Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 30 Aug 14

California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas

This became the group’s first UK hit and was written in 1963 by John and Michelle Phillips when they were living in New York. The song came to John in a dream and John got up in the middle of the night to complete it. He then played it to his colleague, Barry McGuire who recorded it as part of his album, 'This Precious Time' with The Mamas & The Papas singing backing vocals who later re-recorded it using the same instrumental and vocal backing track.

Somebody Groovy - The Mamas & The Papas

This was written by John Phillips on his own and was recorded in November, 1965 and like the ‘A’ side was included on their debut album, 'If You Can’t Believe Your Eyes And Ears' that had its original cover withdrawn as it featured the entire group in a bathroom sitting in a bath with a toilet at the side that many stores complained about leading to the record company printing new sleeves with a scroll over the said toilet and noting that 'California Dreamin’' was featured on the album. Needless to say, the original album and sleeve has become a collectors’ item.

Break Up The Party - Linda Gail Lewis

Co written by Dan Penn with Oscar Franck and Rick Hall, 'Break Up The Party' was arranged by Ray Stevens and performed by Linda Gail Lewis, the younger sister of Jerry Lee. When she recorded this her first solo disc, she was about to turn eighteen and her only previous recording experience had been singing a harmony on one of her brothers’ tracks.

You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care) - Buddy Holly

Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for Elvis Presley’s 1957 movie, 'Jailhouse Rock' and word had it that the composers were late delivering four songs for the movie so their publisher tracked them down at a Hollywood hotel where they were enjoying breakfast together and pushed a sofa up against the door of one of their rooms and went to sleep until the songs were completed. Holly’s version was released as a double ‘A’ sided single in 1961 with 'Valley Of Tears' and was also included on his self titled album that was re-issued in the UK in 1968 and again in 1975 under the title, 'Listen To Me'.

I'll Never Dance Again - Bobby Rydell

Although an American top twenty hit, Bobby rarely performed this song live. Written by Karl Mann and Mark Anthony, the latter whose most famous work was Johnny Tillotson’s number one, 'Poetry In Motion' that he wrote with Paul Kaufman. In January 2013, six months after double transplant surgery to replace his liver and kidneys, Rydell returned to the stage in Las Vegas for a three night engagement to a sold out audience. He continues to perform internationally and he returned to tour Australia this year.

Oh Lord, Why Lord - Los Pop Tops

Pachelbel’s Canon in D has been adapted for several pop records over the years, but as far as we can tell, this 1968 release by Spanish group Los Pop Tops was the first. The group, formed in Madrid in 1967, had the intention of developing a classical baroque styled pop sound with soulful vocals. 'Oh Lord, Why Lord' reached the lower end of the American Hot 100, reaching number seventy-eight then the group scored an International hit in 1971 with 'Mammy Blue'.

Packin' Up - Fats Domino

When Fats Domino moved from his long time label, Imperial to ABC-Paramount in 1963, he also ended his long time association with collaborator Dave Bartholomew and his cozy confines of his favoured studios in New Orleans. Instead he had to find comfort in Nashville under the productive eye of Felton Jarvis although Fats did manage to bring along a few of his musicians to his new surroundings. There was a notable change in his sound which could have accounted for the lack of success with his move, his 1963 version of 'Red Sails In The Sunset' being his only top forty hit for the label so this release from the following year, written by Chris Kenner, may well have summed up his thoughts as he left ABC the following year.

Move Over - The Soul Children

When the distribution deal Stax Records had with Atlantic came to an end, the label lost the rights to Sam and Dave who had only ever been on loan to the label but had been one of their most successful acts with songs written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter who suddenly found a big gap in their work schedule. Instead of looking for a new duo, they created a group featuring two males and two females naming them The Soul Children who remained with Stax until it folded. Their first release was the up-tempo, 'Give ‘Em Love' but it was the ‘B’ side, 'Move Over' that better represented the sound they were trying to achieve.

Little Arrows - Leapy Lee

His only UK top forty hit was written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood. Born Graham Pulleyblank, he changed his name to Lee Graham before becoming known as Leapy Lee. In the seventies he went to live in Saudi Arabia before deciding to open a beach bar in Majorca with Andrew Ray, the son of comedian Ted Ray. In 2010 he released a 40th anniversary EP, 'Little Arrows 2' and is still writing for an English language newspaper in Spain.

Love's Just A Broken Heart - Cilla Black

This became Cilla’s sixth consecutive top twenty UK hit and was originally a French song, 'L’Amour Est Ce Qu’il Est', written by Michele Vendome with English lyrics by Mort Shuman and Kenny Lynch. Produced by George Martin, this was also the opening track to Cilla’s second album, 'Cilla Sings A Rainbow' which also included her versions of 'A Lovers Concerto' and 'Make It Easy On Yourself'. Check out this week's profile of Cilla by Bob Stanley, here.

Remember (Walking In The Sand) - The Shangri-Las

Their debut hit both here and America for the girl group formed in Queens, New York consisting of two sets of sisters, lead singer Mary and sister, Betty Weiss and twins, Mary Ann and Marge Ganser both of whom died in 1971 and 1996 respectively. The group had already recorded as The Bon Bons before being placed under the direction of writer and producer, George ‘Shadow’ Morton in 1963 when they were signed to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s Red Bird label where they achieved International success with this single.

The Last Thing On My Mind - The Womenfolk

The classic Tom Paxton song and released as a single by The Womenfolk that was taken from their album 'Man Oh Man'. In the early sixties, record producers Perry Botkin Jr and Gil Garfield decided they would put together an all female folk group and name them The Womenfolk. Taking a year off, they travelled across the West Coast of America visiting endless coffee houses and folk clubs in search of the five best female singers resulting in Elaine, Joyce, Babs, Judy and Leni being signed to RCA.