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Part 8

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four 1956 sides (two singles) by the "singin' barber"
Hot Diggity -- Perry Como [1956] The "A" side of RCA Victor 6427, the melody of this tune was based on Chabrier's "Espana Rhapsody": the lyrics were written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning, who also wrote the Four Lads' "Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer..." song that's also on this page. It got to #2 on the pop chart and was a popular sing-along tune back then. Listen carefully and you'll hear Perry actually sing "hot ziggity" at one point; they decided to leave that in the record just so I could make this inane comment about it!
Juke Box Baby -- Perry Como [1956] This was the "B" side of RCA Victor 6427 and it reached #10 on the pop chart. Its lyrics mentioned many of the hit songs of the day, including Perry's recent hit entitled "Tina Marie."
More -- Perry Como [1956] This was the "A" of RCA Victor 6554 and it reached #4 on the pop chart. It's an absolutely beautiful song. It's a different song from the "More" that came out a few years later and was the theme from the motion picture "Mondo Cane."
Glendora -- Perry Como [1956] This was the "B" side of RCA Victor 6554 and it reached #8 on the pop chart. It's probably the most successful hit tune ever written about a department store mannequin.

two sides (one single) by the "bobby's girl" wannabee
Little Miss Fool -- Marcie Blane [1963] Brooklyn-born Seville Records artist Marcie had a #3 smash with "Bobby's Girl," then followed-up with the much-less-successful "What Does A Girl Do." So what did THIS girl do after that? In my opinion she followed-up with a FABULOUS single with two excellent sides. Though both sides got plenty of airplay in New York City and many other big cities, it simply became one of those "could've, should've, would've but didn't" singles. Listen carefully to this ballad, the "A" side of Seville 126, and you'll probably detect a bit of a Linda Scott influence.
Ragtime Sound -- Marcie Blane [1963] Totally different from the "A" side, Marcie will really make you tap your toes with this uptempo ditty. Her prediction in this song that in 1993 they'd "bring back the twist" didn't exactly come about. Nevertheless this "B" side of Seville 126 is a fun record!

for mom
No Charge -- Melba Montgomery [1974] This recording brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it.
I.O.U. -- Jimmy Dean [1976] Jimmy's heartfelt tribute to his Mom.
Mama -- Connie Francis [1960] Touching.
My Yiddishe Momme -- Jackie Wilson [196?] Precious.
Mother, Please! -- Jo Ann Campbell [1963] One slightly irreverent (but fun) song. Inspired by the famous Anacin commercial.

hearty aches and breaks
Aching, Breaking Heart -- George Jones [1962] Is this "Billy Ray" Jones? Not exactly. But the Ol' Possum got to #5 on the country chart with this tune, 30 years before that famous (or infamous depending on point of view) "achy breaky" hit came along.
Achy Breaky Heart -- Billy Ray Cyrus [1992] Billy Ray's career recording. 'Nuff said.
Achy Breaky Song -- Weird Al Yankovic [1993] Weird Al's parody of Billy Ray's megahit. From his album "Alapalooza."

Your Cheatin' Heart -- Alfred A. Alfa [19??] Indescribable.
Indescribable.

who will win the battle of istanbul?
Istanbul -- The Four Lads [1953] After putting a quartet of songs up by the Lads I was going to wait a while to put another song up. But this was just too good to resist. This was a top ten record for them and their first big hit.
Istanbul -- They Must Be Giants [1990] Well if the guy says they must be, then I guess they MUST BE! Formed in 1982, this group is best known for its unconventional and experimental style of alternative music. This record is a modest example! It was featured on the "Tiny Toon Adventures" animated TV show.

Song Of The Sewer -- Art Carney [1954] "Honeymooners Rap," featuring Eddie Murphy as Ed Norton (with Joe Piscopo as Ralph Kramden), was the first #1 on this page's popularity chart and has always been in the top ten. "The Honeymooners" is my personal favorite sitcom. It starred Jackie Gleason as bus driver Ralph Kramden and Art Carney as sewer worker Ed Norton, his best friend. This record, which made the Cash Box chart, is a watery winner. Everybody sing along!
It's Ed Norton!

thunderbird songs other than you-know-what!
Pink Thunderbird -- Gene Vincent [1957] This recording shows the humorous side of this rockabilly great.
Rock And Roll Thunderbird -- The Burt Sisters [19??] I know nothing about this record other than the fact that the sisters do it with the Jimmy Ellidge Band. I assume that it is Jimmy playing the fabulous 88.
Jaguar And Thunderbird -- Chuck Berry [1960] A two car song with plenty of drive.
Fire Red Thunderbird -- James and Dean [2001] Technically these guys bill themselves as "James/Dean" (James slash Dean) but I prefer to list them -- as many others do -- as James AND Dean. This record reminds me a lot of "Bang-A-Gong (Get It On)" by T. Rex.
Red Thunderbird -- Lynn Howard and the Accents [19??] Unlike the song above, there's no "fire" in this red T-Bird. Simply a cool song with some nice dialogue to boot.
Fun, Fun, Fun -- The Beach Boys [1964] The word "Thunderbird" never appears in the song but it mostly assuredly IS a Thunderbird song with its most memorable line: "we'll have fun, fun, fun, till your daddy takes your T-Bird away."

Bad Motorcycle -- The Storey Sisters [1958] The story is that this was a Cameo single and peaked at #85 on the chart. I don't anything about the girls, other than reports I've read that state that they changed their name to the Twinkles.
But it's a good girl group record. Voon! Voon! Voon!

millie and willie
Me And Millie (Stompin' Grapes And Gettin' Silly) -- Ronnie Sessions [1977] When I listen to this I can't help thinking about Mrs. Ricardo doing her thing in that certain episode of "I Love Lucy."
Silly Dilly Millie -- Ray Sharpe [199?] A cool 90's rockabilly recording by the artist best known for his hit single "Linda Lu."
Willie Can -- Sue Thompson [196?] Sue's wonderful rendering of a Bouldeaux and Felice Bryant tune. I played this during my interview show with Sue. I just love the way Sue does the line "Willie, there's a moon, there's a moon oh Willie!".
Little Willy -- Sweet [1973] This was a sweet hit for this group: it was their first top 40 hits and also their biggest, peaking at #3. They eventually changed their name to "The Sweet" but I'm using here the billing that was on their original Bell recording of this tune. Oh yes, technically this is not a "Willie" song but a "Willy" song; however it's close enough for rock and roll.

the "dilly, dilly" song
Lavender Blue -- Burl Ives [1949] "Lavender Blue," also called "Lavender's Blue", is an English folk song and nursery rhyme dating back to the seventeenth century and which has been recorded in various forms since the twentieth century. Some versions have as many as thirty verses. Though we're all familiar with the "diddy, diddy" portion, you may not be aware that some early versions used "diddle, diddle" instead! This version, sung by Burl, was featured in the Walt Disney movie "So Dear to My Heart" and became his first hit song.
Lavender Blue -- Sammy Turner [1959] This version by Sammy reached #3 on the pop chart. For a detailed comment about the song, please read the blurb for the Burl Ives version.

four by the lads
Moments To Remember -- The Four Lads [1955] A gem that has truly stood the test of the time over the years. Can anyone tell me who the girl is who does the narration part? (It's not a quiz, I'm trying to find out!) This Canadian pop music quartet, from Toronto, Ontario, consisted of the late James Arnold, Bernard Toorish, Frank Busseri and Connie Codorini.
The Bus Stop Song (A Paper Of Pins) -- The Four Lads [1956] This was introduced in the film of the same name. It's a kinda dumb song but I love it. The guy offers the girl a paper of pins and his feathery bed in exchange for a promise to marry him. But she's demanding and wants his house and his money instead. So what does the guy do? He says "fine"! I remember watching "Name That Tune" and this was the bonus tune at the end of the show and I could have won thousands if I had been the contestant because I knew it!
Put A Light In The Window -- The Four Lads [1957] No deep message here. Simply a great catchy tune.
Gilly, Gilly, Ossenfeffer, Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea -- The Four Lads [1954] You know the "Dilly, Dilly" song ("Lavender Blue") but did you know about this "Gilly, Gilly" song? Al Manning and Dick Hoffman take the credit for it. And yes, it did become a hit, peaking at #18. Everybody sing along! Oh, one more thing. Listen carefully to the beginning four lines of the song: what big hit from the early 60s (by a female vocalist) had a tune that was very similar to this one?

Rappin' Rodney -- Rodney Dangerfield [1983] Despite making a career out of getting "no respect," this comedian/actor actually got plenty. In 1980, when he was at the height of his popularity and at the top of his form, his landmark comedy album "No Respect" was released and it went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album Of The Year. Over the years he had millions of fans all over the world. His "gimmick" is surely one of the most famous in show business history. In the 60's, while working on the social staff of the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, NY, I had the pleasure of knowing him briefly and I even got to perform on the same show with him at a nearby bungalow colony. Rodney was a true gentleman. And he DID get some respect as a "rapper" when he released this recording: it peaked at #83 in Billboard! This edited sample, though less than half the length of the original, includes almost all of Rodney's dialogue. Enjoy.
His headstone reads simply: "Rodney Dangerfield ... there goes the neighborhood."

The Way Of A Clown -- Teddy Randazzo [1960] Teddy the performer started his career in the 50s as the lead singer of the Three Chuckles. In 1959 he, with his songwriting partner Bobby Weinstein, wrote Steve Lawrence's hit "Pretty Blue Eyes" and a few years later they wrote Little Anthony and the Imperials' hits "Goin' Out Of My Head" and "Hurts So Bad" among several others. Here's a comment from Denise: "I first met Teddy in 1959 with my group the Delicates. He loved our sound and asked us to do backup for a song he wrote called "Journey To Love." The artist was Al Martino and the arranger Don Costa ... what could be better than this? We were a little nervous but Teddy helped us through it. It was a great experience and our first backup work. It's a memory I will treasure always."
The biggest solo hit by this gifted singer, songwriter and producer.

shirley the three-hit "fun"der
The Nitty Gritty -- Shirley Ellis [1963] This was the first of Shirley's three happy national top-40 hits, all of which were written by her manager, record producer and songwriting partner Lincoln Chase. Though some consider it a novelty, I don't think it really is. It sounds like she may be singing about a dance but that's not really clear.
The Name Game -- Shirley Ellis [1964] This was the second of Shirley's three happy national top-40 hits, all of which were written by her manager, record producer and songwriting partner Lincoln Chase. It's a rather innocent G-rated song unless you choose to use certain names which are not in Shirley's record. (But I guess you all KNEW that!)
The Clapping Song -- Shirley Ellis [19651] This was the third of Shirley's three happy national top-40 hits, all of which were written by her manager, record producer and songwriting partner Lincoln Chase. UB40, in their 1988 re-issue of "Red Red Wine" (which hit #1 on the chart), included the "goose drank wine" jingle that Shirley uses in this recording, which in turn went back many years before Lincoln wrote the song.

Deteriorata -- National Lampoon [1972] The late Norman Rose is the narrator and Melissa Manchester is the singer on this recording which makes fun of Les Crane's surprise hit "The Desiderata." Well, at least you know that she CAN sing! Christopher Guest wrote the parody. The views expressed in this edited sample (which is about half the length of the original recording) are not mine, except for "rotate your tires." That's not a bad idea. I'll bet Les (who is deceased) laughed at this spoof of his hallowed hit.
"You are a fluke of the universe."

Wonderful Baby -- Don McLean [1973] While adding "Brahms' Lullaby" (see below) I kept thinking about this recording and decided "I must add this one NEXT." It's my favorite Don McLean recording.
A WONDERFUL baby song.

bach, beethoven and brahms
Joy -- Apollo 100 [1972] The synthesizer player on this left-field hit was none other than Tom Parker. While managing Elvis, the Colonel moonlighted as ..... wait, okay, you won't buy that and you SHOULDN'T, it was a DIFFERENT Tom Parker and I don't believe he had a military rank! Okay, the real truth is that Apollo 100 was a British studio group and "Joy" is their adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," the 10th movement of the cantata "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" (Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life).
Roll Over Beethoven -- Chuck Berry [1956] Okay, I could have chosen to use a certain #1 disco record. But being someone weaned on 50s rock and roll, I prefer this one. I believe that more people have recorded it than any of his other songs. Simply put, this is a GREAT record!
Brahms' Lullaby -- Disney Babies album [19??] There are no babies on this recording. It's a man doing a beautiful rendition of the song which has sometimes been called "The Cradle Song." I could have used recordings of this by any of several superstar artists but this rendering by "the unknown singer" is my personal favorite.

Spanish Flea -- Kathy Kirby [1966] Kathy was one of the most popular British female vocalists of the 60s and, according to some reports, the highest paid.
Did you know that this song had lyrics?

two sides of jud strunk
Daisy A Day -- Jud Strunk [1973] Jud was a singer and comedian who became a regular on Rowan and Martin's "Laugh-In" during its last season. Though best known for his humorous songs, his most popular was this poignant one which he wrote and recorded in 1973. This touching ballad describes the relationship between a boy and girl as they grow up together and ultimately grow old together. When this was popular I was working for Casey Kasem and had the pleasure of interviewing Jud and telling him how much this song moved me and members of my family as well. Sadly, in 1981, Jud was killed in a plane crash. He was only 45. What a wonderful song he left us.
The Biggest Parakeets In Town -- Jud Strunk [1975] This song is in marked contrast to "Daisy A Day," the one above this one. Displaying a fabulous comedic sense, Jud tells the story of a woman who is an avid bird fancier. Jud's life was cut short in 1981, as noted in the "Daisy" blurb, but he truly left us with so many great memories.

foreign language recordings
Lullaby Of Birdland -- The Blue Stars [1956] French. This was a pop-jazz group formed in Paris by Blossom Dearie. This single peaked at #16 on the chart. The composer was the great jazz pianist George Shearing.
The Little Train -- Marianne Vasel and Erich Storz [1958] German. Features some great yodeling and train sound effects.
Por Amor Viviremos -- Captain and Tennille [1975] Spanish. This version of their chart-topper "Love Will Keep Us Together" made it to #49 on the chart. It's interesting, though not surprising, that the word "whatever" and the phrase "Sedaka is back" is in English: they were part of the original vocal track, which was unchanged.
La Cumbia De Manuela -- Neil Sedaka [19??] Spanish. I know virtually nothing about this one except that Neil sounds like he had a great time recording it!

Point Of Order -- Stan Freberg [1954] Because of the politically hot subject being made fun of, this recording received limited airplay, probably making Freberg say "Baa! Humbug!"
This all-but-forgotten gem, lampooning the Army-McCarthy hearings from the 50s, is one of Stan's best.

Cheaper Crude Or No More Food -- Bobby "Sofine" Butler [1979] To protest the rising cost of gasoline, deejay Bo Weaver at WTTM in Trenton, NJ locked himself in the studio and played this record for several hours! He got fired. Three years later I began working at WTTM in 1982 and, while employed there, I never protested about anything.
"Cause the way things are going
 Well it won't be very long
 Till we're shellin' out a buck and a half for a gallon of gas."

answer records
Oh Neil -- Carole King [1959] Answer record to Neil Sedaka's "Oh Carole." Reportedly Carole isn't too fond of this one but I know that many oldies fans are. It came out on the tiny Alpine label. Wonder if Neil Sedacky likes it!
Sixteen Pounds -- Patsy Montana [1956] Answer record to Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons." Patsy was a legendary country music singer-songwriter and the first female music performer to sell one million records, which she did with her 1935 release "I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart."
The Tiger's Wide Awake -- The Romeos [1962] Answer record to the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." So would you rather have a lion eat you or a tiger? (Think about that and should come up with the right answer!)
Your Boyfriend's Back -- Bobby Comstock and the Counts [1963] Answer record to the Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back." I bet you haven't heard this one before. (I'll only bet a nickel, though.)

Cry Me A River -- Susan Boyle [1999] Susan stunned the judges (and ultimately the world) with her susprisingly incredible performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" from "Les Miserables" on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent." This recording, of a song originally made famous by Julie London, is from a 1999 charity CD which now has bids on Ebay exceeding 2000 dollars. A star is born and everyone rejoices!
Currently she is the most listened-to and talked-about singer on this planet.

Ajax Liquor Store -- Hudson and Landry [1971] Bob Hudson and Ron Landry were an immensesly popular morning radio team on KGBS in Los Angeles. It was their on air chemistry that lead to the recording of several successful comedy albums on Dore Records. Their first single release was this uproarious recording. All told they recorded a few dozen different comedy bits. Sadly both of these very funny gentlemen have passed away. Their recordings may not be as well-known as those by some other comedians, but nevertheless they are treasures.
Uproarious. I bet Foster Brooks loved this.

they sing!
Goodness Gracious Me -- Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren [1961] This was a top ten record in the United Kingdom. It features Sellers acting the role of an Indian doctor and Loren of his wealthy Italian patient. Guess what. They fall in love! The Beatles' legendary producer George Martin himself produced this recording. Martin envisioned the song as a recording to be incorporated in the soundtrack of the film "The Millionairess" which was being filmed at that time and which starred Sellers and Loren. However it didn't make the cut. Nevertheless it's quite enjoyable.
Bangers And Mash -- Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren [1961] This was the flipside of the above record, "Goodness Gracious Me." I like is as much as the "A" side so I've decided to include it here.

chuck's monkey business
Too Much Monkey Business -- Chuck Berry [1959] This was the "A" side of a great but somewhat overlooked Chuck Berry recording. The "B" side was "Brown Eyed Handsome Man."
Jo Jo Gunne -- Chuck Berry [1958] A saga about a meddlesome monkey. Reportedly Jay Ferguson, after he left the rock group Spirit, named his new band, Jo Jo Gunne, after this recording.

Dear Mr. Godfrey -- Ruth Wallis [1953] Ruth was best-known for her double-entendre risque and satirical songs which she wrote as well as sang. Though Dr. Demento played many of them on his syndicated radio show starting in the 70s, they received relatively little airplay when originally released. Ruth's only charted record was this novelty and there was no need to search for hidden meanings: it was very clear what this was about. The famous (or was it INFAMOUS) incident occurred on Arthur Godfrey's TV and radio show. On October 19, 1953, after lavishing praise on Julius LaRosa in introducing the singer's performance of "Manhattan," Godfrey thanked him and then announced to the world that this was LaRosa's "swan song" with the show. LaRosa was dumbfounded, since he had not been informed beforehand of his "departure"! At a subsequent press conference, Godfrey claimed that LaRosa had "lost his humility." That's the basic hook line in Ruth's intriguing record.
A novelty hit about the most famous public firing in show business history.

happy girl group sounds
White Levis -- The Majorettes [1963] An encore by the girls who invited us to dance the Kangaroo below. This got lots of play in various parts of the country, including New York City, but never took off. Still I love it.
When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes -- The Supremes [1963] This was their first national top forty hit and surely one of their most supreme recordings.
Mr. Lee -- The Bobbettes [1957] One of the most endearing and enduring girl group sounds of the 50s, this was inspired by and dedicated to their school teacher whose name is the title. Of course you all know what they did to him in a subsequent release but I won't mention it here!
Ding Dong -- The McGuire Sisters [1958] Another school-oriented recording (see the Bobbettes record above) and a bell-ringer indeed! The guys you hear on the record were not part of the group (well duh!) but they do contribute nicely. This were the sisters' follow-up to "Sugartime."

our national pastime
D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song -- Danny Kaye [1962] The legendary entertainer hits a grand slam home run with this recording.
Talkin' Baseball (Willie, Mickey And The Duke) -- Terry Cashman [1981] Terry recorded this song in the year of a baseball strike which began on June 12 and forced the cancellation of 38 percent of the Major League schedule in the middle of the regular season. Though largely ignored by Top 40 radio, it has over the years become a cult classic. Terry has recorded many different versions of the song. This is a sample of his original recording.
Take Me Out To The Ball Game -- The Andrews Sisters with Dan Dailey [1949] A rollicking version of the best-known song about our national pastime.

Go Away -- Tracey Dey [1964] This was the "B" side of Tracey's biggest hit, which was "Gonna Get Along Without You Now." In my opinion this could easily have been an "A" side.
A FABULOUS FLIP that was not included in our recent interview show.

Hello Melvin (This Is Mama) -- Sandra Gould [1963] Leave it to the wonderful Sandra Gould to come up with a parody of "Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh" which, to my way of thinking, is at least equally good. Sandra was an excellent character actress who guest starred in the 50s and 60s as various characters in shows including "I Love Lucy," "December Bride," "The Flintstones," "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Mister Ed." But she is probably best-known for playing the nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz on the ABC sitcom "Bewitched." She died in 1999 at the age of 83. This recording is a fabulous part of Sandra's legacy. Note: though she sings "Mother," the parenthesized title on the Warner Brothers label is "This Is Mama."
This is a lovable parody of Allan Sherman's parody!

Side By Side -- Kay Starr [1953] A simple, happy-go-lucky song, which was one of the most popular ones of the early 50s.
Kay and Kay.

Juvenile Delinquent -- (The Other) Ronnie Allen [1959] This recording, by a singer-guitarist with the same professional name as mine, has become a rockabilly classic. I love everything about the record including the driving beat, the bongos (a bit unusual for a rockabilly record) and the way he sings the title as "Juvenile DelinQUONT"! It was released on the San record label, based in Bon Aqua, Tennessee. Unlike me, this OTHER Ronnie Allen, who is presently a deejay on WDXE in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, has performed live with many of the top rockabilly stars in the world and has had his records played on "American Bandstand." I had the pleasure of doing an interview show (a very strange one!) with this guy last year; it's on my Radio Page. His singles, if you can find them, go for 50 to 100 dollars a pop. That has been true of my "Flip Over You" single as well, but that's because many record collectors still think that I am HIM! (Several books are still listing us together.)
This is my rockabilly namesake from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.
Thanks to him MY record is valuable.
(But it's merely a case of mistaken identity.)

a trio by tessie
The Banjo's Back In Town -- Teresa Brewer [195?] One of the happiest banjo tunes you'll ever hear.
Bo Weevil -- Teresa Brewer [1956] This was the "B" side of "A Tear Fell" and a wonderful "B" side it was! The tune was written by Fats Domino, whose version competed with Teresa's. When the smoke cleared, Teresa won that battle.
I Love Mickey -- Teresa Brewer with Mickey Mantle [1956] An irresistible tune featuring one of the greatest Yankees ever.

well in that case, just stand up!
I Can't Sit Down -- Marie and Rex [1959] Marie Knight and Rex Garvin did this R&B gem that deserved to be as successful as the other two "sit down" records below. However it only reached #94 on the pop chart. Footnote: Marie died at a Harlem, New York, nursing home of complications from pneumonia on August 30, 2009. She was 84.
You Can't Sit Down (Part 2) -- The Phil Upchurch Combo [1961] The original hit instrumental version of the song.
You Can't Sit Down -- The Dovells [1963] Commercially the more successful version of the song and also the group's biggest hit.

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