Best Version of Quiet Village

So in your humble opinion what is the best version of Quiet Village?

Me, I am personally inclined to say that I like the version by Les Baxter on Ritual of the Savage (Le Sacre du Sauvage.

What are your thoughts/opinions?

My relatively newbie opinion says--the Martin Denny Version, for me! From either Mondo Exotica, or "The Exotic Sounds".

Scott

This one is easy. I saw King Kukulele play Quiet Village at Tiki Taix a couple of months ago accompanied by his brother on Saxophone. Yes - SAXOPHONE. It was the best version of Quiet Village I've heard, hands down. Too bad its not on a CD or anything - although, there was someone in the audience recording the show on video.

Well, the best live version I ever heard was at the Pipe Organ Pizza parlour in Milwaukee Wis. It was an off night (tues or wednesday), and the older guy playing the organ wasn't the hot shot dude that played on Fri and Sat nights (and did all the stuff from Phantom of the Opera, and that sort of thing).

Well I requested Quiet Village, and the organist had to think long and hard to remember it. He fiddled around, and then a light went off, and he started off with those low bass notes, and then he went to town -- using every crazy instrument that was hooked up to the pipe organ (that they hung on the walls behind him).

Just amazing!

On LP, I like Baxter. For something odd, listen to Lalo Schifrin's version off of Black Widow.

[ Edited by: I, Zombie on 2005-06-09 19:35 ]

I guess I would say the version by The Surfmen from "Exotic Island" (also released as The South Sea Serenaders, "Trade Winds Romance From Hawaii To Tahiti"). I say that because it is the one that really makes it sound quite different from the original, yet completely still classic exotica. I also think it's probably one of the best exotic LPs out there.

"Queit Village Bossa Nova" by Martin Denny. Awesome!

Grabbed a copy of Music of Hawaii by Henry Mancini at at flea market this past weekend. Although I can't say it's my "favorite" (a situation that changes from week to week or hour to hour depending on my rum consumption) I'd have to say it contains the best Quiet Village I've heard for the first time in a while. Of course... I like the weird-ass vocal version on Hawaii Right Now! by the Aliis, so you might wanna take everything I type with a grain of sea salt.

I must admit I like the disco version by The Ritchie Family.

Not my favourite version, but listen to Lalo Schifrin's 1970s version of 'Quiet Village' from the CTI Records 'Black Widow' album. An excellent example of Polyester Exotica.

Would love to hear a Punk version.

my fav is arthur lyman's version of Quiet Village on bahia.

there is also a great version on a pipe organ lp i bought a while back called george wright at the mighty wurlitzer pipe organ. in that version the bird sounds are the "real thing" according to the album cover. this guy is the grandad of hip hop since unless they were pulling out tail feathers as it was recorded the birds were sampled. this pipe organ version is tikicleens fav version.

Right now my favorite version is the one by Vincent Bell on the album Pop Goes the Sitar. Selector Lopaka put it on the CD Music to Crawl By 2: Crawling Home I got on the Northwest Tiki Bar Crawl last weekend. It's a real way out version man!

I've got the Les Baxter and the Martin Denny versions. I guess I like Les a tad better, but not enough to say its way better than Martin's version. I also appreciate that the old Pee Wee Herman show had a bit of exotica based on Quiet Village to start off his kiddie show back in the 80's.

Someone mentioned the Astronauts version, either here or on another thread. Check it out here. I really dig this version - you have to kind of think about it to recognize the melody since it's all surfed up in their take. More recently, Thee Phantom 5ive also cover the Astronauts surf style version of the tune.

-Randy

I just found a version on my Ipod that I didn't realize I had... I don't even know where I got it from! Don Tiare and the Alohas from an album called "The Music of Les Baxter." Nice mellow version complete with bird calls!

Funny as it sounds, it was hispanic gang culture that turned me on to Martin Denny. One of the several gangs around when I was growing up, was Quiet Village. This was the late 70's, early 80's I'm refering to, area of Pico Rivera. I don't know if they're still a gang. Anyway, I used to see this record in the used records(Lovell's) all the time, "Quiet Village" by Martin Denny. My buddy and I just thought it was kind of funny, so I ended up buying it for something like 50 cents. Didn't know what to make of it the first few listenings, but my mother recognized it, and told me that she used to go see Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman when my father was stationed in Hawaii(mid 50's). Needless to say, the song, and Martin Denny, grew on me. So I'd have to say that Martin Denny's version, from the "Quiet Village" LP would be my fave.

El Chicano, who got their start in East LA in the late 1960s, do a pretty darn cool cover of QV. It can be found on their "Viva Tirado" LP as well as the CD, "Viva! El Chicano, Their Very Best".

http://www.elchicanomusic.com/

[ Edited by: Selector Lopaka 2005-08-01 11:09 ]

It’s a tie between The Astronauts and The Clebanoff Strings.

KK

for Surf versions of unusual tunes check out:
http://cordelia.stayfree.co.uk/Pages/Strange%20Surf%20CD.htm

Okay, so it might not have been the best version of Quiet Village, but it's a personal favorite. At the Dresden Room, which is just a short bit away from Tiki-Ti, there's a longtime lounge duo, Marty and Elayne -- an older couple, both with black dyed hair, matching black sequined getups, and a set list of lounge songs that rotates a bit but otherwise doesn't really change. The Dresden Room and Marty and Elayne are in the movie Swingers, if that helps. I've been there plenty of times, the Dresden still has lots of gorgeous vintage details.

But the first time I took Hanford to the Dresden Room, as SOON as we both walked in, those familiar notes kicked in -- duh DUH duDUH duh DUH duhhh.... I'd never heard them play Quiet Village before, and it made us feel like we were making quite a grand entrance.

Marty and Elayne were featured in the flick, Swingers during the Dresden scene. Humuhumu, you hang out in all the swankiest dives.
I am just jealous, I have to make a sales call to a place called "Rockin Rodeo" Today, where the most exotic thing they serve is Coors Light in a longneck bottle. Excluding of course, the obligatory Jello shots.
Now, I wonder what Toby Keiths rendition of Quiet Village would sound like?

That is a very hard call...Martin Dennys Moog version does strange things to me. I favor the Blue Hawaiians "Have Yourself a Quiet Little Christmas" around the holidays. Mancinis version is my favorite "lush" version. As far as live...there is a little treasure of a 60s piano bar, complete with flashing neon sign, between Lancaster and the desert. They are only open on Fridays and there are usually about 3 or 4 people there. the piano lady plays standards ranging from Blue Moon to Ain't Misbehavin' to Route 66, and one nite she launched into Quiet Village......

spike jones,"the lost city of exotica"
featuring the not so quiet village.

Whichever version is playing in the background Right Now!

On 2005-06-11 17:05, Kaiwaza wrote:
I guess I would say the version by The Surfmen from "Exotic Island" (also released as The South Sea Serenaders, "Trade Winds Romance From Hawaii To Tahiti"). I say that because it is the one that really makes it sound quite different from the original, yet completely still classic exotica. I also think it's probably one of the best exotic LPs out there.

It's always great to hear a different rendition of this song. Side 2 of "Exotic Island" has been spinning here for the better part of the Summer and I almost forgot about the "Quiet Village" track! Good stuff! I love the Surfmen's sound, especially on "Fire Goddess" (same album).

If I had to choose one, it'd be Martin Denny's version from "Exotica." Mainly because it adheres to my theory that you tend to like the first version of a song you hear better than any you hear after it. And it seems to be the one played outside the WDW Enchanted Tiki Room.

If I had to choose a 2nd... I'd go with Les Baxter for the strings! Least favorite, although it's mildly interesting, is the version with Jimmy Buffett and Martin Denny purchased from iTunes. It's too short!

Mahalo,
Rupe

[ Edited by: rupe33 2005-08-22 14:10 ]

The Classics: Les Baxter and Martin Denny versions.
My Favorite: Don Ho's vocal version
Runner Up: El Chicano's 1970 version.

On 2005-08-03 11:16, Humuhumu wrote:
But the first time I took Hanford to the Dresden Room, as SOON as we both walked in, those familiar notes kicked in -- duh DUH duDUH duh DUH duhhh.... I'd never heard them play Quiet Village before, and it made us feel like we were making quite a grand entrance.

i love that story! the hat an i were discussing quiet village a few weeks ago in that, if we were to do over our wedding day, i much rather would have preferred walking in to quiet village. and just to add further geekiness, we would have made some of the birdcalls.

and also, as stated earlier in this thread, my favorite version is george wright on his mighty wurlitzer. my brother is getting hitched in october at the stanford memorial church (for those who havent visited, it has a MASSIVE organ that takes up one full wall of the church. the organist is some "acclaimed" artist who performs for the queen--oohlala!). so i have been desperately trying to convice my brother to request "quiet village" to be played during the ceremony. i have a sneaking suspicion that it wont happen though. :(

I think this is obscure and also wonderful enough to share. Quiet Village Bossa Nova

The Swank Pad Broadcast - If it's Swank...

[ Edited by: Swanky 2005-09-13 16:19 ]

That is So Sweet! Beats Hell out of Les Baxter's "Quiet Village Cha Cha" in my book. Of course... That was the relationship, wasn't it? Les wrote it... Martin made it what it is. Les Cha Cha'd it... Martin Bossa'd the Nova out of it.

Don Ho's vocal version. Super cheesy, I love it.
And hearing a life renditon of it (with complete lyrics) by Sonny Kuni's combo, after Jeff Berry and I requested it, at the Marriot Kona Kai in Chicago.

Another fave vocal version of an Exotica classic is Connie Francis singing "Taboo".

I just picked up the Trade Winds LP from Mr. Earl Grant. TC and DH - that pipe organ version sounds intriguing, Earl Grant does his on an organ of some sort (not sure what kind, the old records never give enough information...) and it is AWESOME. He gives it a real lounge feel to it and none of this "real" sounding bird calls, he does it all on the organ. Very cool stuff.

also, on the same record, is a real kick butt version of the "girl from ipanema"

Posted Podcast # 19 - Quiet Village. In this episode, Vic plays 14 different versions of the classic exotica track.

Aloha,

Vic

How about an "imitation" Quiet Village number?
I recently came across a budget label (Wyncote) LP at a thrift store, "The Girl From Ipanema" by Jimmy Davis & Norma Lee (whoever they were....). Side ! features bossa nova vocals by Norma in a direct rip-off style of Astrud Gilberto...sweet.
Side 2 are instrumentals, including a song entitled, interestingly, "Astrud." It's just like a Les Baxter/Martin Denny number, repetitive intro, ohhing & ahhing voices, vibes, piano...clearly they were doing an exotica number. I'm surprised this number didn't show up on any of the budget exotica rip-off LPs, it's quite nice.

alittle off base, but noteworthy none-the-less is todd rundgren's exotica version of "Hello it's me" on his "with a twist" album. It's complete with birdcalls and background vocals by the "natives".......

i´ll give it a try!

On 2005-06-20 22:02, RevBambooBen wrote:
Would love to hear a Punk version.

You know, BigBroTiki, the Aliis did a vocal version of "Quiet Village" ten years before the Don Ho one from 1979. It's on the 1967 LP, HAWAII RIGHT NOW! DON HO PRESENTS THE ALIIS... with a total 'Hawaii Goes Mod' album jacket... blurred go-go dancers in psychedelic outfits. It's totally genius!

On 2005-09-28 15:47, BC-Da-Da wrote:
You know, BigBroTiki, the Aliis did a vocal version of "Quiet Village" ten years before the Don Ho one from 1979. It's on the 1967 LP, HAWAII RIGHT NOW! DON HO PRESENTS THE ALIIS... with a total 'Hawaii Goes Mod' album jacket... blurred go-go dancers in psychedelic outfits. It's totally genius!

Totally correct BC-Da-Da. It's one of the versions included in the Quiet Village podcast.

Uh... Yeah. Didn't I mention that back on Page 1 of this thread? Oops! I did call it "weird-ass," but that was just 'cause it's, well... weird. Great! But weird.

How about... the SOUL version of Quiet Village?

On iTunes, there's a version by the Ritchie Family from the album "African Queens" that sets our beloved tune to a pulsing disco beat and features some lyrics such as:
"you sexy thing, you turn me on
keep rocking steady all night long"

It's terrific! EDIT: whoops, this was mentioned awhile back... sorry for the duplicate post.
~Rupe

[ Edited by: rupe33 2005-10-26 12:38 ]

All of them.

The Cramps (believe it or not!) also do a great version of "Taboo" on their album "Fiends of Dope Island."

You can't go wrong with the "Surfmen"

How about the solo slack-key guitar version by Japanese musician Yuki "Alani" Yamauchi? I met Mr. Yamauchi at a party this summer in Hawaii Kai, following a guest appearance he made at Led Ka'apana's kiho'alu slack-key guitar workshop down at the Sheraton. His arrangement of Quiet Village is in G and he does his best to make birdcalls while he plays. The great thing about slack-key, to me, is the intricacy of the lines and voice-leading; Yamauchi was able to weave some nice countermelodies between the ever-so-famous bass line and the melody. All this while Yamauchi held a beer between his knees and I was drinking one too. I happened to have a WAITIKI DVD handy and gave it to him - hopefully we'll cross paths again one day soon. Ah, the brotherhood of tiki.....