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"Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" was a teenage tragedy song that was a top-ten hit for The Cheers (Bert Convy, Sue Allen and Gil Garfild) in the fall of 1955. The Cheers members included Bert Convy who would later be the host of Tattletales.

Andy Kim and Jeff Barry composed and produced "Sugar, Sugar" for the Archies television show. Here is the Andy Kim version as co-composer. This is the product of a group of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. Ron Dante's lead vocals were

The song was originally created as "Leningrad Nights" in 1955 but at the request of the Soviet Ministry of Culture, the lyrics were changed along with the title to "Evenings in Moscow". In 1956, it was recorded by Vladimir Troshin, a young actor of

Alberta born Joni Mitchell (Roberta Anderson) wrote and recorded "Big Yellow Taxi" and charted with the single from the "Ladies of the Canyon" album. (from a 1996 interview with the Los Angeles Times): "I wrote 'Big Yellow Taxi' on my first trip to

The late Percy Sledge was lead singer for a group called The Esquires. Members of the group composed "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright). The song seems to have been recorded in different studios (FAME and Norala Studios) and

Brooklyn's Neil Diamond composed "I'm a Believer" first although it wasn't released as a single. It can be found on the albums: "Just for You", "September Morn" and "Classics". Neil has sung the song as a slower number in concert. Don Kirshner put the

"Ain't She Sweet" was written by veteran tunesmiths Milton Ager and Jack Yellen. Milton Ager wrote the melody for his daughter Shana Ager, who became well known as the political commentator Shana Alexander.

With lyrics by Gene Lockhart and music by the concert pianist Ernest Seitz, who had conceived the refrain when he was 12 we get "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise". Embarrassed about writing popular music, Seitz used the pseudonym "Raymond Roberts"

Cole Porters wrote the music and lyrics for the 1934 Broadway musical "Anything Goes". In the show it was sung by Ethel Merman. "You're the Top" and "I Get a Kick Out of You" were also in the show. Initially the show was called "Crazy Week" as a working

"Last Kiss" is a song released by Wayne Cochran in 1961 but it didn't achieve any kind of success. Wayne Cochran went into the ministry, in later years; he doesn't talk about his rock and roll years anymore. J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers had their

The tearjerker, "Daddy What If" was written by the musical side of Shel Silverstein. This renaissance man has given us many wonderful songs, cartoons and articles. Here he performs it live on "The Johnny Cash Show". The first recorded release is from

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was written by Paul Anka. The hit was recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. The song was a posthumous success in early 1959 shortly after Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The single was a two-sided

Nick Lucas (Dominic Nicholas Anthony Lucanese) first sang "Painting the Clouds With Sunshine", "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" and he was the first to record "Together" (Buddy De Sylva - Lew Brown - Ray Henderson) in 1928, although not the first to have a

Neil Young's "Lotta Love" is from his "Comes a Time" album. Nicolette Larson provided background vocals for the album but did not sing on its "Lotta Love" track. "Lotta Love" served as lead single for Nicolette Larson's "Nicolette" album. Due to a delay

This version of Garry Bonner's "Happy Together" (Bonner - Gordon) was released in 1974. Produced by Canadian Bob Ezrin and arranged by Canada's Rick Wilkins. They were called The Crossfires, then the Tyrtles, next came The Turtles (originally Howard

Carmen Lombardo was the younger brother of bandleader Guy Lombardo. He was a vocalist and composer whose compositions included the 1928 classic "Sweethearts on Parade", which was number one for three weeks in 1929, "Ridin' Around in the Rain", written

"Our Winter Love" is a piano instrumental remake by Bill Pursell of a song written by Canadian songwriter Johnny Cowell. The song ultimately became one of the biggest selling recordings of 1963 and has carved out a small but meaningful niche for itself

"Mr. Tambourine Man" was composed in 1964, and performed by Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman), who released his original version on the 1965 album "Bringing It All Back Home". The Brothers Four (Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley) were

"Seasons in the Sun" is an English-language adaptation of the song "Le Moribond" by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. In 1959, McKuen released a novelty single with Bob McFadden, under the pseudonym Dor on the Brunswick label, called "The Mummy".

"I Go Pieces" was produced, arranged and written by Del Shannon in 1964. This R&B demo was sung by Lloyd Brown. Later that year Del Shannon cut the tune himself but it was rushed near the end of a three hour recording session so he recorded "I Go

The Coasters (Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Bobby Nunn, Leon Hughes) were the original artists to record "Girls, Girls, Girls" in 1961. The single barely cracked the top one hundred in Billboard. The Elvis Presley movie came out in 1962 with "Return To

"Sometimes When We Touch" was written by Dan Hill (lyrics) and Barry Mann (music). Barry Mann wrote an incredible amount of hit material but had only one hit on which he sang: "Who Put the Bomp". Yet it was he who co-wrote this super ballad. It was on

Buzzy (William) Linhart co-authored "(You Got to Have) Friends" (Buzzy Linhart and Mark "Moogy" Klingman). Bette Midler and "Friends" reached the top forty with her cover in 1973. "Friends" is from her first album "The Devine Miss M". Co-produced by

The timeless Bobby Darin wrote and recorded "I'll Be There" as the B side to "Bill Bailey" in 1960. It barely broke into the top one hundred. Liverpool group Gerry (Marsden) and the Pacemakers (Gerry's brother Fred Marsden, Les Chadwick and Les Maguire)

Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" comes from the 1970 album "Ladies of the Canyon". She wrote the song from what she had heard from then-boyfriend, Graham Nash, about the Woodstock Music and Art Festival. She had not been there herself, since she was told by a

Carl Emil Paul Lincke was a German composer and conductor. His composition "Glühwürmchen" (The Glow-Worm) originated in the 1902 operetta Lysistrata. It was originally translated into English by Lilla Cayley Robinson in the early 20th century was used in

"Until It's Time for You to Go" is from the 1965 album "Many a Mile" by Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. This Canadian classic charted for Neil Leslie Diamond in 1975.

"Desafinado" (Portuguese meaning: out of tune) was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Apparently one of the reasons "Tom" Jobim wrote Desafinado was because he was aware that he was not a good singer, hence Desafinado (Out of Tune) was written. The song

"Diane" (Rapee - Pollack) was composed for the 1927 silent movie "Seventh Heaven". In the silent era, theatres provided live accompaniment on piano, organ or even full orchestra. James Melton sang the lyric first. It was he who started the tradition of

The traditional children's song "Looby Lou" (Massey - Robinson) is the third track on the Donald Dame album "Children's Favourites, Volume 1: Original Recordings 1926 - 1952". This was recorded with the Alexander Cores Orchestra. Something different

Ellie Greenwich was one of three composers on "I Can Hear Music" (Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry - Phil Spector). This is from the 1973 album "Let it be Written, Let it be Sung". In 1985 a Broadway show "Leader of the Pack" dedicated to songs co-written by

Fats Domino recorded "My Girl Josephine" (Domino - Bartholomew) in 1960 and peaked at number fourteen on the pop chart. It was on Fat's album "A Lot of Dominos" along with "Walkin' to New Orleans". Jerry Jaye's cover "Hello Josephine" was done on one

This is Roger Cook singing "I Believe in You" (Roger Cook - Sam Hogin). Roger Cook has composed too many hits to list while Sam Hogin gave us Shania Twain's "Dance With the One That Brought You" and lots of other country hits. Former member of the

When the inventive Roger Miller wrote "Fair Swiss Maiden" it was titled simply "Swiss Maid", then he recorded the song and changed the title. Del Shannon's (Charles Weedon Westover) version called "The Swiss Maid" was released in 1962 and crawled to

There are many rock and roll anthems like Johnny B Goode, We Will Rock You, Born to be Wild, etc. but I had no idea the Duane Eddy "polka" Rebel 'Rouser would be the basis for a tune with that title. "The national anthem of rock'n'roll" come from a live

Composer Jimmy Webb was first to record "The Highwayman" for his 1977 album "El Mirage" produced, arranged, and conducted by George Martin, . Among his bona fide hits: Up, Up and Away", "Didn't We", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman",

Original lead for The Impressions, "The Iceman", Jerry Butler co-wrote and recorded "He Will Break Your Heart" (Jerry Butler - Calvin Carter - Curtis Mayfield) in 1960 peaking at number seven on the pop chart and topping the R&B chart. Produced by

One of the most influential pop music duos consisted of brothers Don and Phil Everly. The Everly Brothers were raised in a musical family and are members of both The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Cadence and Warner

Tommy James and the Shondells (Eddie Gray, Ron Rosman, Mike Vale and Peter Lucia) "I Think We're Alone Now" (Ritchie Cordell) peaked at number four in 1967. The Tommy James book "Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride" is a most interesting read.

The mid fifties was the era of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Empire Records saw a way of cashing in by emphasizing the youth of the singers especially their group The Preludes. They became The Youngsters (Charles Everidge, Herman Pruitt, Robert

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

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

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

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

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

"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