Philip Todd — saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
(tenorTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
)
Recording details
- Producer — Martin RushentMartin RushentMartin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...