Articles by John Twang

In 1971 Lally Stott wrote "Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep, Cheep" and had a top twenty hit with it in France while it was a minor hit in other countries. Scottish group Middle of The Road (Sally Carr, Ken Andrew, Ian McCredie and brother Eric McCredie) topped the U.K. charts the same year yet failed to attain success in the U.S. Siblings Mac and Katy Kissoon's (Farthing) cover of "Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep, Cheep" hit the American top twenty. Both Mac and Katy have been members of the James Last Singe…

In 1967 the incredibly talented Laura Nyro (Nigro) released her debut album “More Than A New Discovery” and among those tracks were “Wedding Bell Blues”, “And When I Die” and “Stoney End”. In 1969 the album was re-released as “Laura Nyro” then released again in 1973 as “The First Songs”. In 1999 the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Barbra Streisand’s 1970 single cover of “Stoney End” and the 1971 album both peaked in the top ten. Among those musicians on the album were Randy N…

We start with the Bee Gees version that was not released until well after the Samantha Sang hit. It's from their album "1979 Tour" and on the 2001 greatest hits album. Fellow Australian singer Samantha Sang sang her only hit that peaked in the top five in 1978. "Emotion" (Barry and Robin Gibb) featured Barry harmonizing and in the background. Destiny's Child (Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) rightly hit the top ten with this rendition of "Emotion" in 2001. The single c…

Oshawa's Johnny Cowell published "Walk Hand in Hand" in 1956. The biggest-selling version recorded was sung by Mr. Cyd Charisse, Alvin Morris aka Tony Martin, reaching #2 in the UK and #10 on the United States Billboard chart in 1956. A later recording by Gerry Marsden & The Pacemakers reached the top 10 in Canada at the end of 1965.

The Will-O-Bees (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter and Robert Merchanthouse) were first to record "Make Your Kind of Music" (Barry Mann - Cynthia Weil) in 1968. From the album "Bubblegum, Lemonade, and ... Something for Mama" Ellen Naomi Cohen aka Mama Cass (Elliott) released the single "Make Your Kind of Music". Because of the songs success making it into the top forty the album title was changed to "Make Your Own Kind of Music".

Columbia Records issued Mahalia Jackson "For My Good Fortune" (Bobby Stevens - Otis Blackwell) as a single in 1958. The "Queen of Gospel" started her singing at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in New Orleans and issued the debut album "The World's Greatest Gospel Singer" in 1955. The Pat Boone cover of "For My Good Fortune" cracked the top thirty of Billboard in 1959 featuring the Billy Vaughn Orchestra and Chorus. The track can be found on his "More Greatest Hits" and "Pat Boone Sings" albums.

"Concrete and Clay" (Tommy Moeller - Brian Parker) was composed by members of Unit Four Plus Two (Tommy Moeller, Brian Parker, David Meikle and Peter Moules). This vocal group was joined by the "Plus Two" of Russ Ballard on guitar and Bob Henrit on drums. The single topped the U.K. chart in 1965 and hit the U.S. top thirty. Tommy Moeller appeared as Whistling Jack Smith (I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman) on tour. Ace producer Bob Crewe had the tune covered by singer/composer, artist Eddie Rambeau…

The Lovin' Spoonful (John Sebastian, Zal Yanovsky, Steve Boone and Joe Butler) recorded some truly wonderful material, not the least of which is "Daydream" (John Sebastian). Here is the demo followed by the hit issue. The 1966 single reached the top ten and is from the album of the same name which also contained "You Didn't Have to be so Nice". John Sebastian is the son of the famed classical harmonica player and the godson of Vivian Vance of "I Love Lucy" note. John had a huge solo hit in t…

The British television series "Danger Man" was broadcast in the U.S. as "Secret Agent Man". The American theme was co-composer by P.F. Sloan (Philip Gary Schlein), featured here with his take on the tune, "Secret Agent Man" (P.F. Sloan - Steve Barri). The team of Sloan and Barri (Steven Barry Lipkin) had the same publisher, Lou Adler, who handled Johnny Rivers. "... And I Know You Wanna Dance" was the Johnny Rivers (Ramistella) album that contained the single "Secret Agent Man". It peaked at…

The original title of "Among My Souvenirs" (Leslie - Wright) was "Souvenirs" as recorded first in 1927 by the Kit-Cat Band who were in reality Al Starita's Orchestra with Ted Heath on trombone and vocalist Eddie Collis. In 1959, Connie Francis (Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero) recorded the song in a vastly different manner. It reached number seven on Billboard's pop chart and number ten on the R&B charts!

"Both Sides, Now" is a song by Joni Mitchell. Her recording first appeared on the album Clouds, released in 1969. She re-recorded the song in a more lush and orchestrated version for the album Both Sides Now released in 2000 and we'll hear that version. It's my personal preference. Judy Collins made the first commercially released recording of the song, shortly after Mitchell wrote it, first including it on her 1967 Wildflowers album. In October 1968 she released it as a single. In 1969 she…

Mary Martin and Robert Preston starred in the 1966 David Merrick Broadway production "I Do! I Do!" and there was the introduction of "My Cup Runneth Over" (Harvey Schmidt - Tom Jones). Robert Preston won a 1967 Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Ed Ames (Urick) was part of the fabulous Ames Brothers and a known actor for works such as the television series "Daniel Boone". On Broadway he starred in "The Fantasticks", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Carnival". Th…

"You Won't See Me" is from the classic Beatle's Rubber Soul album and recorded on the last night of the sessions, November 11,1965 in just two takes. Though credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by Paul McCartney. From the 1974 LP "Love Song", "You Won't See Me" became a big hit top ten hit for Anne Murray, It was actually the B side to "He Thinks I Still Care". John Lennon is said to have told Anne Murray that her version of "You Won't See Me" was his favorite Beatles cover ever.

The Young Rascals' (Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli) album "Groovin'" contains "How Can I Be Sure" (Felix Cavaliere - Eddie Brigati) and it features Eddie Brigati on lead vocal. The song peaked at number four in 1967. The next year they changed the group name to simply The Rascals. The son of actor/singer Jack Cassidy and brother of Shaun, teen idol David Cassidy aka Keith on The Partridge Family television series released "How Can I Be Sure" in 1972 and reached…

Composer Ken Hirsch has worked with writers as diverse as Howard Greenfield, Hal David, Doc Pomus, Gerry Goffin, Phil Cody, Paul Williams, carole bayer Sager and Ron Miller. "I've Never Been To Me" was one of those ventures. This was recorded at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe.. "I've Never Been To Me" (Ron Miller - Kenneth Hirsch) was recorded first by Randy (Veronica) Crawford on the 1976 album "Everything Must Change". That's Ralph MacDonald on percussion and the flugelhorn talents of Hugh Masek…

Simon & Garfunkel's "A Hazy Shade of Winter" (Paul Simon) is found on the "Bookends" album issued in 1968. The single peaked in the top fifteen in 1966 when it was supposed to be on an earlier album. The 1987 movie "Less Than Zero" soundtrack contains The Bangles (Susanna Hoffs, Michael Steele, Vicki Peterson and sister Debbi Peterson cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter" (they dropped the "A"). It peaked in the number two slot!

The Contours (Billy Gordon, Billy Hoggs, Hubert Johnson, Joe Billingslea, Sylvester Potts, and Hugh Davis) "Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)" (Berry Gordy Jr.) was their only Top 40 single but they did it twice with the same tune. First in 1962 when it hit the top five and again in 1988 when it was featured in the movie Dirty Dancing. This time it reached number eleven. The legendary Funk Brothers provide the background. From the 1964 album "Glad All Over" comes The Dave Clark Five (Dave…

Howard Hoagland "Hoagy" Carmichael wrote and recorded "Georgia On My Mind" (Hoagy Carmichael - Stuart Gorrell) in 1930. Included on this recording are Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Lang, Jack Teagarden and Jimmy Dorsey, Ray Charles was born in Georgia and in 1960 recorded the album "The Genius Hits the Road". There you will find his gorgeous cover of "Georgia On My Mind". This version hit the top of the Billboard chart that year and became became the state of Georgia official song April 24, 1979.