American Spring
I was recently a guest on Keeping Track, Dave Hackett’s UCC98.3FM radio show. Dave asked me to pick seven songs to play on the show. It was really hard to pick the songs but I knew that ‘Fallin’ in Love’ by Spring was going to be my first choice.
Spring (United Artists, 1972)
The band were known as Spring in the US but were American Spring in Europe (presumably due to the existence of English prog rock band Spring). American Spring were sisters Diane Rovell and Marilyn Wilson. Both women had earlier been members of girl group The Honeys along with their cousin Ginger Blake. Brian Wilson (Marilyn's then-husband) produced most of the band's songs as indeed he had with The Honeys.
I first came across American Spring on Pet Projects - The Brian Wilson Productions, an Ace Records 2003 compilation. As the name suggests Pet Projects compiles records that Brian Wilson produced for other artists. It includes tracks by: Glen Campbell, Gary Usher, Sharon Marie, The Laughing Gravy, Rachel & The Revolvers, and many more. It’s a fantastic collection.
American Spring’s 1973 single ‘Shyin’ Away’ and its flip-side ‘Fallin’ in Love’ are featured on the comp. ‘Fallin’ in Love’ was written by Dennis Wilson, though the original version is titled ‘Lady’ and was the b-side to his 1970 single ‘Sound of Free’. The lyrics were changed slightly: “Lady” becomes “Baby” so that Marilyn and Diane could sing it.
American Spring’s self-titled debut album had been released in 1972. The album was produced by Brian is a must have for anyone with even a passing interest in The Beach Boys. The album features a number of Brian compositions and a fantastic version of Dennis’ ‘Forever’. Diane and Marilyn’s voices are absolutely beautiful harmonising together.
My own copy of American Spring is the 1972 UK United Artists textured sleeve LP, but the album had different cover art in Germany and The Netherlands. The US release of the Sping album used gothic toned plaster casts of Diane and Marilyn's heads.
Photo by Paul McDermott.
All versions of this album command stupid money on the second hand market these days. See For Miles Records did release a compilation of Spring recordings in 1989 entitled Spring...Plus.
Inner gatefold sleeve from the Dutch version of the LP.
Photo by Paul McDermott.
The records chosen for Dave’s Keeping Track are pictured above. Further details of all tracks we played and a playback link are here: