RARE CAROL CONNORS PS/45 DISCOVER JAMAICA, DISCOVER ME
$
50
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND COLLECTOR'S ITEM: CAROL CONNORS, SINGING "DISCOVER JAMAICA, DISCOVER ME" b/w "JAMAICA, WELCOME ME" (JTB-001). RELEASED IN 1976 BY THE JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD.
Carol Connors (aka Annette Kleinberg and Annette Klein) was a member of the Phil Spector trio, The Teddy Bears. She recorded under different names (including Carol Collins) and later went on to write or co-write several hit songs (including the Academy Award winning “Gonna Fly Now,” from the Sylvester Stallone film Rocky). She also penned the official songs for several nations, including Singapore and Malaysia. This is the one she did for Jamaica.
The following text comes from The Jamaica Gleaner:
During the turbulent 1970s, when various anti-Jamaican propaganda and violence almost smashed the tourist industry, a young composer, actress and singer named Carol Connors wrote a song called "Discover Jamaica, Discover Me", and presented it to the Jamaica Tourist Board.
She had been commissioned to write the music for a new Walt Disney movie, and friends had recommended that, despite the violence which was tearing the country apart, she would find the atmosphere in Jamaica to inspire her to compose this music.
She spent about three months in Ocho Rios. She stayed with a Jamaican friend in Mammee Bay and took the opportunity to travel into the hills and through the valleys of the island. She met and made friends with scores of Jamaicans, from the rich and the famous to the peasants who lived in their humble homes in rural villages.
She fell totally in love with Jamaica and the people. She was a tiny, beautiful, bubbling, blue-eyed blonde.
In presenting this song to the Jamaica Tourist Board, she gave the agency freedom to use it in its domestic and overseas tourism publicity programmes. It could even be recorded locally and sold within Jamaica. The only qualification, because of her contracts, was that it could not be sold commercially overseas. She subsequently wrote two more songs, "Jamaica, Welcome Me", and "Jamaica: Forget Me Not".
Once, while travelling to Ocho Rios with the JUTA driver who took her around the country, she heard the song, "Discover Jamaica" being played on one of the radio stations.
"Is really you write this song, Miss Connors?" he asked.
When she said yes, he was silent for a long time. And she has never forgotten his subsequent comment.
"Well, Miss Connors, you really love Jamaica more than plenty Jamaicans to write a song like this."
The record is in EX+ condition, and the picture sleeve is in strong VG+ condition. Just some wrinkling at the corners and very minimal ring wear.
THANKS FOR LOOKING, AND PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER AUCTIONS FOR SOME NICE BEACH BOYS, BRIAN WILSON RELATED ITEMS.
