Thursday, June 1, 2023

Teacher Teach Me


 Billy J

Teacher Teach Me
B. Jones, dessa Music (BMI)

dessa record co. 
dR-1107
Produced by Bill Jones

Rte 1, Box 280
Odessa, Texas
(915) 563-1679

The flip side is "After This Next Fight"  listed by the Vietnam Was Song Project

Garage rock, soldier's perspective, religion
Please god help me I'm overseas surrounded by the enemy
Back home my dad is a drunk - help my mum, that's all I ask

Billy J is Bill Jones I guess. This 1970 release was followed by two other records on the same label also produced by Bill Jones, one by Tennia Wade and the other by Lonnie Bray in 1971.

There were further releases on Dessa, years later, when Bill Jones was associated in Nashville with Royce Clark, a freelance producer who worked for Shelby Singleton. By then the label, located in Tennessee, is listed separately by 45cat.      A Lubbock native, Royce Clark, had records on the Amarillo-based Veeda Records in the early sixties before moving to Nashville in 1966.

 

Monday, May 29, 2023

Steve Marks - Charlie Brown + 3

 


 Broadway EP 163
Vocals and Orchestra by Popular Artists

Vic Corwin - The Children's Marching Song
Jack Richards - Hawaiian Wedding Song
Steve Marks - Charlie Brown
Ce Ci Julian - Tall Paul

 

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Payola

 

Ben Took and The Investas
Payola
Dart 125 (1959)

Sarcastic rocker about payola. Lyrics written by Bill Camfield & Dave Naugle, music by  Bill Smith & Georges Campbell. Bill Camfield (1929-1991) & Dave Naugle were both with KFJZ, Fort Worth. Bill was "Icky Twerp" on "Slam Bang Theater" while Dave Naugle was a broadcaster in the same station, doing some skits sometimes with "Icky Twerp". David Naugle (1923-2002) was the first to announce the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the Fort Worth-Dallas area on KFJZ 1270-AM radio Dec. 7, 1941, as an 18-year-old intern. 

In 1959, Major Bill Smith set up the LeCam record label and production company in Fort Worth with George Campbell; the name derived from that of Smith's wife Letitia, and Campbell, a songwriter, arranger, pianist, and bandleader in Fort-Worth for over 50 years.

Cash Box, December 26, 1959


Dick Clark, a payola survivor
"Payola ? What is it ?"
 

 
 

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Mary Dean

 


Mary Dean aka : Mary Dean Lauria, Mary Dean Moss. 

Mary Dean, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Dean appeared in the popular early television series “Dragnet,” “Cisco Kid,” “Life of Riley” and “Space Patrol.” She also did voices for animated films, including “Fritz the Cat” and “Heavy Traffic.” Dean became popular as a television show host on such programs as “The NBC Home Show,” “What’s the Name of That Song,” “Time It” and “Jean and Dean.”

Multifaceted actress, singer, lyricist and impresario . Mary Dean's career goes back to the year 1937 when she was featured in A Damsel in Distress, a RKO Pictures movie starring Fred Astaire. She was one of the singing Madrigal Sisters.  Two clips from the movie can be seen here and here.

From 1956 to 1963, all songs she wrote were in association with Mary D'Angelo Salerno, a pianist and composer, born in Buffalo in 1924. The two operated Gold Band (or Goldband) Music Pub. from 1240 Hill Drive, Los Angeles.  Later, as manager, she was the agent of, among others, The Green Beats and The Bishops and discovered the group the Cowsills. In 1966, she was with Sidewalk Records in charge of artists relation and music publishing when Mike Curb formed the label.

Among the other artists who recorded her songs : Skip Battyn, The Cowsills, Cher ( “Half-Breed,” (a 1973 major hit) , Chaka Khan, Gordon McRae.. .. .

She died of emphysema on Dec. 19, 1995  in Toluca Lake (California), age 72.

 Tracklist

1 - Dave Sterling - I Wanna Be Loved (Rev, 1957)
2 - Dave Sterling - You're Here (Rev, 1957)
3 - The Gimicks - (Get Off My Tail You) Sneaky Snail  (Ensign, 1958)
4 - The Gimicks - Sneaky Snail. (Ensign, 1958)
5 - The Passions -  Nervous About Sally (Dore, 1958)
6 - The Green Beans - (Don't give me no) friction (Mercury, 1965)
6 - The Passions - Tango Of Love (Dore, 1958
7 - The Playboys _Charge it (Crystalette, 1958)
8 - Johnny Stark - Broken Heart (Pop, 1959)
9 - Mickey Frey with Sandy Stanton's Panics - Cool Cool That Motor Down (Fable, 1959)
10 - Mickey Frey with Sandy Stanton's Panics - Just For You (Fable, 1959)
11 - The Blockbusters - Boogie Bop (Crystalette, 1959)
12 - The Cruisers - I Said Hear (Arch, 1959)
13 - The Knight Beats - Going To Town (Crystalette, 1959)
14 - The Knight Beats - Naughty Rooster (Crystalette, 1959)
15 - The Mary D's   - BRRR Um!  (First President, 1960)
16 - Rick Gambino - Love Me Just The Same (Sutter, 1961)
17 - The Twintonettes - Billy Boy (Titan, 1961)
18 - The Twintonettes - School bells - Wedding bells (Titan, 1961)
19 - Cindy & Sue - You Forgot To Return My Heart (Era, 1962)
20 - The Petticoats - Surfin' Sally (Challenge, 1963)
21 - Barbara English - (You Got Me) Sittin' In The Corner (Aurora, 1965)
22 - Dick and Dee Dee  - Heartbeats ((Decca LP Wild, Wild Winter, 1965))
23 - Jackie and Gayle - Our Love's Gonna Snowball (Decca LP Wild, Wild Winter), 1965)
24 - The Bishops - Out Of Sight  (Capitol, 1965)
25 - The Bishops – They Can’t Make Me Stop Loving You” (Capitol) 1965
27 - The Green Beans - Superstition (Mercury, 1965)
28 - The Supremes - Little Bright Star (Motown, 1965)
29 - Vicki Britton   Hatful Of Nickels (Bell, 1974)
30 - Vicki Lawrence - Mama's Gonna Make It All Better (Bell, 1974)
 

TV-Radio-Life, March 2, 1956

Je vous salue Mary

Friday, May 19, 2023

Ultra Rare Fortune & Hi-Q

 


Compiled by the late Rockin' Gypsy at the end of the last century.

Fortune Records was formed by composer-lyricist Devora Brown and her husband Jack in Detroit.  Devora came to Detroit from Cleveland, Ohio and was introduced to Jack Brown through a blind date set up by a friend. Devora was already writing poems and songs, even though Jack was working as an accountant at the time, he liked her songs and encouraged her to send them to a few music publishers. By this time Devora married Jack Brown, and in 1947 after little response from other publishers they decided to start a publishing company and record the songs themselves.

Read more

Tracklist

1. Ferris Wilder And His Band - It's Al Your Fault
2. Jimmy Gartin And His Swingers - Honey Won't You Love Me
3. Eddie Jackson And His Swingers - Rock And Roll Baby
4. Terrigan Brothers And The Swingers - Hi Ho Little Girl
5. Pete Debree And The Wanderers Vd. Jimmy Franklin - Long Tall Lou
6. Dell Vaughn With The Fortunaires - Rock The Universe
7. Johnny Powers And His Rockets - Honey Let's Go
8. Bobby Bernell - Move Over Big Dog
9. Shorty Frog And His Space Cats - Sheddin' Tears Over You
10. Pete Debree And The Wanderers Vd. Jimmy Franklin - Hey Mr. Presley
11. Country Bill Hicks And His Southerners - Blue Flame
12. Patty Lynn - Same Old Blues
13. Kenny Layne And His Bull Dogs - Froggie Went A Courtin'
14. Jim Meyers & Tex Regan And His Happy Highway Gang - Drunk Man's Wiggle
15. Ellis Kirk And His Town And Country Boys - Sweetie Pie
16. Jim Meyers & Tex Reagan With J.M. And His Gems - Pretty Baby Rock
17. Hunt Sisters And Marie With Ken Hall - Elvis Is Rockin' Again
18. Eddie Stapleton - Well I'm Weak
19. Al Burnette And His Southern Swingers - Humpty Dumpty
20. Terrigan Brothers With The Sterlings - Little Love
21. Forest Rye - Wild Cat Boogie
22. Jim Meyers And Tex Regan - After Tomorrow
23. Eddie Jackson - Blues I Can't Hide
24. Johnny Powers And His Rockets - Your Love
25. Hunt Sisters - I'm Not Gonna Take It Anymore
26. Jim Meyers And His Happy Highway Gang - Ding Dong Mama From Tennessee
27. Ruffus Shoffner And Joyce Songer - It Always Happens To Me
28. Slim Williams With The Sons Of The Praire - Tennessee Avenue
29. Shorty Frogg And His Space Cats - I'm Glad You Didn't Say Goodbye
30. Kenny Layne And His Bull Dogs - Columbus Stockade Blues

Get it

 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

It's Been Nice (Goodnight)

Gene Vincent :   It's Been Nice (Goodnight) (12 outtakes)

It's Been Nice (Goodnight) has been composed by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus and first recorded in 1959 in UK by Marty Wilde. Gene Vincent recorded the song in January 1961, first available (take 13) on disc only two years later, in March 1963, when the album The Crazy Beat Of Gene Vincent was issued in the UK.

Quoting "Race With The Devil", book by Susan Vanhecke (good book) : 

The new year of 1961 found Gene in Hollywood again. Gene arrived at the Capitol studios in January for the first of two days of recording, though this time with no Blue Caps, no Eddie, no Jerry, not even Ken Nelson. Producer Karl Engerman teamed him up with the Jimmy Haskell Orchestra and its chorus, with Scotty Turner (*) on lead guitar, to explore a pop sound more in line with what other chart-toppers – Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, and Neil Sedaka – were churning out.  Turner was given the responsability of choosing the material, and he met with Gene in his hotel room to sort through the options. Gene really seemed to like « If You Want My Lovin’, » which Turner has penned with John Marascalco. But in rehearsals, most all of the other songs didn’t seem so spark much enthusiasm from Gene.  It seemed he was just loafing his way through. Turner became concerned. He was elated, however, when Gene entered into the studio and that red light went on. Gene let it all go, and delivered. They were able to get eight tunes in the can at the end of the two days.        
 (*) Scotty Turner, A.K.A. Graham Turbull. Record producer, musician and composer born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Ccame to the US in 1952. B.A., B.Sc., University of Dubuque (Iowa (1955), postgrad, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Tex. (1956-57). Member British Empire Games Track Team (1954), All Canadian Track Team (1950-56).
Lead guitarist and writer for Tommy Sands and The Raiders (1957-60), Guy Mitchell (1960-61), Eddie Fisher (1961-63).
 

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Oh, Oh Lolita

 


Tony And Paul

OH , OH LOLITA
w & m Stuart Wiener , Irving Berger & Mike Richards . Wemar Music 

Brunswick 9-55106
1958

Beatles sound-a-like from1958 when The Beatles were still The Quarrymen in Liverpool. The song was also recorded about the same time by The Cadillacs on Josie Records ("Peek-A-Boo" flip, Billboard, Oct. 27, 1958). I can't find anything on Tony and Paul, unless they were indeed The Teardrops (Tony and Paul Ciaurella) who also recorded for Josie in 1959, but this Brunswick 45 is not listed in their discographies. See :

http://whitedoowopcollector.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-teardropsrendezvous-dot-records.html
http://doo-wop.blogg.org/teardrops-2-c33181259

Surely, some doo wop aficionado should be able to tell . . 

 

Cash Box, November 29, 1958


Sunday, April 23, 2023

Weeping Mary

 


The Sensational Chariots

Weeping Mary - part I

Weeping Mary - part II

Cha-Wee CW-9268 (1968)


Written by the Rev. Glen Squires (1933-2011), published by Mary Hill Music,  company owned by Frank Virtue (named after his wife). Philadelphia label. The group had at least another record on the same label, see 45cat


 

Thursday, April 20, 2023

The Flattops on Beat!

 

 

 

The Flattops on Beat!

MS-581
ZTSP 27462 Roland Rock (Williams)
ZTSP 27463 Don't Look Back Mother Drac (Williams)

MS-582
ZTSP 27472 Too Much Slack In The Sack (Ferlaine & Whitaker)
ZTSP 27473 Flattop Special (Williams)

Produced and/or published by McFazwith & Smith, Inc.  Phila, PA.

Roland Rock is about the horror-movie host “Roland” featured on the weekly WCAU-TV' Shock Theater (1957-58) played by John Zacherle. 

Too Muck Slack is a rocker about the sack dress look composed by two members of WCAU-TV' art department. John Ferlaine and John Whitaker.  George Pincus, president of Gil Music Corporation, acquired the publishing right to this song which was spotted in Philadelphia by Irwin Pincus. (Cash Box, May 3, 1958). The three other songs composed by one Williams.

The flips of the above two songs are instrumentals with wailin' sax. All songs today are credited at BMI to Edward R. White and Typort Music (originally owned by Jim Tyson & Jerry Rappoport).

No info about the band line-up.  I'm curious about the ungoogleable McFazwith. Is this a private joke, a typo ? or what ?


Thursday, April 13, 2023

Hop A Long Wong

 

Hop A Long Wong     

I'm Gonnna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter

Goody Goody

Decca Records (1957)

First issued on the elusing Amusing label

Amusing Records ad, Billboard September 19, 1957


Cash Box, October 19, 1957

Not too difficult to find the answer. Hop A Long Wong was Joe Schuster, who again used the same nickname the following year, in 1958. But these songs remained probably unissued. ["We hear there is bidding on the novelty master “I Kissed A Girl and Made Her Cry” b/w “Elephant Rock” by Hop- A-Long Wong. Joe Schuster is the artist." Cash Box, April 12, 1958]


Joseph Schuster, composer, author, vaudeville artist and music publisher (with ASCAP since 1928). Born in New York in 1896. Joe Schuster began his theatrical career as a songwriter and author of special material. His tunes include "I Love My Baby", "Dance of the Paper Dolls", "Hold Me", "Shanty Town, "Go Home and Tell Your Mother" and many others. In 1930 he went into vaudeville with ex-fireman Johnny Tucker as the Delivery Boys.

Joe Schuster died in June 1959 of an intestinal hernia at Trafalgar Hospital in New York.
 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Beti Webb


Beti Webb in 1955


Beti Webb (born in 1935) was a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in english and drama with an emphasis on media production, advertising , marketing and journalism. She has acted in or directed over 180 plays. In 1959, she was the featured vocalist with Warren Covington and the Tommy Dorsey orchestra. Her first record, produced by Stan Kesler, was on the XL label out of Memphis and was also issued nationally by MGM with a different flipside.


Beti Webb discohraphy

A: My Marine
B: I Know (You Can Be Happy)
    XL 359    1966

A: I Have, I Have
B: I Know (You Could Be Happy)
    MGM K 13715    Apr 1967

A: Tic Toc
B: It's Not Me
    MGM K 13847    Nov 1967


Saturday, April 8, 2023

Skinny Myrt In The Mini Skirt

 


Guy Chookoorian and the "In" Sultans

Skinny Myrt In The Mini Skirt
Lightning R-2337 (1968)

Guy Chookoorian , “The Armenian Mickey Katz

Like Katz, who did ethnic versions of popular songs by rethinking Billboard hits as Yiddish
comedy, Chookoorian made a national reputation (amongst Armenian record buyers) in the late 40s by recording his first single, “Toore’ Patz Dikran, “ an Armenian translation of
“Open The Door, Richard.” Bit that is just one facet of the jewel that is his career. The Kenosha, Wisconsin born Armenian-American moved to Southern California at a young age (the L.A. region has an estimated Armenian population of 500,000) and quickly followed his showbiz dreams leading to a diverse career that spans more than half a century.

Read more below : Guy Chookoorian interview by Jane Austen published in the Roctober magazine



Friday, April 7, 2023

A Girl Named Sue


Sometimes in the 50s, a girl named Sue walked in the Jaggars Recording Studio located on Johnson Street in Little Rock, Arkansas and recorded these two songs, both covers (of Gene Vincent and Connie Francis).

Be-Bop-A-Lula
Stupid Cupid
 

Mildred Sue Walloch, born in 1942, married Bob Morgan in 1963. Sue met her future husband on stage of the Robinson Auditorium, Little Rock, he age 11, she age 8. They were singing on the same program. Bob Morgan recorded with Jim, his twin brother, as The Morgan Twins (on RCA, 1958, Peak, 1959 and E&M, 1963.

Both tracks were compiled on Collector Records CD "Rockin' Acetates" by the late Cees Klop.

Monday, April 3, 2023

Mini-Skirts


 A slender, tight little tube of material ending six, eight, possibly even ten inches above the knee, the miniskirt was, in its heyday, less an article of clothing that a flag of revolution. Let's celebrate the miniskirt !

4 Score - Mini Skirt (Blackjack).mp3                                                                     
Al Erik - Put Your Mini Skirt On (Johnson).mp3                                                           
Annie Laurie- Grandma's Mini-Skirt (Dove).mp3                                                            
Arthur Ratliff - Mini-Skirt Minnie (Baytown).mp3                                                         
Bobby Kool - Mini Skirts (Expo).mp3                                                                      
Calvin Arnold - Mini Skirt (Venture).mp3                                                                 
Chuck Foote - She Wore A Short Skirt, Sloppy Sweater, Dirty Sneakers And Teased Up Hair (Roulette).mp3   
Corny Critters - Granny in a Mini Skirt (Relco).mp3                                                      
Era Of Sound - The Girl In The Mini Skirt (Delta).mp3                                                    
Henry Brooks - Mini Skirt (P&P).mp3                                                                      
Irene Ryan - Granny's Mini-Skirt (Nashwood).mp3                                                          
Israel ''Popper Stopper'' Tolbert - Big Leg Woman (with a short, short mini-skirt) (Warren).mp3          
Jimmie James - Too Many Mini Skirts (Band Box).mp3                                                       
Jimmy Goodman and the Belmonts - Polka Dotted Mini Skirt (Camaro).mp3                                    
Johnny Collier - Mama Wears A Mini Skirt (Nugget).mp3                                                    
Karen Young - Me And My Mini Skirt (Fontana EP France).mp3                                               
Leight Spear - Minnie In Her Mini Skirt (Astor).mp3                                                      
Little Brother Montgomery - Mini-Skirt Blues (FM).mp3                                                    
Lloyd and Glen - Mini Skirt and Go Go Boots (BRA).mp3                                                    
Lovables - Short Skirt - Eastman.mp3                                                                     
Minnie & The Kneebones -  Me And My Miniskirt (Mini).mp3                                                 
Otis Goodwin --  Mini Skirt (Walker-Reeder).mp3                                                          
Oula Baba and The Greek Lads Orchestra - Mini Mini Skirt (Premire).mp3
Red Simpson - Mini-Skirt Minnie (Capitol).mp3                                                            
Sydney Elliott. - Who Dat Girl (In That Mini Skirt)  (Spark & Imperial).mp3                              
The Beacon St. Society  - That's My Ginny In Her Mini Skirt  Diablo) .mp3                                
The Flower Children - Mini-Skirt Blues (Allied).mp3                                                      
The Performers - Mini Skirt (Big Mack).mp3                                                               
The Rehabilitation Cruise - Mini Skirts (Rondon).mp3                                                     
The Vibes - Mini Skirt Blues (Big Beat).mp3                                                              
Vic Lee - Minit Skirt (Big Beat).mp3                                                                   
Wayne and Wanda Raney - Grandma's Mini-Skirt (Rimrock).mp3                                               
 
...Et c'est ainsi qu'Allah est grand !

 

Friday, March 31, 2023

Now She's Left Me

 


 

The Savoy's
Now She's Left Me
John Kluska (A-OK Music BMI)

Summit Records 

1967