Buttercup

This year I bought myself a small Christmas present. 

When recently looking through one of the upstairs cupboards in my house, I noticed my extensive collection of vinyl records. With vinyl making something of a resurgence and having nothing to play them on, I decided to invest in a turntable that converts the music into MP3s. The turntable arrived yesterday and I have now started what will be, a very long task of conversion.

Forgetting quite how many 33s, 45s and 12 inch singles I had collected over the years before CDs and downloads took over, it was fascinating to start going through them all, while bringing back memories of people and old friends associated with those memories, many of which I have long lost contact with.

The first pile brought me records by such diverse artists as Lionel Richie, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Bill Withers, Chicago and the Little River Band, but the 12 inch single that brought back most memories was an early 80s remix of “Buttercup” by Carl Anderson.

To Top-40 fans, Carl Anderson is not a name that particularly rolls off the tongue, but for those interested in musical theatre he is fondly remembered for playing Judas Iscariot in the Broadway and film productions of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Written by Stevie Wonder, “Buttercup” was originally recorded by the Jackson Five but never actually released by them until their 2009 compilation I Want You Back!  Unreleased Masters came into being.

In my opinion, the song certainly lends itself to Anderson’s vocal versatility to transform between R&B and jazz and however much of a fan I am of the Jacksons, their slightly slower version although very pleasant, didn’t really do it for me.

Carl Anderson passed away in 2004 at the age of 58 after a battle with leukaemia.