Present Tense
Encyclopedia
Present Tense is the first Sagittarius
album, released in 1968 by Columbia Records
. Though the record was basically a Gary Usher
solo project, he enlisted many top LA
session musicians, and heavily utilized Curt Boettcher
as a songwriter, musician, vocalist, and producer (even going so far as to include two tracks that Boettcher
had produced on his own as the leader of the group The Ballroom). The album also contains the recording "My World Fell Down", which had no Boettcher
involvement, albeit the LP version was edited, with the musique concrète
bridge from the single version being excised (though a few extra bars of music were added in between the first and second verses). The single "Hotel Indiscreet" also had a similar fate when it reached the LP.
The album was reissued on CD
by Sundazed Records
in 1997 with 9 bonus tracks. Two of these are the original single versions of "My World Fell Down" and "Hotel Indiscreet", as well as another track from The Ballroom, a Sandy Salisbury
song, and the instrumental track for a song that was recorded by Chad & Jeremy. The track listing given below reflects the original LP.
Bonus Tracks
Sagittarius (band)
Sagittarius was an American late 1960s studio group, devised by the record producer and songwriter, Gary Usher.-History:Usher had been involved with music as a songwriter since the early 1960s , and soon branched out into production work...
album, released in 1968 by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. Though the record was basically a Gary Usher
Gary Usher
Gary Usher was an American surf rock musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Usher's early life was spent in Grafton, Massachusetts. He attended Norcross Grammar School with his sister, Sandra, who was in the same class and was likely his twin. Gary was kiddingly called "Chicken Feed"...
solo project, he enlisted many top LA
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
session musicians, and heavily utilized Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. His career spanned 1964 to 1983...
as a songwriter, musician, vocalist, and producer (even going so far as to include two tracks that Boettcher
Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. His career spanned 1964 to 1983...
had produced on his own as the leader of the group The Ballroom). The album also contains the recording "My World Fell Down", which had no Boettcher
Curt Boettcher
Curt Boettcher was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer from Wisconsin. His career spanned 1964 to 1983...
involvement, albeit the LP version was edited, with the musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
bridge from the single version being excised (though a few extra bars of music were added in between the first and second verses). The single "Hotel Indiscreet" also had a similar fate when it reached the LP.
The album was reissued on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by Sundazed Records
Sundazed Records
Sundazed Records is a record label based in Coxsackie, in the Catskills of New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s.Label founders Bob Irwin and his wife Mary started the label in 1989...
in 1997 with 9 bonus tracks. Two of these are the original single versions of "My World Fell Down" and "Hotel Indiscreet", as well as another track from The Ballroom, a Sandy Salisbury
Graham Salisbury
Graham Salisbury is an American author. He has written many books including Under the Blood Red Sun, his most famous novel. He lives with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon....
song, and the instrumental track for a song that was recorded by Chad & Jeremy. The track listing given below reflects the original LP.
Track listing
- "Another Time" (Boettcher)
- "Song to the Magic Frog (Will You Ever Know)" (Boettcher/O'Malley)
- "You Know I've Found a Way" (Boettcher/Mallory)
- "The Keeper of the Games" (Boettcher)
- "Glass" (Marks/Sheldon)
- "Would You like to Go" (Alexander/Boettcher)
- "My World Fell Down" (Carter/Stephens)
- "Hotel Indiscreet" (Gordon/Griffin)
- "I'm Not Living Here" (Boettcher)
- "Musty Dusty" (Boettcher)
- "The Truth Is Not Real" (Usher)
Bonus Tracks
- Artificial Light (Of All the Living Lies) (Badale/Levitt)
- Get the Message (Gordon/Griffin)
- Mass # 586 (Usher)
- Love's Fatal Way (Boettcher/Naylor)
- My World Fell Down (Single Version)
- Hotel Indiscreet (Gordon/Griffin)
- Lonely Girl (Salisbury)
- The Keeper Of the Games (Demo)
- Sister Marie (Instrumental)