Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 18 April 15

Every Breath I Take - Gene Pitney

The song was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and only achieved an American chart position of number forty-two but failed completely in the UK. The recording costs were in He was backed vocally by top New York group, The Halos and they recorded take after take of the song sending the costs soaring well over budget to an excess of an unprecedented $14,000. Pitney was reported to have had a bad cold at the time of recording forcing him to sing the final part of the song in falsetto. In later years, he was quoted as saying that he’d never worked harder at a recording session but the result was worth it.

True Love Ways - Peter & Gordon

After achieving a n umber one with their first release, ‘A World Without Love’ and a top ten hit with the follow up, ‘Nobody I Know’ both written by Lennon and McCartney, Peter Asher and Gordon Waller decided to record a “cover for their third release by reviving Buddy Holly’s ‘True Love Ways’ recorded by him in 1958 just four months before he was involved in a fatal air crash. Buddy wrote ‘True Love Ways’ for his wife, Maria Elena as a wedding gift and in 2011 she unveiled for the first time a photo of their wedding kiss, now displayed at P.J. Clarke's, a New York burger bar restaurant above Table 53, the very table where they became engaged while on a date in 1958.

A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues - Gerry & The Pacemakers

Gerry & The Pacemakers first LP, ‘How Do You Like It’ reached number two on our album charts and included their third consecutive number one hit, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ along with their treatment of Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ and Chuck Berry’s ‘Maybelline.’ However, the opening track on side one as you rightly pointed out is Terry Thompson’s song, ‘A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues’ first recorded by Arthur Alexander and has since been covered by a number of artists including The Beatles, Cilla Black and Johnny Kidd & The Pirates.

I’ll Try Something New - The Miracles

Written by Smokey Robinson and the first Miracles record to list Smokey as co-producer with Berry Gordy. Smokey came up with the idea for the song whilst while cheering his home baseball team, The Detroit’s Tiger’s whilst his father was rooting for the opposing side, The Cleveland Indians. After the Tigers won, he hugged his old man and exclaimed, “I think I’ve just got myself a hit” to which his father replied, “well give it to Cleveland, they need a hit more than you.”

Pamela, Pamela - Wayne Fontana

His last and most successful of his three solo top forty hits after breaking away from his group, The Mindbenders that he’d formed in 1963. After breaking away in 1965, he continued to work alone using various musicians under the name of The Opposition or The Wayne Fontana Band to back him. ‘Pamela, Pamela’ was written by Graham Gouldman who had spent a brief spell as bass player with The Mindbenders.

What A Dream - Conway Twity

Fantastic Voyage Records have recently released a triple CD containing ninety tracks under the heading ‘Bubbling Under The American Charts 1959-1963’ which is a collection of singles that accrued enough sales and/or airplay to register in Billboard magazine’s ‘Bubbling Under’ chart but just failed to make the Hot 100. The collection includes material by Neil Sedaka, Ike and Tina Turner, Little Stevie Wonder, Del Shannon and this brilliant 1960 release by Conway Twitty, ‘What A Dream.’

Then I Kissed Her - The Beach Boys

Originally a major hit for The Crystals under its original title, ‘Then He Kissed Me’. It was changed to the title of ‘Then I Kissed Her’, when The Beach Boys decided to record it for their 1965 album, ‘Summer Days’ featuring Al Jardine on lead vocals. Although it became a major hit in the UK, the track was never issued as a single in The States.

The Other Side Of Town - P. J. Proby

Written by Jackie De Shannon, who became an established composer and performer, and Sharon Sheeley, who today, is sadly remembered mainly as the short term girlfriend of the late Eddie Cochran. Althought, at the age of eighteen she had written her first hit, ‘Poor Little Fool’ for Ricky Nelson. She then suggested to the young singer, James Marcus Smith that he should adopt the name of another of her former boyfriends P. J.Proby, the advice was taken and P.J ended up with a recording contract with Liberty. Jim’s recording of ‘The Other Side Of Town’ features Leon Russell on keyboards, David Gates on bass, Glen Campbell on guitar and Hal Blaine on drums.

(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding

Otis recorded the track on 7th December, 1967 and it turned out to be his final day in the studio as he was killed in that fatal plane crash just three days later. Written by Otis with Steve Cropper, they hadn’t time to complete the last verse before the recording, so Otis whistled the tune with the intention of adding the words once completed. However, that was not to be but has since become one of the most famous whistling sections of any hit record.

Theme From Sam Benedict - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra

In 1962 Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra released an album called ‘Route 66 And Other TV Themes’ that included his arrangements of several top American shows including: My Three Sons, Ben Casey and Naked City. So successful was the album that the following year Capitol commissioned a second collection, ‘More Hit TV Themes’ but it’s from the first album that we’re going to hear ‘The Theme From Sam Benedict’ that starred Edmund O’ Brien and was based on real-life lawyer Jacob W. “Jake” Ehrlich, who served as technical consultant for the series.

Stroll On - The Yardbirds

The song comes from the Michelangelo Antonioni movie ‘Blowup’ and was recorded during the brief time that both Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck were in the band. The majority of the film score was by Herbie Hancock, but The Yardbirds appearance depicts a young Jimmy Page playing on while watching Jeff Beck, frustrated with amp feedback, destroy his guitar in the middle of a performance. The film starred Vanessa Redgrave, David Hemmings, Sarah Miles, Jane Birkin and Peter Bowles.