One Small Post For Mankind

Artist: William Allen and Orchestra
Song: Space Flight Freedom 7 (a-side) (b-side is Theme From Freedom 7)
Label: Laurie 3100
Number: ZTSP 68811
Songwriters: P. Aleuia
Time: 3:20
Released: June 1961 (?)

I had hoped to post this particular record about a week ago or so, on the actual 40th anniversary of man's first landing on the moon back in 1969. But, Blogger had other ideas. I finally got it working today and have been making a mad scramble to post some things and get caught up. This is one of those posts.

As to today's artist, I couldn't find a thing about him other than he released at least 2 albums and this single on the Laurie label. As to the single, it was released just after Alan B. Shepard became the first American into space, in May 1961. The record features recreations of the tower to astronaut communications spoken over an instrumental background. The flipside is an abbreviated version of just the instrumental by itself. To make up for the lack of information and artist picture I usually provide, here is a little bit about the actual flight the record commemorates and an image of the astronaut alongside the actual Freedom 7 space capsule. Be sure to download William Allen and Orchestra so you can listen to Space Flight Freedom 7 while you read the story below!

Mercury Freedom 7

Crew: Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
Mission Objective: The main scientific objective of project Mercury was to determine man's capabilities in a space environment and in those environments to which he will be subject upon going into and returning from space. A few of the basic flight problems included: The development of an automatic escape system, vehicle control during insertion, behavior of space systems, evaluation of pilots capabilities in space, in flight monitoring, retrofire and reentry maneuvers and landing and recovery.
Launch:May 5, 1961 9:34 a.m. EST The formal countdown for the preparation for launching MR-3 started on the day previous to launch day. The countdown was actually split into two parts because previous experience had shown that it was preferable to run the countdown in two shorter segments and allow the launch crew of both the spacecraft and the launch vehicle to obtain some rest before starting the final preparation. The countdown started at 8:30 a.m. EST on May 4, 1961. All operations proceeded normally and were completed ahead of schedule. A build-in hold of approximately 15 hours was called at T-6 hours 30 minutes. During this time the various pyrotechnics were installed in the spacecraft and the hydrogen peroxide system was serviced. The countdown was resumed at T-6 hours 30 minutes at 11:30 p.m. EST on May 4, 1961. A built-in hold of 1 hour had been previously agreed upon at T-2 hours 20 minutes. This hold was to assure that spacecraft preparations had been completed before the astronaut was transported to the pad. The countdown proceeded with only minor delays until T-2 hours 20 minutes. At this time, final preparation of the spacecraft was conducted and the astronaut was apprised of the continuance of the countdown and transported to the Pad. The countdown was continued after the hold at T-2 hours 20 minutes and, except for some minor holds, the countdown continued until T-15 minutes. At this time it was determined that photographic coverage of the launch and flight could not be obtained because of low clouds near the launch area. Weather forecasters predicted that visibility would improve rapidly within 20 to 45 minutes. During this time, one of the 400 hertz power inverters to the launch vehicle had regulation problems. The count was recycled to the T-35 minute and holding mark and the count picked up 86 minutes later after the replacement of the inverter.
Again at T-15 minutes it was necessary to hold the count again to make a final check of the real-time trajectory computer. The countdown then picked up and proceeded until liftoff at 9:34 a.m. EST on 5/5/1961. Landing: May 5, 1961. 75deg 53min longitude, 27deg 13.7min latitude in the Atlantic Ocean.

They Call Me MISS Toni Fisher

Artist: Miss Toni Fisher

Song: The Red Sea Of Mars (b-side) (a-side is Everlasting Love)

Label: Signet 3-279 (White/Red Label)

Number: E-5878

Songwriter: Wayne Shanklin

Time: 2:58

Released: 1960

She was always known as "Miss Toni Fisher" and her big hit was The Big Hurt, in 1959. What was most noteworthy about this first hit of hers was that it was the first record ever released which used a phasing effect. It was written by her husband, Wayne Shanklin, as was this record The Red Sea Of Mars. She had one other Top 40 hit in 1962, entitled West Of The Wall, about lovers caught on either side of the newly-erected Berlin Wall. But, today's post was released in between these two records, 1960, and was not a hit.

She was born in Los Angeles, California in 1931, and died of a heart attack on February 12th, 1999 in Hyrum, Utah. At the age of 18, she played a small, uncredited part in the musical Make Believe Ballroom, in 1949. In 1959, she signed a recording contract with a small independent company called Signet Records, located in Hollywood. On November 16th, her first record debuted on the charts entitled The Big Hurt. Because it went up to #3 on the pop charts, she had the opportunity to appear on the shows of Dick Clark and Ed Sullivan. In 1960, her second record How Deep Is The Ocean peaked at #93. Later that year, Signet released the single Everlasting Love b/w The Red Sea Of Mars, although it failed to chart. They also gathered her recordings together and released an album named after her big hit The Big Hurt. This, too failed to chart and she was dropped from her contract with Signet. Her one record deal with Columbia Records featuring If I Loved You b/w Love Bug also failed to chart and then she moved to Big Top Records in 1962. Her final hit, West Of The Wall, for that label, came on May 26th, 1962. She had several other singles released on the Smash label and then a short return to her original label, Signet, but had no further chart action.
This is a shame, really, as she had such a nice, strong voice and delivered her performances in a confident matter. Now, people always try to analyze why things happen, so permit me to do the same here. I think perhaps the reason she didn't have a bigger chart presence than she did was due to two primary factors. One, it seems like her husband wrote all of her material. Usually artists like her are given songs to choose from written by a wide variety of songwriters. The most strongest tracks are chosen to record and this may have been a factor in her case. However good of a songwriter her husband Wayne was, he was no Lerner and Lowe. The Red Sea Of Mars is a good song, but perhaps there could have been better ones found for her to record. Even though this track has grown on me, that's just my opinion. The second factor I find that may have inhibited her career is the fact that of the two pictures I could locate of her on the internet, one being below, Miss Fisher didn't come across as a particulary stunning-looking woman. In the music business, looks can sometimes make or break an artist.

But don't let any of that deter you from hearing her voice. It is quite pleasant to listen to. Here is Miss Toni Fisher singing The Red Sea Of Mars. Enjoy!

One other small item of interest. I find many times that the length of the song as reported on the record label does not match up with it's actual length when played. This record was a case in point. Listed at two seconds under 3 minutes long on the label, it actually only lasts for 2:44. And it's not because my turntable has a speed problem, either. I suppose sometimes that the music business is not a very precise science.