Brian’s Weekly Sleevenotes – 2 May 15

Discover the stories behind the songs in our playlist...

Kiddio - Brook Benton

Written by Benton and Clyde Otis, the song was first introduced by Teddy Randazzo in the 1957 movie, “Mr Rock And Roll”, starring American disc jockey, Alan Freed. Benton’s real name was Benjamin Franklin Peay who spent much of his younger years singing in gospel groups before joining R&B act, The Sandmen. Having acquired a record deal with limited success, the company, Okeh records decided to push Peay as a solo artist, changing his name to Brook Benton. At the end of the fifties, he signed to Mercury where he achieved much larger success.

Loco-locomotion - Duane Eddy

This track is taken from Duane Eddy’s 1962 album, “Dance With The Guitar Man” that has just been reissued on a double forty-three track CD containing his other two other album releases from the same year, “Twistin’ And Twangin” and “Twangy Guitar And Silky Strings” plus bonus singles tracks.

You Got What It Takes - Marv Johnson

The song was allegedly originally written and recorded by blues singer, Bobby Parker in 1957 but when Johnson’s version surfaced two years later, the writing credits were listed as Berry Gordy, Gwen Fuqua and Roquel Davis. Parker decided that to fight the mighty Motown Corporation was well beyond his means and the rightful ownership of the song remains unsolved.

Higher and Higher - The Moody Blues

“To Our Children’s, Children’s, Children” was the fifth album by The Moody Blues and the first to be released on the newly formed Threshold label named after the group’s previous album, “On The Threshold Of A Dream.” The opening track, “Higher And Higher” was written by the band’s drummer, Graeme Edge. Although reaching number two on our album charts and number fourteen in America, The Moody Blues found most of the songs impossible to perform live, due to extremely complex and lush orchestrations that had included a great deal of overdubbing in the studio.

That’s All You Gotta Do - Brenda Lee

Written by Jerry Reed, “That’s All You Gotta Do” by Brenda Lee was released in America as a double ‘A’ side with “I’m Sorry” with both songs making the top ten, the latter becoming a number one. In the UK Brenda’s record company didn’t want to follow suit believing the sales and airplay would be split if they promoted both sides so settled on the bigger hit. Now you can find both songs along with twenty-nine other tracks on a new Jasmine CD, “Brenda Lee-Here Comes That Feeling.”

I’d Never Find Another You - Billy Fury

Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and originally recorded by Tony Orlando, this cover version became Billy’s seventh UK top twenty hit. He was a legend in Liverpool and was actually younger than John Lennon and Ringo Starr, and when The Beatles were beginning to make a name for themselves locally, they unsuccessfully auditioned to become his backing group, the position being given to The Tornados. Billy equaled the Beatles' record of twenty-four hits in the sixties with a combined total of 332 weeks on the UK chart without ever achieving a number one single or album.

I’ve Been Crying - Denny Mitchell Soundsations

The Denny Mitchell Soundsations hailed from Bromley in Kent, and for a short while played support to Screaming Lord Sutch and The Savages before signing a recording contract with Decca where as far as we can tell released this one and only single, “I’ve Been Crying” that despite considerable airplay failed to chart and the band members all went their own way. Keyboard player Peter Gosling later turned up as a member of the group Renaissance and in particular playing on their 1981 album, “Camera Camera.”

Behind A Painted Smile - The Isley Brothers

In 1968, “All Because Of You” was writer and producer Frank Wilson’s first project with The Isley Brothers but the single was a complete flop in America and soon after they left Motown but the following year, the UK office decided to flip the record and release the ‘B’ side “Behind a Painted Smile” as the main track. Written by Ivy Jo Hunter it had been recorded in 1967 reaching number six in the UK charts in May 1969 thanks to Britain’s taste for Motown and spotting records ignored by the American public. Very few artists found success after leaving Motown but when The Isley Brothers moved on to form their own T-Neck label, it gave other acts the confidence to find alternative homes for their music.

Talk Back Trembling Lips - Johnny Tillotson

Written by John D Loudermilk and his 1963 cover of the number one American country hit by Ernest Ashworth in the same year. Tillotson had just ended a five year recording contract with the Cadence label and had just signed to MGM and was looking for material for his first single with the company when he heard the Ashworth version on the radio. He recorded it soon after, giving him his first hit for the label and his first American top ten for eighteen months.

Sweets For My Sweet - The Searchers

During the Merseybeat boom of the early sixties, it has been estimated that there were more than four hundred groups playing in and around Liverpool, with the most successfully obviously being The Beatles. Hot on their heels however, were The Searchers a group that the fab four’s manager, Brian Epstein once admitted that one of his earliest regrets was not having signed The Searchers to his artists’ roster. “Sweets For My Sweet”, a cover of an American hit for The Drifters, gave them their first UK chart placing, topping the charts in 1963