Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Leonard Nimoy - Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy (1968)


Well, after posting that last Leonard Nimoy album on Sunday, my buddy, Gordon, requested in his comment that I post this album. Ask and you shall receive (provided I have the album, of course)!

Anyway, in this earlier album (I forgot to mention on the last post that Leonard had gone on to be a regular on TV's "Mission: Impossible" when he recorded that album), "Star Trek" was on TV and Leonard recorded this album as Spock on one side and as himself on the other. Being the Trekker that I am, I like the Spock side better, although, I love "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins"! It's just a hilarious song, especially if you watch the video of Leonard singing it! (If you want to watch the video, just click on the "Leonard Nimoy" label on this post, and it'll bring up all posts. I posted the video when I did "The Touch of Leonard Nimoy" a while back.) There is one song on here that I don't like - "If I Were a Carpenter". I've never liked that song (not even when Bobby Darin sang it) - I just think it's one of the most boring songs ever. Just my opinion. Some of you may love that song, and that's great, so I hope you like this version! Enjoy the album! Oh, and after each song, I've typed what it says on the record for that song.

Track listing for Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy:

Side 1:
1. Highly Illogical - Spock's reactions to some earth-behavior.
2. The Difference Between Us - Could Spock ever feel hidden, deep, emotional love problems? Could he react as a human in a romantic situation?
3. Once I Smiled - Once Spock's emotional barriers were broken down, and for a short while he tasted a bitter-sweet romantic experience.
4. Spock Thoughts - Some excellent vulcanian advice and philosophy.
5. By Myself - As "alien" to the planet earth, Spock is not always completely at home, and feels his loneliness at times.
6. Follow Your Star - Aim high in life. Make your goal a star and follow it.
7. Amphibious Assault - A surrealistic battle of the future. Will war come to this?

Side 2:
1. The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins - Long an admirer of the "Hobbits", Nimoy sings of the adventures of the bravest Hobbit of them all.
2. Cotton Candy - A modern, thought-image in musical setting, written by one of the camera crew of the Star Trek series.
3. Gentle On My Mind - The kind of song that Nimoy personally loves to sing.
4. Miranda - A lovely Bart Howard song in a classic-folk tradition.
5. If I Were a Carpenter - Another "modern" folk song, sung by Nimoy in an unusual rhythmic setting.
6. Love of the Common People - A song that Nimoy enjoys singing on personal appearances, since it reflects his own philosophy.

5 comments:

Sila Lumenn said...

Awesome! Thank you, Gordon, for requesting this album. And thank you, Esther, for going to all the trouble of typing up the track notes for us. I couldn't download this one fast enough!

Sandy

zillagord said...

Esther:
Thanks so much for posting this. Also, I am glad to be considered your buddy: we Trekkie geeks need to stick together!
This is how much of a geek I am: I have all but three of the songs on this album somewhere else. I find it interesting that the whole first side of this is also the conclusion of the album "Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space." But I have become an obsessive completist (a new kind of OCD!) about this stuff, and I am excited to hear the tracks I don't have.
As Sila noted before me, including the track notes was a great touch as well.
Thanks for this, Esther. I hope all is going well at your new abode. Got the wallpaper you like up yet? And have you recreated the bridge of the Enterprise in the living room?
Take care, see you soon,
Gordon

Unknown said...

Dear Esther,

I cannot express enough my gratitude to you for posting this album. I couldn't find it anywhere (even to purchase in CD format), and was beginning to lose hope. But you have saved the day!

I'm also a trekker and a huge fan of leonard nimoy. Thank you a thousand times! Live long and prosper!

-Karina

Esther said...

Live long and prosper to you, too!

leesa said...

ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!ThankYou!!!

It's amazing to me that, besides Leonard's first album and a few compilations, these really neato albums are still Out Of Print.

Side one of "Two Sides Of Leonard Nimoy" is presented on the Varèse Sarabande Records reissue of "Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space..." but besides that... zippo.

Thanx again for all your kind work!

~leesa