Song Comments

THE BODY REMEMBERS

In the early 1990s, it had been a decade since the last version of Full Swing disbanded. I had been working as a lyricist for television, and some jazz artists had recorded songs Iʼd co-written.

I had loved performing with the group, but I truthfully did not know if I had anything to offer as a solo artist. One day I had the realization that maybe I did, and thought it would be fun to give it a go and see what I came up with.

The Body Remembers was put together with various musical friends, and my husband Tony Morales. At that time, Tony had a practice room in part of our garage, and also a Teac four-track recorder. The songs that we co-wrote were mostly based on loops or grooves he came up with back in his studio. Composer friends Terry Sampson and Eddie Arkin joined us for some of the writing. Terry later worked with me on childrenʼs projects for SD Entertainment, including the UK TV show Make Way for Noddy; Eddie Arkin and I have written dozens of songs together since our time working on TBR, most of them for my own albums. Other composers were John Capek, an Aussie writer who has penned hits for Rod Stewart and Heart; Joe Curiale, who has been successful in many genres, and with whom I later wrote “This Too Shall Pass” (recorded by the late Phyllis Hyman); and Don Grusin, who went on to work with me on the Cafe Society album. Don was tremendously helpful to me in the studio, encouraging me to find my own style as a soloist.

Lyrically, the album was unconventional. Iʼd had a taste of writing words for hire, and I liked it a lot, but I figured since this was my own album Iʼd just pick whatever topics struck my fancy: my dog, PMS, a little girl obsessed with the number five (Tony gave me that idea). My favorite response to “Five” came from Carl Griffin, at that time an A&R guy for GRP Records. Since Iʼd that other songs recorded by artists on the label, I sent him “Five.” He called me and said, “When I first heard that tune of yours I said to myself, ʻLorraine Feather has finally lost her f@#$%^& mind.ʼ” He did submit it to Patti Austin, though. She passed, but has recorded three songs I had a hand in, one of them a quirky number by John Capek and me, entitled “Why Did She Come In With You?”

The musicians on The Body Remembers were mostly friends of Tonyʼs. He had been working with David Benoit, who was also best man at our wedding, and Russ Freeman, in Russʼs group The Rippingtons.

I licensed the album to a Monterey, CA record company called Bean Bag. The owner, David Bean, used a photo by Kim Weston for the cover; the seemingly- headless woman is Westonʼs wife. David said it reminded him of my music

somehow. Reaction to that cover was all over the map, to say the least. It really horrified my mother.

I had sent demos of some of the first tunes from TBR to Walter Becker of Steely Dan, because Terry Sampson thought Walter might like it. I didnʼt know him, but asked a musician friend of Terry Sampsonʼs to give it to him. Walter called one day and said he wanted to produce the project, but couldnʼt make a deal he thought was satisfactory with the label he had in mind, so it never happened. We remained in touch for a while, and at Walterʼs suggestion I did a ”Blindfold Test” with him (something my dad originated for Down Beat back in the day) that remains on the Steely Dan website.

The ʻ90s were all about synths and drum machines, and I donʼt know if Iʼd ever do an album utilizing them to such a degree again, but I loved creating this album and still listen to it now and then.