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Publication date  /  2017  /  January   -   31 articles

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  • Heartbreaker

    - 01 Jan 2017
    The song title "Heartbreaker" has charted many times for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Gene Pitney, Led Zepplin, Ryan Adams and Dionne Warwick as entirely different tunes. This one is from the British singer Jenny Darren's album "Queen Of Fools" in

  • Heartbreaker (Dionne Warwick)

    - 02 Jan 2017
    This is Barry Gibb's 1982 demo for "Heartbreaker". The incredible Bee Gees cover of their own song "Heartbreaker" (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) with Barry singing lead on the album "Love Songs". The song was recorded earlier but not released

  • I'll Never Love This Way Again

    - 03 Jan 2017
    Co-writer Richard Kerr sings "I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again" (Richard Kerr - Will Jennings) from his 1978 album "Welcome To The Club". The same team wrote Barry Manilow hits "Looks Like We Made It" and "Somewhere In the Night". Dionne Warwick

  • Somewhere In The Night

    - 04 Jan 2017
    Helen Reddy, Kim Carnes, Yvonne Elliman, Batdorf and Rodney along with co-writer Richard Kerr all released "Somewhere In the Night" in 1975. We start with Richard Kerr's version. The British composer also hit for Barry Manilow with "Mandy" and "Looks Like

  • Can't Stop Talking About You

    - 05 Jan 2017
    Chicago area native Tobin Matthews (Willy Henson) recorded "Can't Stop Taking About You" (Goffin - King) in 1963. A great version of the song, it didn't become a hit even though Tobin's tune was gaining recognition. JFK was assassinated and media

  • Mule Train

    - 06 Jan 2017
    It was Buz (Ellis Jr.) Butler who recorded the first version of "Mule Train" (Lange - Heath - Glickman) in 1949. It was co-written by his manager Fred Glickman and Merle Travis played guitar on the record. Later that year Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and

  • Long Haired Lover From Liverpool

    - 07 Jan 2017
    Christopher Kingsley wrote and released "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" (Kingsley) in 1969. Both this and the hit were on the MGM label. Little Jimmy Osmond's mother heard the original recording in 1972 and though it would be the perfect tune you

  • The Weight

    - 08 Jan 2017
    While posting this I am reading the Robbie Robertson biography "Testimony". It's a wonderful read but I will purposefully keep my comments short as it's so tempting to do otherwise. "The Weight" (Robertson - Danko - Manuel - Hudson - Helm) is from The

  • Soul Serenade

    - 09 Jan 2017
    Grammy winner King Curtis (Curtis Ousley) issued "Soul Serenade" (Ousley - Dixon) on his 1964 album of the same name. It was King Curtis who played the distinctive sax on the Coasters' "Yakety Yak". As a session musician he worked with such diverse

  • Gee Whiz

    - 10 Jan 2017
    Bob (Byrd) And Earl (Nelson) were both members of The Hollywood Flames before they released the original "Gee Whiz" (Jeanne Vikki - Jimmie Thomas aka Leon Rene) in 1958. Bob was known as Bobby Day whose solo career included "Rockin' Robin", "Little Bitty

  • I'm A Fool

    - 11 Jan 2017
    Rick Nelson was first to record "I'm A Fool" (Joey Cooper - Red West) on the 1964 album "Spotlight On Rick". The album was not his most successful effort. The songs co-writer Red West was a member of the Elvis Presley entourage for many years. Dino

  • Bowling Green

    - 12 Jan 2017
    Here is the 1967 demo for The Everly Brother's "Bowling Green" (Terry Slater). The single reached the Billboard Top Forty and topped charts in Canada. The song was actually written by the Everly's bass player Terry Slater and Jacqueline Ertel. daughter of

  • That's Old Fashioned

    - 13 Jan 2017
    The Chordettes (details elsewhere) recorded the original "That's Old Fashioned" (Bill Giant - Bernie Baum -Florence Kaye) in 1959. Despite being married to a member of The Chordettes, Cadence label owner Archie Bleyer didn't release the song right away.

  • Save The Country

    - 14 Jan 2017
    One of my personal favourites, Laura Nyro (Nigro) wrote and recorded "Save The Country" as a single in 1968. The next year it was issued on the album "New York Tendaberry". Wikipedia "Nyro was inspired to write the song after the June 5, 1968

  • You, You, You (Du Du Du)

    - 15 Jan 2017
    Germany's Angele Durand (Angela DeGeest) with the Bela Sanders Orchestra recorded "Du Du Du" (Olias - Rothenburg) in 1953. Angele toured with Maurice Chevalier, Josephine Baker and Edith Piaf. You have to appreciate the harmonies of The Ames Brothers

  • The Hokey Pokey

    - 16 Jan 2017
    Known as "The Hokey Cokey" in various lands this novelty tune and dance dates back at least two hundred years. The Ram Trio aka The Sun Valley Trio wrote and recorded "The Hokey Pokey" (La Prise - Macak - Baker) in 1949. Wikipedia: " They have generally

  • Set The Night To Music

    - 17 Jan 2017
    The 1987 Starship (Grace Slick, Mickey Thomas, Donny Baldwin and Craig Chaquico) album "No Protection" contains the track "Set The Night To Music" (Diane Warren). Grace Slick left the group the next year. In 1991 Roberta Flack and Maxi Priest (Elliott)

  • Magic Bus

    - 18 Jan 2017
    The Pudding released "The Magic Bus" (Pete Townshend) in 1967 but it didn't chart. It's difficult to find information on this obscure band. I tried. If you have anything to add please let me know. The Who's (Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon and

  • Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard

    - 19 Jan 2017
    Cleveland clinical therapist, acting coach, actress and singer Andrea Carroll (DeCapite) recorded "Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard" (Sylvia Dee - George Goehring) in 1961. Sylvia Dee also wrote "Too Young" while George Goehring attained fame with

  • The Snake

    - 20 Jan 2017
    Jazz singer and civil rights activist Oscar Brown Jr. released "The Snake" in 1963. This track is from the album "Tell It Like It Is". Mississippi's Al Wilson enjoyed success when he recorded the Johnny River's production of "The Snake". The single

  • I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down

    - 21 Jan 2017
    Ann Peebles 1974 Memphis soul album "I Can't Stand the Rain" contains the 1972 track "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" (Earl Rabdle) produced by Willie Mitchell. The single peaked at number thirty-one on the R&B chart. Paul Young's cover of "I'm

  • What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted

    - 22 Jan 2017
    "What Becomes Of the Brokenhearted" (Witherspoon - Riser - Dean) was issued by Jimmy Ruffin in 1966. The Motown release was written for The Spinners but David Ruffin, Jimmy's brother, of The Temptations intervened. The single spotlighted The Funk

  • Oh, Girl

    - 23 Jan 2017
    In the summer of 1972 The Chi-Lites (Creadel Jones, Marshall Thompson and Clarence Lester) sang "Oh, Girl" as written, produced by Eugene Record who also sang lead. This is on the album "A Lonely Man" and the smooth single topped both the pop and R&B

  • Family Man

    - 24 Jan 2017
    "Tubular Bells instrumentalist Mike Oldfield released "Family Man" (Mike Oldfield, Terry Cross, Rick Fenn, Mike Frye, Morris Pert and Maggie Reilly) as a single with Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly in 1982.This was a track on the album "Five Miles Out".

  • Three Coins In The Fountain

    - 25 Jan 2017
    "Three Coins In the Fountain" (Jule Styne - Sammy Cahn) from the movie of the same name starring Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire and Jean Peters won the Academy Award For Best Original Song in 1954. Wikipedia: "Three Coins in the Fountain" refers to the act

  • I Won't Last A Day Without You

    - 26 Jan 2017
    The wonderful Grammy and Academy Award winner, composer, poet and actor Paul Williams recorded "I Won't Last A Day Without You" (Paul Williams - Roger Nichols) in 1972 for his album "Life Goes On". Brother and sister Richard and Karen Carpenter recorded

  • Maybe

    - 27 Jan 2017
    The Ink Spots (Bill Kenny, Charlie Fuqua, Deek Watson and Hoppy Jones) first recorded "Maybe" (Allan Flynn - Frank Madden) in 1940. The single peaked at number two on Billboard when the group was so popular that they had their own barber, valet and

  • The Way You Look Tonight

    - 28 Jan 2017
    Fred Astaire sang "The Way You Look Tonight" (Jerome Kern - Dorothy Fields) to Ginger Rogers in the 1936 film "Swing Time". This track is from the movie soundtrack which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. In 1961 The Lettermen (Jim Pike, Tony Butala

  • Rock And Roll Love Letter

    - 29 Jan 2017
    "Behind The Eyes" is the 1975 album and here you'll find the power pop tune by Tim Moore "Rock And Roll Love Letter". This is the same author of the polar opposite sound and the originator of the Art Garfunkel hit "Second Avenue". Tim was a session

  • What A Party

    - 30 Jan 2017
    Cajun Bobby Charles (Guidry) wrote "See You Later, Alligator", "Walking To New Orleans" and "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do". Although he didn't compose the tune Bobby was first to record "What A Party" (P. King _ D. Bartholomew) in1960 for Imperial Records.

  • River Deep, Mountain High

    - 31 Jan 2017
    Ike and Tina Turner introduced the Phil Spector produced, Jack Nitzsche arranged "River Deep, Mountain High" (P. Spector - J. Barry - E. Greenwich) with The Wrecking Crew in 1966. It's been said the lack of success of the single, which peaked at