Hesitant to perform and sensing a weakness in her voice, Margo Guryan stuck behind the scenes of the 60s/70s musical world. She learned piano as a child then began writing poems and composing during her final year of high school. She’s most well known for “Sunday Morning” as covered by Spanky and Our Gang, Oliver, and Glen Campbell & Bobby Gentry. Each takes a slightly different approach to the tune, but right now I prefer her stripped-down version on “27 Demos.” Even more than the main version off her album “Take a Picture,” which includes guitar riffs and a bit of swing to it.
“27 Demos” is a 2001 collection of Margo’s demos from 1967 to 1978. It was released after her songs gained sudden popularity and acclaim overseas. Although detractors note some of the album’s “Sesame Street-type arrangements,” that is likely what drew me to it. The Sesame Street Original Cast Recordings (especially Vol. II) are nostalgic to me, so I love hearing her similar musical arrangements with slightly more adult themes. She always pairs her “whispy voice” with keyboard, then sometimes has guitar, drums, or wind accompaniment. I think it’s fair to call the genre “sunshine pop” or the style “girlish.”
To overcome her vocal limitations, her producer and husband David Rosner suggested doubling the vocal tracks to smooth out the difference between her low and high range. This is noticeable in the tracks, but only if one’s paying attention. Right now I’m interested in the tracks “I’d Like to See the Bad Guys Win” and “The 8:17 Northbound Success Merry-Go-Round,” the latter of which has a unique rhythm, organ solo, and message to it. Some of “27 Demos” is forgettable, but it’s alarming these wouldn’t have been released if not for increased attention on her! I feel connected to her experience of learning piano but not wanting to perform, that her parents grew up in the New York/Cornell area (my grandfather went there), and her interest in politics. Despite her death in 2021, I think she will continue to grow in popularity.