Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 1 December 14

Good Morning - Leapy Lee

Jimi Hendrix

Leapy Lee signed to MCA Records in 1968 and released the single, 'Little Arrows' written by the then virtually unknown Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood. It became an enormous hit selling over four million copies worldwide but a second hit was proving more difficult and it took several failed releases and just over a year before his manager, Gordon Mills produced 'Good Morning' from the pen of song writer Tat Meager. Unfortunately this record, released in the final weeks of 1969 only managed a number forty-seven chart placing and Mr Lee never leapt into the best sellers again.

Purple Haze - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Hendrix once claimed that the song was inspired by a dream where he was walking under the sea. In the dream, he said a purple haze surrounded him, engulfed him and got him lost. The song also contains one of the most misheard lyrics of a pop song when he sings “’Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky” and was interpreted as “’Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy”. To add confusion to the situation, from time to time Hendrix would sing it that way and point to one of his band. A month before Hendrix died, he opened a recording studio in new York’s Greenwich Village called Electric Lady. One of the studios is known as Purple Haze and contained a purple mixing board. The studios to this day have remained active with The Clash, Weezer, Patti Smith and Alicia Keys all having recorded there.

Dead End Street - The Kinks

Written by group leader, Ray Davies, and originally released as a non-album single, but has since been included as one of several bonus tracks from the reissued 'Face To Face' CD. The song, like many others by the group, deals with the poverty and misery found in the poorer end of English society. A promotional black and white film was produced for the song in 1966, filmed on Little Green Street, an eighteenth century lane in North London, located off Highgate Road in Kentish Town and featured each member of the band dressed as undertakers, as well as playing various other characters throughout. The BBC took a dislike to the film claiming it was in bad taste.

Read Bob Stanley's featured article all about The Kinks love affair with Muswell Hill, here.

Are You Growing Tired Of My Love - Status Quo

Status Quo

Written by Anthony King, this was taken from the album, 'Spare Parts' and was the first Status Quo single to feature Rick Parfitt singing lead vocals. After the success of 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men' and 'Ice In The Sun' in 1968, this became their only record to make any impact the following year with its number forty-six chart placing. Many believed the days of Quo were numbered but they went on to achieve more hits than any other band.

Stand - Sly & The Family Stone

Released as a double ‘A’ side in America with 'I Want To Take You Higher', 'Stand' invites his fans to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. Written by Sylvester ‘Sly Stone’ Stewart, he took the finished recording to a top San Francisco night club and requested the DJ to give it a spin. It garnered a luke warm reception and as a result, he took the tapes back into the recording studio and added a gospel styled instrumental break. Unfortunately most of his band were unavailable for the session, so he resorted to using session musicians in their place.

A Little Bit Of Soap - The Jarmels

The Jarmels began as a gospel group from Richmond, Virginia and were signed to the American Laurie label in 1961 reaching the top twenty with this their second release and the first of many hits to be written by the late Burt Burns who also had a hand in the production, giving the track a lavish Latin feel that would soon become his trademark. After releasing a number of less successful records, The Jarmels disappeared from view and even photos of the group have proved hard to come by when journalists have wanted to write about their short but sweet successful period.

Here I Go Again - The Hollies

Neil Sedaka

Written by Mort Shuman and Clive Westlake who wrote hits for stars such as Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and Dusty Springfield. This became The Hollies fifth UK top forty hit and was the title track to their first album release in America that contained mainly tracks from their first UK album, 'Stay With The Hollies'. It is also included on a new three disc collection, 'The Hollies: 50 at 50' released by Rhino Records in celebration of the group’s fiftieth anniversary and their European tour that began in last month and continues until the end of November.

Are You The Boy - Tuesday Weld

Actress Tuesday Weld made her feature film debut in 1956 with a minor part in Alfred Hitchcock’s drama, 'The Wrong Man' and in the same year played lead in the rock and roll movie, 'Rock, Rock Rock' that featured amongst others, Chuck Berry, Johnny Burnette and Frankie Lymon. Although she had to sing in the movie, her vocal parts were dubbed by Connie Francis but in 1962 she released a single on which there was no substitute, so perhaps the director Will Price made the right decision. Tuesday’s acting work was acknowledged with nominations for a Golden Globe Award for 'Play It As It Lays' in 1972, a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for 'Looking for Mr Goodbar' in 1978, an Emmy Award for 'The Winter of Our Discontent' in 1983 and a BAFTA for 'Once Upon a Time in America' in 1984. Since the late 1980s, her acting appearances have been far less frequent.

Next Door To An Angel - Neil Sedaka

So similar in format to many of Neil’s previous hits, the British market appeared to have become a little bored with the similarity in his songs thus earning him a mere chart position of number twenty-nine, although things were different in The States where it was another top five hit. It wasn’t until 1973 when he returned to our top twenty with any new material and 'That’s Where The Music Takes Me' showed a new sounding Neil Sedaka.