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IFLTS: 'I Love How You Love Me,' Nino Tempo and April Stevens

'I Love How You Love Me,' Nino Tempo and April Stevens
From 1965

Singer-saxophonist Nino Tempo got his break as an assistant to Wall of Sound creator Phil Spector in the early '60s. He also had a hardly rockin' No. 1 hit in 1963 with the popular standard 'Deep Purple' as a duet with his sister April Stevens. Those two facts only go so far in explaining the absolutely sublime version of 'I Love How You Love Me' he produced (and he and April sang on) in 1965.

Originally a Spector-produced dozy 1961 ballad sung by the cooing Paris Sisters while evidently lying on a plush featherbed, its makeover began when Tempo, true to his surname, cranked up the bpm. Then, mindful that the song has the exact chord structure of the Byrds' 'Feel a Whole Lot Better,' he got garage band the Guilloteens to jangle their way across the songscape. Boy-girl vocals, sped-up tempo, folk-rock arrangement -- hmmm, something's missing. Bring on the fuzz guitar -- and a bagpipe! That's right -- a caterwaulin', everlovin', full-on kilt-and-sporran Scottish bagpipe! And they called Phil Spector crazy.

Oh, by the way, you're welcome for my exposing you to the greatest example of lead bagpipe in the history of rock 'n' roll -- and don't even bring up 'In a Big Country,' by '80s Scots combo Big Country, 'cause those were just guitars processed to sound bagpipey. Poseurs!

Hear the song after the jump.

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Jim Richardson

I ran across this version quite by accident, and was blindsided! Outstanding!! Thanks Spinner for turning me onto something I never even knew existed. I love the Paris Sisters' version, but the late sixties remake by Bobby Vinton was the version I first remember hearing, being that it was one of my oldest sister's favorites. But breeding the song with "Feel a Whole Lot Better" and spicing it up with bagpipes was insanely clever. Sublime, as you called it. Nino did a mean Righteous Bros knockoff with a Wall of Soundalike song called "The Habit of Loving You Baby," also w/ April, and it is great as well...'worth checking out. And what a good looking brother/sister team they were! 'Shame they aren't better known. Any way to download this song?

March 09 2007 at 9:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gaylord Fields

Marly, thanks for enjoying the song and the post. I admit i was taking a bit of creative license when i described the Paris Sisters as recording the song whilst in bed -- their version is so relaxed it just sounds that way.

March 09 2007 at 10:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marly

One of the most beautiful songs ever made. I always thought that it sounded like the Paris sisters were lying in a bed but didn't know that they actually were. Neat!

March 09 2007 at 9:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply