Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 9 August 14

This week's show went off with a bang and Lulu & The Luvvers' 'Shout'. The group signed to Decca in 1964 after being rejected by EMI, a company Lulu later joined as a solo performer. Their first release was the revival of this Isley Brothers overlooked 1959 recording, 'Shout' which they performed on their TV debut, “Thank Your Lucky Stars” on May 16th 1964.

Hey Baby - Bruce Channel

This week's Both Sides Of The Record was a request for Bruce Channel. 'Hey Baby' features Delbert McClinton on harmonica, the man who taught John Lennon to play the instrument and took under fifteen minutes to complete. Originally released on the small Le Cam label owned by Bruce’s manager, Major Bill Smith, a retired Air Force officer who was hoping to make it big in the music business. The record quickly became popular in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and gained great reviews in the music press. Smith was contacted by Mercury records offering $500 for the rights and turned it into an international hit. Before the deal was signed, Randy Wood, owner of the Dot label called with a $10,000 offer for the record but Smith and Channel being men of their word, still signed with Mercury.

Dream Girl - Bruce Channel

'Dream Girl' was written by Margaret Cobb and Bruce Channel and was the ‘B’ side to his major hit, 'Hey Baby' from the pen of the same writers who had originally written the song in the hope of getting The Platters to record it.

A Salty Dog - Procol Harum

Our first request this week came for 'A Salty Dog' from Procol Harum. The title track to their third album that was released as a single in 1969 and reached number forty-four in our charts on the 18th June for one week, came back at the same position for another week on July 2nd and amazingly returned again for a further week on July 16th also at number forty-four. The album was recorded just prior to the departure of keyboard player Matthew Fisher and their bass Dave Knights. 'A Salty Dog' finally made it into the top twenty in 1972 as part of a re-issued 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' EP.

Wooly Bully - Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs

The Texas band were signed to Memphis record producer, Stan Kesler who suggested they cut 'Wooly Bully' as their second release, a song adapted from 'Hully Gully Now' recorded in 1962 by Big Bo and The Arrows. Although they had the backing worked out, Sam had to make up the words as they went along resulting in three takes with three totally different sets of lyrics, with Kesler settling on version three for release in America on the tiny Pen label in 1964 that was purchased by the giant MGM organisation where it became an international hit. Copies of the early original single now exchange hands for over £300.

The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - The Walker Brothers

The Walker Brothers took over the UK’s number one spot for the second time with a song composed by successful songwriters and producers, Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. Remaining at the top of the charts for four weeks, the song was originally released as a solo single by Frankie Valli in 1965 although it was recorded in a Four Seasons recording session with the other group members present. It was included on his debut solo album, Frankie Valli: and The Walker Brothers’ cover was almost a note for note copy of the original.

Love Is A Hurtin' Thing - Lou Rawls

Lou Rawls was one of music’s most highly regarded singers, born in Chicago he began singing gospel in church choirs. His career was almost ended during a tour with his friend Sam Cooke when he was involved in a serious car accident in which one passenger was killed, Cooke was injured and Rawls was pronounced dead on the way to hospital but he’d slipped into a coma for five days and suffered memory loss from which he didn’t recover for over a year. During his five decade career he recorded at least seventy-five albums and garnered thirteen Grammy nominations, winning three. 'Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing' became his first American top twenty hit, an achievement that eluded him n the UK until 1976 when he reached number ten with 'You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine'.

Dat's Love - The Vernons Girls

This Classically Pop song was included on the Vernons Girls four track EP, 'Lover Please' and was based on Bizet’s Habanera from his opera Carmen that was later turned into 'Dat’s Love' when lyrics were added by Oscar Hammerstein for the musical, 'Carmen Jones'. He translated the libretto from the opera from French into English but pretty well left the original music intact. The Vernons Girls first came to the public’s attention through their regular appearances on the TV show 'Oh Boy'.

I'm Ready For Love - Martha & The Vandellas

Written and produced by Motown’s top team of Holland, Dozier and Holland, this gave Martha & The Vandellas their biggest American hit since 'Dancing In The Street'. The Temptations also recorded a version of the song for their 1967 album, 'In A Mellow Mood'. For the recording, The Vandellas were helped with the harmonies by session girl group the Andantes, who sing the higher notes of the song.

Bowling Green - The Everly Brothers

Written by Jacqueline Erte and the Everly’s bass player, Terry Slater, this became the Don and Phil’s last American top forty hit. Often confused with the traditional 'I Wish I Was In Bowling Green', this song is about Bowling Green in Kentucky, a city approximately sixty miles from the duo’s hometown of Brownie that has become part of Central City in Kentucky. (Check out the Everly Brothers on Saturday Club audio from 1963 on the website)

Someone, Someone - Brian Poole & The Tremeloes

This became the fourth and penultimate single to make the top ten whilst Brian Poole was still the lead singer with The Tremeloes. The song was written by Norman Petty and Howard Greines and began life as the ‘B’ side to The Crickets’ 1959 single, 'Love’s Made A Fool Of You'. In 1966, Poole attempted a solo career that proved unsuccessful and The Tremeloes released two singles that flopped before they were back on top with the Cat Stevens song, 'Here Comes My Baby'.

Summer Is Over - Frank Ifield

Written by Clive Westlake and Tom Springfield, the song was originally recorded by Dusty Springfield as the ‘B’ side to her 1964 top ten hit single, 'Losing You', the same year that Frank Ifield picked up the song and released it as the follow up to his previous hit, 'I Should Care'. Check out Bob Stanley's blog on Frank Ifield, here.