General Comments for 2019 Naweedna Compilation

Nearly all of these tracks came from our CDs, mostly our Time-Life Rock ‘N’ Roll collection with slightly different CD titles: The Rock ’N’ ’Roll Era, The Rock 'N' Roll Era-Still Rockin', The Rock 'N' Roll Era-Keep on Rockin' and The Rock 'N' Roll Era-Rave On. I’ve opted to list all of these simply as Rock’n’Roll Era. The rest of the tracks come from Bob Mahoney, Joe Spollen, WRUR-Mystery Train, Milne Library, and YouTube.

WRUR: Bob “Music Man” Mahoney had been telling me about WRUR (FM88.5) broadcasts for years before I finally started recording them in September 2011 and mining the collection for Naweedna selections.

Mystery Train - Mark Grube (Wed 6-8) Recording & Release Dates: When a track comes from a compilation, I’ve tried to include the date of

the original recording. Format: (xxxx, yyyy) where xxxx = track recording date; yyyy = CD release date.

As usual, my comments are in blue. The other information comes from www.allmusic.com and various lyrics sources. Additions and corrections are welcome … encouraged, in fact.

NOTE:These tracks are heavily edited, i.e., shortened. Old R’n’R stuff is generally musically simple with lots of repetition. I cut out some of the repetition to allow more different titles. Generally, if you know the tune, once you’ve heard the ‘hook’, you can pretty much sing the rest of it in your head. The only track that wasn’t shortened was saved for last … it’s a story with no repetitions … and you need to hear the whole thing for full effect. If you want the full versions of any of these tracks, just ask and I’ll see that you get ‘em. Or … you could probably get ‘em off YouTube and use https://ytmp3.cc/en/ to strip the sound from the video. Works like a champ.

And away we go …

The Playlist and Notes for Naweedna 2019

01 Having A Party - Sam CookeThe Man Who Invented Soul (1962, 2000)

Song ReviewA Top 20 hit for Sam Cooke in the summer of 1962, "Having a Party" was, like many of Cooke's hits, a savvy bit of record-making in which the rough surfaces of his deeply soulful vocal style were buffed smooth with a sophisticated pop-styled production. A Duane Eddy-esque guitar line and a shimmering string arrangement kick off the record, and as Cooke's always-stunning vocals sink in, you can't help but wonder if he happened to wander into the squarest party in town, with Coca-Cola and popcorn the most exotic refreshments being offered and AM radio setting the scene. But as innocuous as the material may be, Cooke's performance is nothing short of sublime, and as he calls out to the DJ, "Play that song called 'Soul Twist'/Play that one called 'I Know'/Don't forget 'The Mashed Potatoes'/No other songs will do," he manages to communicate both joy and urgency, calling up the sound of a man lost in the music and not wanting the spell to end. And the tune manages to work up a pretty solid head of steam by the time it fades out, enough so that one wishes it was allowed to play a bit longer; Cooke gave the tune all the grit it needed -- and a few more minutes to play out -- in the live performance preserved on the superb album Live at the Harlem Square Club, which sounds tough where the original sounds restrained. New Jersey R&B mavens Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes made the song a staple of their stage show in the 1970s with a rollicking version that's popped up on a number of their live albums, and Rod Stewart, one of the world's most vocal Sam Cooke fans, finally got around to recording a version (after cutting a number of other Cooke classics) for his Unplugged and Seated album in 1993.

We're havin' a partyDancin' to the musicPlayed by the DJOn the radio … make that On a Naweedna CD

This is a classic from my youth, reminiscent of the year Ed Green (Eduardo) & I (Philippe) DJ’ed the Friday dances at the YMCA. Soooo … get to dancin’ to the music played by the DJs … us. By the way, if you have any fondness for Sam Cooke, this is a dyn-o-mite CD boxset. Thanks to Milne Library for providing it.

We have a couple other versions of this title, most notably Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. However, the strangest one was gleaned from Folk Festival USA played on the spoons by an unknown artist. I’m saving that for later ;-)

02 Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You) – Nino & The Ebb TidesThose Oldies But Goodies (1961, 1999)

Song Review"Those Oldies but Goodies (Remind Me of You)" is a song written by Nick Curinga and Paul Politi and performed by Little Caesar & the Romans. It reached #9 on the U.S. pop chart and #28 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1961, Also performed by Nino & The EbbTides. The song ranked #69 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1961

Those oldies but goodies reminds me of you … The songs of the past bring back memories of youEach time that I hear them a tear's bound to fallFor I love those memories that I, I-I recall

Oh yeah, those oldies but goodies remind(s) me of … me! “For I love those memories that I, I-I recall.” I graduated from HS in ’61, the year Eduardo & Philippe DJed the Friday night dances. Heady times. Hmmm, are they really singing ‘Oooo Bow Wow’? Man, I can almost smell the waxed hallway-floors in the old LHS building. Oooo Bow Wow, indeed.

We also have this tune by Little Caesar & The Romans, also released in 1961, but I remember Nino’s version, so that’s what’s included here.

03 Earth Angel – The PenguinsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1954-1955 (1954, 1988)

Song Review:If a favorite '50s oldie contest was run, the odds on favorite winner would be this aching love plea by the Penguins. The writing credits have been a source of dispute for years. Some say Curtis Williams and/or Jessie Belvin, others say Belvin or Williams alone. Whoever, the sweet ballad sold more than four million records its first time out and put Dootone Records (a small African-American recording company in Los Angeles) on the map. Dootone's success story with "Earth Angel," spawned the growth of independent recording companies across America, a fact the label is rarely credited for. Competition came from a cover by the Crew Cuts, which charted higher (number three to the Penguins' number eight) but wasn't as successful because the original dominated jukebox play. "Earth Angel" was the Penguins' second single, the first flopped; they recorded unsuccessfully until 1958. (And from 1962 to 1965.) They never charted pop or R&B again. The original version featured the Penguins accompanied solely by Curtis Williams on piano with a classic long intro. Thinking it could generate more sales faster, Dootsie Williams -- Dootone's owner -- released "Earth Angel" embellished with strings in 1956. While the new version didn't do much, it got people buying the original again. The classic has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, which gives the Penguins the dubious honor of the one-hit wonders who had the biggest hit.

Let’s see, I was 11 in 1954. That was very early on in my musical experiences. Really an oldie … but a goodie, eh? Deep Doo Wop roots on this one. My kind of stuff.

We also have this by Harrison Freese from the Doo Wop Cavalcade listed as a 1964, 45 RPM release. Although both are good; the Penguins’ version wins for me.

04 Hearts Of Stone - The CharmsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1954-1955 (1954, 1988)

Song Review"Hearts of Stone" was written by Eddie Ray and Rudy Jackson, two members of the California black vocal group the Jewels, who recorded the original version of the song. Excellent though is the original, it is surpassed by the Charms cover version, released a week after the Jewels' original. The Charms consisted of Otis Williams, Rolland Bradley, Richard Parker, Donal Peak and Joe Penn. Their fine version of "Hearts of Stone" is a mid to uptempo doo-wop R&B ballad with an attractive melody, a nice tenor saxophone break and an appealing vocal from Otis Williams, an exceptional singer.

A huge commercial success, "Hearts of Stone" was the first and biggest of the Charms' seven R&B hits, premiering on The Billboard's Best Sellers in Stores chart on 30 October 1954, reaching #1 on 27 November 1954 and securing a total of 9 weeks at the pinnacle during its 19 weeks tenure on the listing. The record also crossed over, entering The Billboard's Best Sellers in Stores pop chart on 27 November, peaking at #15 whilst

spending a total of 15 weeks on the list. The song was also a #1 pop hit for the Fontane Sisters in 1955.

This one was a late cut from Naweedna 2018. Ah, but I managed to squeeze it in this year. Yay! More Doo Wop ;-) I won’t ever say “No, No, No, No, No, No” to this track.

We have this title by four other artists, but only two of ‘em are the same song: The Jewels (’56) and John Fogerty (’73). I’m stickin’ with The Charms.

05 Honey Love - Clyde McPhatter & The DriftersThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1954-1955 (1954, 1988)

Song Review"Honey Love" is a 1954 song by The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter. With influences taken from calypso music, "Honey Love" was the group's third single release, fourth release on the charts and second number one single on the R&B chart. Soon after release, the song was targeted by police in Memphis, confiscating copies of the record before they could be loaded into local jukeboxes due to their objection to what they described as 'suggestive lyrics' in the song.

I most definitely remember this one. Again, from ’54 when I was still a young’n. “I need it in the middle of the night … I want it when the lights are low … Honey Love!” Gotta love the ending with the bass ‘Hit it boy’. We are starting to diverge from traditional Doo Wop …

06 At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama Song) - The El DoradosThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1954-1955 (1955, 1988)

Song Review"At My Front Door" is a song written by Ewart Abner and John Moore and performed by The El Dorados. It reached #1 on the U.S. R&B chart and #17 on the U.S. pop chart in 1955. The song was featured on their 1957 album, Crazy Little Mama. Lyrically, the song warns other men that, if they want to keep their "little mama", they need to keep her "off my street" or she'll end up "knocking at my front door … just like she did before".

Crazy little mama come knockingKnocking at my front door, door, doorCrazy little mama come knockingKnocking at my front door

Crazy little mama comeKnock, knock, knockingJust like she did before

I woke up this morningWith a feeling of despairLooking for my babyAnd she wasn't there

Heard someone knockingMuch to my surpriseThere stood my babyLooking in my eyes …

… If you got a little mamaAnd you want to keep her neatKeep your little mamaOff my street

Same thing will happenLike it did beforeShe'll come knock, knockKnocking at my door

Crazy little mama comeKnock, knock, knockingJust like she did before …

Hey, hey, hey, hey...

Hey, hey, hey indeed. We’ve moved up a year to ’55, but we still got at least one foot firmly planted in the Doo Wop genre … and that’s the way I like it. Wonder how many other songs have “Crazy Little Mama” in ‘em? Yi, Yi, Yi … Womp Bomp Doodly Bomp. Crazy little lyrics, too!

We have one other version of this title by … Harry Nilsson on his Son of Schmilsson 1972 release. It’s a bit more upbeat and modern rendition.

07 The Great Pretender - The PlattersAnthology (1955, 1991)

Song ReviewThe Platters weren't a doo wop group -- they were an old-fashioned vocal group, equally adept at jazz and pop standards alike. When R&B and doo wop began to make inroads into the pop charts, they were perfectly positioned to be the smooth, classy alternative to the street-corner sounds of the Cadillacs and the Orioles. The Platters embraced the opportunity, and throughout the second half of the '50s, they racked up a number of huge crossover hits, none better than their second Top Ten hit, "The Great Pretender." Written by the group's manager, Buck Ram, the song is a classic lament of unrequited love -- the narrator pretends that he's doing well, even though he's not holding the girl of his dream. Tony Williams' soaring lead vocal brings real passion to the song, and the remaining four members offer soft, sensitive support; they never draw attention to themselves, they just enhance the lead vocal and the song itself. It was a model example of why the Platters were revered among casual fans and connoisseurs of vocal groups alike: They simply made it seem easy. It wasn't just the performance that made "The Great Pretender" a classic, however. Ram's song has endured through the years and through many cover versions, by artists as diverse as Roy Orbison, the Band, Stan Freberg, and Lester Bowie. Why? Because the melody aches as beautifully as the lyrics. It works as a vocal showcase or an instrumental, with each interpretation retaining the wonderful, sighing sorrow that made the Platters' original recorded version a classic.

Well, The Platters are just about Janie’s favorite group, though she was only 4 and living in Germany when it was recorded. So I’m going to take credit for introducing her to The Platters … It’s still all about ME! I remember coming home from w-w-w-w-work and finding her slaving away in the kitchen with The Platters blaring in the background. I could have included almost any of the 57 Platters tracks in our library, but this one seemed to serve the purpose rather well. And I wasn’t pretending when I picked it ;-) Still Doo Wop-y; what’s not to like?

Just to show the tune’s versatility, we have two other versions, both recorded in ’73: The Band and Old & In The Way. Now that’s variety.

08 I Hear You Knocking - Smiley LewisThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1954-1955 (1955, 1988)

Song Review"I Hear You Knocking" (or "I Hear You Knockin'") is a rhythm and blues song written by Dave Bartholomew. New Orleans rhythm and blues singer Smiley Lewis first recorded the song in 1955. The lyrics tell of the return of a former lover who is rebuffed. "I Hear You Knocking" reached number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart in 1955, making it Lewis's most popular and best-known song. Subsequently, numerous artists have recorded it, including Welsh singer and guitarist Dave Edmunds, whose version reached number one in the UK Singles Chart for six weeks in 1970 and was in the top 10 in several other countries.

Smiley Lewis recorded "I Hear You Knocking" with Dave Bartholomew's band at J&M Studios in New Orleans. Bartholomew is listed as the producer and songwriter, along with Pearl King (a Bartholomew pseudonym; the maiden name of his wife). He claims that he wrote it "in the backseat of a car coming out of San Francisco". "I Hear You Knocking" uses a modified twelve-bar blues arrangement, in which the progression to the IV chord is repeated. Instrumentally, the song is dominated by piano triplets in the style of Fats Domino, played by Huey "Piano" Smith. The lyrics echo some of the lines from the earlier songs:

You went away and left me long time agoNow you're comin' back knockin' on my doorI hear you knockin', but you can't come inI hear you knockin', go back where you been

"I Hear You Knocking" was released as a single by Imperial Records in 1955. It entered Billboard's R&B charts on September 3, where it spent eighteen weeks and reached number two.

Another one that is firmly implanted in my memory banks. This seems to be where Blues & R&B begat Swamp Rock, all of which eventually congealed into what we now call (early) Rock’n’Roll – or Chuck Berry as some reviewers refer to early R’n’R. Good stuff, as far as I’m concerned.

We have two other versions of this title in our library: Kingfish from their 1976 King Biscuit Flower Hour and Dave Edmunds’ 1973 version from his 1993 Anthology. Oh yeah, I told you “way back in ’52”.

09 I Want You To Be My Girl - Frankie Lymon & The TeenagersThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1956 - Still Rockin' (1956, 1989)

Song Review"I Want You to Be My Girl" is a song written by George Goldner and Richard Barrett and performed by The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon. It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart and #13 on the Billboard pop chart in 1956. The song was featured on their 1956 album, The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon.

Back to Doo Wop and Frankie’s soaring falsetto … it’s tops with me. In fact, “I Want You To Be My Girl” … goes right near the top of Naweedna 2019. Frankie was born in 1942; this track came out in 1956 … when he was 14 years old. OMG. No wonder he can excel on that falsetto stuff. Wait! I just got it. The “And I Do And I” line is from “To Know Him Is To Love Him” by The Teddy Bears (59) – a Phil Spector Back To Mono selection. Yay! I still got it ;-)

Don’t have this track by any other artists …

10 Corina Corina - Big Joe TurnerThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1956 - Still Rockin' (1956, 1989)

Song Review"Corrine, Corrina" (sometimes "Corrina, Corrina") is a 12-bar country blues song in the AAB form. "Corrine, Corrina" was first recorded by Bo Carter (Brunswick 7080, December 1928). However, it was not copyrighted until 1932 by Armenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon and his publishers, Mitchell Parish and J. Mayo Williams. The song is familiar for its opening verse:

Corrine, Corrina, where you been so long?Corrine, Corrina, where you been so long?I ain't had no lovin', since you've been gone

The Mississippi Sheiks, as the Jackson Blue Boys with Papa Charlie McCoy on vocals, recorded the same song in 1930; this time as "Sweet Alberta" (Columbia 14397-D), substituting the words Sweet Alberta for Corrine, Corrina. "Corrine, Corrina" has been recorded in a number of musical styles, including blues, jazz, rock and roll, Cajun, and Western swing. The title of the song varies from recording to recording, most often with the variant "Corrina, Corrina".

"Corrine, Corrina" may have traditional roots, however, earlier songs are different musically and lyrically. One of the earliest is the commercial sheet music song "Has Anybody Seen My Corrine?" published by Roger Graham in 1918. Vernon Dalhart (Edison 6166) recorded a vocal version in 1918, and Wilbur Sweatman's Original Jazz Band, an instrumental version the same year. Graham's song contains sentiments similar to "Corrine, Corrina":

Has anybody seen my Corrine?No matter where Corrina may beTell my Corrina to come right back to meI want some lovin' sweetie dear

Notable early singers to record the song included Blind Lemon Jefferson (1926), Bo Carter (1928), Charlie McCoy (1928), Tampa Red (1929, 1930), Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon (1929), Walter Davis (1939), Johnny Temple (1940), and Big Joe Turner (1941). Veteran blues artists recorded for the revival market include Mississippi John Hurt (1966) and Mance Lipscomb (1968). Postwar-blues artists recording the song included Taj Mahal and Snooky Pryor.

And we are back to R&B, Swamp Rock or just plain Early R’n’R. Whatever, It’s another one of those memories from my formative years. There are a couple Big Joe Turners … but no Little Joes for some reason.

This is a classic tune, and we have it by a variety of other artists: Willie Nelson, Brooks & Dunn, Bob Wills, Doc Watson, Leo Kottke, and The Rising Sons, aka, Ry Cooder & Taj Mahal. Whew! The track dates to 1929, and the Bob Wills version was released in 1942. All the others postdate that. But I still like Big Joe’s rendition.

11 Let The Good Times Roll – Shirley & Lee1956 TL Rock’n’roll Era (1956, 1993)

Song Review"Let the Good Times Roll" is a song that was recorded by Shirley and Lee in 1956. This song was written by the duo, Shirley Goodman (later Shirley Pixley) and Leonard Lee, and by September 8, 1956 had climbed to number 20 in the US chart. The song has a strong steady beat, much of which was provided by the drummer Earl Palmer. The song was covered by Harry Nilsson on the album Nilsson Schmilsson. "Let the Good Times Roll" has appeared on numerous compilation albums, and was used on the soundtrack for the 1986 film, Stand By Me

Ah, 1956. I was … 13 … finally a teenager. This was a popular AM Radio hit, and I drank it in with enthusiasm. A little R&B, a little Swamp Rock, and all Rock’n’Roll. And then there’s that voice change male/female … reminiscent of Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry on “Ain’t Got No Home”. Hmmm, maybe I should have included that one too ;-)

“Let The Good Times Roll” has become an R’n’R standard as illustrated by the 26 versions in our library. Alphabetically, we have it by Dr John, Earl King, Elvis Costello, Greg Brown, Harry Nilsson, James Blood Ulmer, JD McPherson, Jearlyn & Jevetta Steele of Prairie Home Companion, Jimi Hendrix, Koko Taylor, Pat Donahue, Pee Wee Crayton, Ray Charles, Rising Sons, Roy Orbison, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Tony Bennett (with BB King). The Koko Taylor version stands out for me, if for no other reason than the way she starts it off.

12 My Boy Lollipop - Barbie GayeJumping The Shuffle Blues (1956, 2011)

Song Review (for Millie Small's 1964 version)"My Boy Lollipop" was one of the most unusual hits of the British Invasion, and a historic recording in a way that few realized at the time. For "My Boy Lollipop" was really the first song that could be called "reggae" to become a big international hit, even though it's really ska, reggae's predecessor, and was called "bluebeat" in the UK at the time. To Americans, it was just eccentric, with its irregular shuffle beat and ultra-high-voiced shaky lead vocal, by a woman who sounded like an off-key baby to those unaccustomed to Jamaican accents. It was, however, huge, making #2 in both the UK and US in 1964. Although Millie Small's vocal is indeed odd, it was memorable and unlike anything else on the hit parade at the time. "My Boy Lollipop" is a childish but maddeningly infectious tune, given a lot of oomph by the pounding, steadily galloping backing, particularly with its responsive brass riffs after Small's vocal lines. It's also neat how the instrumentation drops out briefly to let her really wail about never letting Lollipop go at the end of the bridge. A surprise element comes into play in the instrumental break, where Small steps aside not for horns or guitar, but for an extended R&B harmonica solo. For decades, it has been rumored that the harmonica solo was the work of a young Rod Stewart, then a struggling R&B musician whose solo recording career hadn't begun. Stewart cleared up the matter directly in a 2003 Record Collector interview, noting that hadn't played on the record, though he mistakenly attributed it to Junior Wood; it was in fact played by Pete Hogman, who had just replaced Stewart in the obscure British R&B band Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions. Though "My Boy Lollipop" was a genuine ska song (albeit with some pop-rock overtones), it was recorded in Britain, not Jamaica, though it was arranged by noted Jamaican guitarist Ernie Ranglin. It's not well known that "My Boy Lollipop" is a cover of an obscure 1956 rock'n'roll single by Barbie Gaye. Although Gaye's original isn't as powerful as Small's and lacks the brass parts, it's actually fairly similar to the cover in most respects. To clear up yet more mysteries about the song, Barbie Gaye, 16 years old at the time, is not a pseudonym for Ellie Greenwich, who began her recording career under the pseudonym Ellie Gaye. Also, the songwriting credits for the tune have varied over the years, usually comprising some combination of the names Robert Spencer (of the early doo wop group the Cadillacs), Johnnie Roberts (manager of several doo wop groups), and Morris Levy (head of Roulette Records). It's been written that Levy replaced Roberts's name with his own after Roberts was murdered in 1958.

Okay, a bit of fluff, but we still like it … a lot. Millie Small’s 1964 version, as stated in the Song Review, is fueled by brass and a bit more powerful but … I opted to go with the original 1956 version by Barbie Gaye – only related to Marvin via the family of (wo)man.

13 Since I Met You Baby - Ivory Joe HunterThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1956 (1956, 1993)

Song ReviewA masterpiece of smooth, bluesy elegance, "Since I Met You Baby" became a huge hit in 1956 for pianist Ivory Joe Hunter, topping the R&B charts for nearly a month and almost reaching the Top Ten on the pop side. While the song didn't have the full-blown orchestrations that the Drifters' ballads would soon explore, it was decidedly removed from the tide of raucous rock & roll sweeping the country. Opening with Hunter's gently chiming piano, the song is augmented by a wordless vocal choir that's strongly reminiscent of traditional pop recordings of the period; however, their contribution is never overdone and mostly blends into the background as texture. Hunter's rich, buttery phrasing flows both over and around the beat, and on the second verse, a warm saxophone harmonizes his lines and fills in the gaps between. The lyrical structure underlines the song's blues roots, repeating the first line of each verse twice and rhyming it with the fourth and final line. While the song is hardly gritty, that bluesiness prevents "Since I Met You Baby" from coming off as pure sentimentality, instead investing it with a romantic tenderness that makes the song an unqualified classic.

Yet another from my memory banks. I must have been listening to WTVN with my classic transistor radio, maybe while painting the fences at Skyview Drive In of Lancaster, Ohio, (then click History) a drive-in theater owned by Carlos Crum (my Uncle Buck). Oh, those were the days – no shirt, splattered with white paint, enjoying the tunes and laying the groundwork for future skin cancer. By the way, I still have the little radio – you know, the ones that are not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes and fit in your shirt pocket with a little earbud for private enjoyment. Don’t try rolling ‘em up in your T-Shirt sleeve, however, and don’t smoke ‘em even if you got ‘em.

Other versions in our library: Sam Cooke (1961), BB King & Koko Taylor (1992), and Greg Brown (early PHC).

14 Black Slacks - Joe Bennett & The SparkletonesThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1957 - Still Rockin' (1957, 1988)

Song Review"Black Slacks" is a song written by Joe Bennett and Jimmy Denton and performed by Joe Bennett & the Sparkletones. It reached #11 on the R&B chart and #17 on the Billboard pop chart in 1957. The single ranked #100 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1957. The rockabilly band Jackslacks adopted their name from the song "Black Slacks".

Buchanan & Goodman sampled the song on their 1957 single, "Santa and the Satellite".Robert Gordon released a version of the song as a single in 1979 which did not chart.Matchbox released a version of the song as a single in the United Kingdom in 1979 which did not chart.Simon & Garfunkel released a version of the song as a medley with their song "Hey, Schoolgirl" on their 1997 compilation album, Old Friends.

B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-Black SlacksB-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-Black SlacksB-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-Black SlacksB-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-Black SlacksB-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-Black SlacksPegged cool daddy-o! When I put em on I'm a rarin' to goWhen I go places I just don't careYou'd know why when you see what I wearBlack slacks... pegged 14 Black slacks... really are keen! Black slacks pegged cool daddy-o! When I put em on I'm a rarin' to goMan you oughta' see me with my derby onI know that you would say... "He's gone"Black slacks... "Mostly in the head"...Black slacks... Uh... that's what I said...Black slacks I'm the cat's pajamasI always run around with the crazy little mamas

Honest admission: I don’t remember this from my youth. However, once I heard it, I knew it had to go into the collection. I included the lyrics because even Janie couldn’t catch ‘em all from the recording. So who knows what “Pegged 14” means? I had a pair of pegged corduroys that I only wore once. My large (muscular!) legs were not designed for pegged pants. However, I never had a Cat Chain; did you? And there’s that Crazy Little Mama reference again. Whatever, this tune has wormed its way into our heads … maybe yours as well.

We have a version by Simon & Garfunkel in the form of a two-song medley: Hey Schoolgirl & Black Slacks (1996).

15 Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston HarrisRock 'N' Roll 1957 (1957, 1992)

Song Review"Little Bitty Pretty One" is a 1957, rock and roll song written and originally recorded by Bobby Day. The same year, the song was popularized by Thurston Harris. Produced by Aladdin Records (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), and featuring The Sharps on backing vocals. Harris' version reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Best-Sellers chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart

Now, this one I most definitely remember. The humming part was something I could almost ‘sing’ along with. Did I ever tell you that I was the first, and likely only, high school senior to be asked NOT to sing in the Senior Sing? I could participate only if I mouthed, but did not sing, the words. Does that make me the original Milli Vanilli?

Okay everybody sing along …Mmm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mmmMmm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mmmAh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahAh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahOhhhhhhh-oh-oh-oh-ohOhhhhhhh-oh-oh-oh-ohOhhhhhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh

We have versions by The Jackson 5 (1972) & Aaron Neville (2013) paying homage to their roots.

16 Little Darlin' - The DiamondsRock 'N' Roll 1957 (1957, 1992)

Song Review"Little Darlin'" was written by Maurice Williams and cut by his group the Gladiolas before they metamorphosed into Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs in 1959. They may have had the first recording of the song, but they didn't have the hit with it; a white group called the Diamonds covered the song and brought it to number two on both the pop and R&B charts in the spring of 1957. The Gladiolas' version followed the cover up the charts a month later, but the Diamonds' take remained the bigger hit and, over the years, the better-known version. Normally, this would have been an outrage, but there's a reason why the Diamonds' version has sustained its popularity over the years: it's a better, fiercer recording. Both versions are good, even if they're a little silly, because it's a good doo wop song, giving each member of the quartet a lot to do. At times, the vocal phrases verge on self-parody -- the "ai-ya-yi-yai-yai-ya"'s or the "wella-wella"'s -- which may be why the Diamonds' version is superior. They don't seem particularly reverential of the song, so they're not afraid to tear into it, sometimes sending it up, sometimes singing with passion. Whether they know it or not, they wound up making a good doo wop song pretty great, with their take-no-prisoners delivery.

The beginning of this track is … wonderful. Then they jump into the lyrics with the halting presentation … including the la, la, las. You get the feeling that they are not entirely serious, and that’s okay by me. I’ve never been known to be serious about much of anything. Cha-cha-cha. Read the review for details such as: “the vocal phrases verge on self-parody … They don't seem particularly reverential of the song ...”

My library contains versions of Little Darling by The Gladiolas (1955), Joan Baez (1983), and Dave Edmunds (1977).

17 Red Hot - Billy Lee Riley & The Little Green MenMemphis Rocks: Rockabilly in Memphis: 1954-1968 (1957, 1992)

Song ReviewOne of the great signature songs of rockabilly was originally written by R&B tunesmith/bandleader Billy "the Kid" Emerson and first released on the Sun label in 1955. Based on a cheerleader's chant ("our team is red hot"), Emerson left several versions of the tune in the Sun vaults, most with different sets of lyrics. Released as the follow-up record to "Flying Saucers Rock & Roll," Billy Lee Riley's version came next in 1957, around the same time as a competitive version by Bob Luman on Imperial that featured a young James Burton on lead guitar. Riley's take features an odd bit of timing in the call and response pattern of the chorus, absent on most other versions. The song was brought back to the charts in the late '70s by rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon, who recorded the song on his debut album with no less than the legendary Link Wray playing the lead guitar solos. Emerson was one of R&B's more clever wordsmiths and "Red Hot" is his best remembered composition, now a staple of revival rockers everywhere.

My gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatYeah, my gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatWell, she ain't got no moneyBut man, she's a-really got a lotWell, I got a gal, six feet fourSleeps in the kitchen with her feet out the door, butMy gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatYeah, my gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatWell, she ain't got no moneyBut man, she's a-really got a lotWell, she walks all night, talks all dayShe's the kinda woman who'll have her way, butMy gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatYeah, my gal is red hotYour gal ain't doodly squatWell, she ain't got no moneyBut man, she's a-really got a lotWell, she's the kinda woman who louds aroundSpreadin' my business all over town, but …

The song review says it all: “One of the great signature songs of rockabilly ...” And if that isn’t enough, just have a gander at the lyrics. My gal is red hot; “Your gal ain’t doodly squat. She’s the kind of woman who louds around; Spreading my business all over town.” Well, it rhymes but does it make sense? Who cares? Rockabilly all the way.

We have several “Red Hot” titles, but none like Billy Lee Riley’s version.

18 Short Fat Fannie - Larry WilliamsRock 'N' Roll 1957 (1957, 1992)

Song Review"Short Fat Fannie" (alternatively "Short Fat Fanny") is Larry Williams' second single release after "High School Dance". Williams' original penned track peaked at number five on the U.S. pop chart, and at number one on the R&B chart. It sold over one million records, Williams' first million seller.

"Short Fat Fannie" was an early example of a novelty genre including pop song titles. This formula was later used for Bobby Darin's "Splish Splash" and Bob Kayli's "Everyone Was There", as well as both of Billy and Lillie's hits, "La Dee Dah" and "Lucky Ladybug". The song was rehearsed by The Beatles during the filming of the documentary, Let It Be in 1969. The song was recorded on the film soundtrack and is featured on many bootleg recordings.

Covers by Billy Preston, The Beatles, Little Richard, Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, Curtis Johnson, Ronnie Self, The Dovells and Johnny Winter. Frankie Avalon also recorded the song. The track was also a favorite of Levon Helm, drummer of The Band. He would sing the song often while touring as the Hawks, and even played a version of it on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993.

Whistling ... whistling, I love whistling. And then there’s the Long Tall Sally reference followed by Heartbreak Hotel, Fever, Tutti Frutti, Hound Dog, Jim Dandy and who knows what else. Check out the covers listed in the Song review. Crickey that’s a lot of covers … but this is the only version in our library.

19 Susie Q - Dale HawkinsRock N Roll 1957 (1957, 1993)

Song ReviewWhen an artist revisits or redoes a previously recorded song, it can have humiliating results. It can be a stark example of the artist's fading skills. If the track is an update in a crass play to be current, it can be downright nauseating. Rockabilly pioneer Dale Hawkins' summer 1957 Chess/Checker single "Susie-Q" was about the daughter of Jewel Records owner Stan Lewis. For his 1999 album Wildcat Tamer, Hawkins redid the tune with the same amount of exuberance of the original. In fact, the mono mix has a '50s-era tonal quality (the original was recorded at Shreveport, LA, radio station KWKH) which only makes the track more endearing. Considering that Hawkins was in his '60s when he recorded Wildcat Tamer, it's both revelatory and refreshing to hear such engaging energy. Implicit in Hawkins' musical triumph is an indictment of the general callous attitude of the youth-obsessed mindset of some members of the record business.

Cow bell … how I like the cow bell … and the clapping … and the pounding drum … and, apparently, Susie Q. Hawkins album cover is labeled Suzie-Q, but all other references are Susie-Q, so that’s what I’m going with.

Only have one other version in the library and it’s by Creedence Clearwater Revival … a fairly faithful cover.

20 Don't You Just Know It - Huey Piano Smith & The ClownsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1958 - Street Corner Serenade (1958, 1987)

Song ReviewHuey Pierce Smith, known as Huey "Piano" Smith (born January 26, 1934, New Orleans, Louisiana), is an American rhythm-and-blues pianist whose sound was influential in the development of rock and roll. His piano playing incorporated the boogie styles of Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, and Albert Ammons, the jazz style of Jelly Roll Morton and the rhythm-and-blues style of Fats Domino. At the peak of his game, Smith epitomized New Orleans R&B at its most infectious and rollicking, as showcased on his classic signature tune, 'Don't You Just Know It.'

I can't lose with the stuff I use(Don't you just know it)Baby, don't believe I wear two left shoes(Don't you just know it)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ey eh, oh(Ey eh, oh)Gooba, gooba, gooba, gooba(Gooba, gooba, gooba, gooba)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ey eh, oh(Ey eh, oh)Hey, pretty baby, can we go strollin'(Don't you just know it)You got me rockin' when I wanna be rollin'(Don't you just know it)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ey eh, oh(Ey eh, oh)Gooba, gooba, gooba, gooba(Gooba, gooba, gooba, gooba)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ah ha ha ha

(Ah ha ha ha)Ey eh, oh(Ey eh, oh)Baby, baby, you're my blue heaven(Don't you just know it)You got me pushin' when I wanna be shoving(Don't you just know it)Ah ha ha ha(Ah ha ha ha)Ey eh, oh(Ey eh, oh) …

“Baby, don't believe I wear two left shoes …” What’s that all about? But that’s just the beginning. Where else can you find lyrics like this:

“Ah ha ha haEy eh, ohGooba, gooba, gooba, gooba

Seems like some, if not all, of those phrases show up in other tracks. Simple lyrics but effective, at least for me - one of my all-time favorites. I always thought they were saying ‘Dayo-O’ but it turns out to be ‘Ey eh, oh’. I was similarly confused by ‘Gooba, gooba, gooba, gooba’. Don’t you just know it? Yeah, I do – now.

21 Summertime Blues - Eddie CochranThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1958 (1958, 1987)

Song ReviewCould this possibly be the summertime record/song of all time? In any discussion of what it's like to be young and broke and persecuted by your family and job, this song has to rank pretty darn high. Its subjects are so broadly drawn that they'll never really go out of style, unlike other lyrical sentiments of the '50s. Of course, the original by Eddie Cochran -- the song's co-writer -- is still the champ, a marvelous mix held together by the most basic of rhythms with a strong acoustic guitar flavor that makes it timeless. The song is also open to interpretations as varied as the ones by Blue Cheer and the Who. The song came to life again in the 1980s with Brian Setzer's excitable reading of it in the movie La Bamba and continues to be a staple of rock & roll bands while moving into new territory with Alan Jackson's country version of the '50s oldie.

It's a classic. Reading the review indicates lots of others agree. A popular school-is-out sort of thing. Eddie Cochran rules.

The only other track in our library is The Beach Boys 1962 cover.

22 Charlie Brown - The CoastersThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1959 (1959, 1988)

Song ReviewThough not as big a hit as the somewhat melodically similar "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown" was a real big one for the Coasters, making number two in 1959. The premise here, though, is not grown-ups telling kids what to do, but a high school student determined to be as much of a pain in the ass to adults as possible. The mock-ominous mood -- not too ominous, it's actually rather upbeat and cheerful -- is set during the slow, thudding, cinematically funereal tempo of the brief verse, especially the first one, with its opening "fee-fee-fi-fum." What it heralds is not the coming of the blob or the Jolly Green Giant, though, but the teenaged Charlie Brown, smoking (or perhaps even setting fire to?) the auditorium. The much more rollicking chorus, though, makes it clear that Brown is more the lovable rogue than the incorrigible juvenile delinquent, though the breezy warning that he's going to get caught does hint that it's not all fun and games for our Charlie. As for the spoken interjections for which the Coasters were famous, the big one here comes just after the line about getting caught, when a low hipster voice whines, unaccompanied by any music, wondering why everyone's always picking on him. Actually, though, Brown, by the standards of mainstream morality at least, is more a sinner than sinned against, up to all sorts of mischief and insolence, not the least of them being calling his teachers "daddy-o." A brief bridge that goes into a lower key adds some nice variety, especially at the end, when there's a brief trade-off of vocals -- the voice of Brown declaring innocuously, "Who me?," after which munchkin-like girl voices pout, "yeah you!" The clickety-clack rhythm of "Charlie Brown" is pretty similar to that heard in "Yakety Yak," and as with "Yakety Yak," King Curtis adds his trademark sputtering yakety sax. Some people casually assumed "Charlie Brown" was at least partially based on the main character of the Peanuts cartoon strip, particularly since he

complained (like the Peanuts Charlie Brown did) about everyone picking on him. But actually, Leiber-Stoller's Charlie Brown is not a victimized little kid but an insubordinate adolescent, much more contemptuous of authority and apt to take chances than the cartoon Charlie Brown ever would.

Well, it’s the Coasters and they are always interesting – Poison Ivy, Along Came Jones, Little Egypt, Young Blood, to name a few. I went with Charlie Brown because “He’s always goofin’ in the halls” reminds me of my high school days and the Assistant Principal we called Sneaky. His job was trying to find us goofin’ in the halls, which, of course, he never did – we were all perfect angels – except maybe Doyle Edward (Eduardo) when he rolled that watermelon with enclosed firecracker down Main Street hill … right past the Police Station. At least that’s the story I recall. Corrections, Ed?

As you might expect, we don’t have any other versions of Charlie Brown.

23 I Only Have Eyes For You - The FlamingosThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1959 - Still Rockin' (1959, 1989)

Song Review"I Only Have Eyes for You" is a romantic love song by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin, written for the film Dames (1934) where it was introduced by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The song is a jazz standard, and has been covered by numerous musicians. Successful recordings of the song have been made by Ben Selvin (in 1934), Peggy Lee (in 1947), The Lettermen (in 1966), Art Garfunkel (in 1975), The Three Degrees (in 1982), and Rod Stewart (in 2003), among others. Perhaps the best known and most acclaimed version is the "otherworldly" 1959 recording by doo-wop artists The Flamingos, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003, and listed as #157 in Rolling Stone magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004)."

This song was included on The Flamingos' debut album Flamingo Serenade. The version by the Flamingos features a prominent reverb effect, creating a dreamy ambience. This version peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 3 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It ranked as the 73rd biggest hit of 1959 by Billboard. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Flamingos' version as number 157 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

My love must be a kind of blind loveI can't see anyone but youSha bop sha bopSha bop sha bopSha bop sha bopSha bop sha bopSha bop sha bopAre the stars out tonightI don't know if it's cloudy or brightI only have eyes for you dearSha bop sha bopThe moon may be highSha bop sha bopBut I can't see a thing in the skyI only have eyes for youI don't know if we're in a gardenOr on a crowded avenueSha bop sha bopYou are hereSha bop sha bop

Ah, the Flamingos. Bob Dylan calls ‘em the Flaming Os. Whatever, Are the stars out tonight? I don’t know because I only have eyes for you. The lyrics suggest it’s Sha bop sha bob, but it doesn’t sound like that to me. Kinda more like something dripping: Da-wip, da-wip or some such. Whatever it is catchy … and memorable for me at least.

Have versions by Lou Sherwood 1934, The Platters 1963, and Martina Topley-Bird 2005 in the library. But the Flamingos fly for me.

24 Linda Lu - Ray SharpeThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: The '50s - Keep on Rockin' (1959, 1989)

Song Review

Ray Sharpe’s second record, "Linda Lu" written by Sharpe, produced by Hazlewood, and featuring Duane Eddy and Sharpe on guitar, Al Casey on rhythm guitar – was much more successful. Recorded in May 1959, it reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. Following its success, Sharpe appeared on American Bandstand and toured with a Dick Clark rock and roll package that also included LaVern Baker, Duane Eddy and The Coasters. "Linda Lu" has subsequently been covered by many artists, including the Rolling Stones, The Kingsmen, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Tom Jones.

Well, they call my Baby, PattyBut her real name, her real name, her real name is Linda LuWell now now they call my Baby, PattyBut her real name, her real name, her real name is Linda LuShe's so fine, fair and prettyYou never know what my Baby's gonna doMy Linda LuNow when she goes stroling down the streetAll the cats, All the cats, All the catsTurn to look aroundWell now she gives everybody the eyeYou never know, You never know,what my Baby's gonna put downEverybody always tells meI got the cutest little girl in townI'm gonna marry that girlnext Saturday nightI'll stay with her for the rest of my lifeFrom now on my rovin' days are throughAnd it's…

This is a real rocker for me. When I auditioned this for inclusion, I was stunned by how much I liked it. “They call my baby Patty, but her real name, her real name, her real name is Linda Lu.” A stutterer’s anthem if nothing else. Yeah, I like it a lot. And then there’s Duane Eddy’s guitar backing it all up.

Unique in our library, but the review lists several covers. Hmmm, I’d like to hear the Tom Jones version. Hello, YouTube …

25 Personality - Lloyd PriceThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1959 (1959, 1988)

Song Review"Personality" is a 1959 R&B, pop hit with music and lyrics by Harold Logan and Lloyd Price. It was released as a single by Price and became one of Lloyd Price's most popular crossover hits. The single reached #2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and was kept from the #1 spot by The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton. The song was also a #1 U.S. R&B hit, maintaining the top spot for four weeks. Billboard ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1959. The song reached #9 in the U.K...

Over and overI tried to prove my love to youOver and overWhat more can I doOver and overMy friends say I'm a foolBut over and overI'll be a fool for you'Cause you've got personalityWalk, with personalityTalk, with personalitySmile, with personalityCharm, personalityLove, personalityAnd plus you've gotA great big heartSo over (over and over) and overOh, I'll be a fool for youNow over (over and over) and overWhat more can I do?

'Cause you've got personalityWalk, with personalityTalk, with personalitySmile, with personalityCharm, with personalityLove, with personalityAnd of course you've gotA great big heartSo over (over and over) and overOh, I'll be a fool for youNow over (over and over) and overWhat more can I do?Over and overI said…

Yet another one of my mind-worms. Listening to it brings back a flood of memories … again, frequently heard on my little transistor radio – sometimes in bed, under the covers, late at night.

We don’t have any other versions of this track in our library.

26 Cherry Pie – Skip & FlipThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960 - Still Rockin' (1960, 1989)

Song ReviewThe duo of Skip Battin and Gary Paxton hit pop paydirt in 1960 when their third single "Cherry Pie" hit number 11 on the pop charts for Bob Shad's Brent label. Battin and Paxton, who previously played in a rockabilly band, first recorded as a duo for Rev, but were later picked up by Shad and reached high in the charts with the simplistic "Cherry Pie," reliant on doo wop ballad cliches and quite a few nursery rhymes for its blueprint. Their other big hit, "It Was I," also hit number 11 in 1959, but was their only other Top 40 entry. Both went on to far-flung careers, however. Paxton moved into production and worked with studio maestros Curt Boettcher and Kim Fowley on a wealth of hits (from the Association's "Cherish" to the Rivingtons' "Papa Ooh Mow Mow"), while Battin formed his own band (the Evergreen Blueshoes) before attaining country-rock journeyman status as a member of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and New Riders of the Purple Sage.

Another piece of fluff that has grown on us. It’s deceptively simple and simply worms its way into your brain. In fact, it is so simple, I was able to cut it down to 1:14. Whatever, it is important to note that Janie loves Cherry Pie – the actual item, and almost any other food item containing Cherries. That’s my girl.

We don’t have any other versions of this track in the library and there may not be any anywhere else.

27 Finger Poppin' Time - Hank Ballard & The MidnightersLoud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s (1960, 1999)

Song ReviewThis popular dancer sold in droves, a huge record that obtained the lofty position of number seven pop in 1960. Nearly every one who bought R&B had a copy and parties were duds without it. The Stanley Brothers and Lou Ann Barton are two of many artists who have remade the Hank Ballard composition, but nobody says "hey now, hey now, it's finger poppin', poppin' time" like Hank.

{Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey nowIt's finger pop poppin' timeFinger poppin' poppin' time}I feel so goodAnd that's a real good sign{Here comes May and here comes SueHere come Johnny and Bobby tooIt's finger pop poppin' time}I feel so goodAnd that's a real good sign{Here comes May and here comes SueHere come Johnny and Bobby tooIt's finger pop poppin' time}I feel…

So this must be early Hank, right? Wiki says he was born in 1927, so he must have been around 35 when he cut this track in 1960. I was a bit younger, just a Junior in High School, and we are now chronologically in my musical sweet spot. These late 50’s, early 60s tracks populate my formative years and are the musical backbone of my memories and “… nobody says ‘hey now, hey now, it's finger poppin', poppin' time’ like Hank. By the way, that “formative years” phrase I keep using comes from a 50s Wonder Bread jingle. Ah, the memory of an aging man – always entertaining.

Don’t have any covers of this track in the library.

28 Handy Man - Jimmy JonesThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960 (1960, 1987)

Song ReviewIn 1959, R&B songwriter Otis Blackwell, known for writing many songs recorded by Elvis Presley, teamed up with tenor Jimmy Jones for "Handy Man," a gentle romantic ballad in which the metaphor of a handy man is used for a sympathetic lover who fixes broken hearts instead of other things. Jones recorded the infectious song for Cub Records and had surprising success with it, coming close to the top of both the pop and R&B charts and earning a gold record in the winter of 1960. He managed a second major hit with a follow-up, "Good Timin'." In 1964, Del Shannon, who first hit the charts the year after Jones but had struggled since, revived "Handy Man" and earned a Top 40 hit on the pop charts. But the song largely lay fallow for the next 13 years until it was recorded by James Taylor. Though famous as a singer/songwriter, Taylor scored some of his biggest hits with covers, and "Handy Man" was no exception. With his warm vocal style and in a lovely folk-pop arrangement, "Handy Man" hit all over again with a generation that for the most part had never heard the original. Taylor's version made "Handy Man" a Top Ten hit for the second time, and it also topped the easy listening charts. "Handy Man" got into the country charts for the first time in 1982, when Joel Hughes scored with another revival.

Hey girls, gather roundBecause of what I'm puttin' downOh, baby, I'm your handy manI'm not the kind that uses pencil or ruleI'm handy with the love and I'm no foolI fix broken hearts, I know I really canIf your broken heart needs repairI'm the man to see. I whisper sweet thingsYou tell all your friends, and they'll come running to meHere is the main thing I want to sayI'm busy twenty four hours a dayI fix broken hearts, I know I really canHey girls, gather roundBecause of what I'm puttin' downOh, baby, I'm your handy manI'm not the kind that uses pencil or ruleI'm handy…

More whistling … this may be the center piece of my musical sweet spot. Hell, I can almost mouth the words (remember, I can’t sing) after all these years. Hmmm, how many years? Let’s go with 59. Yikes! If the ladies don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. Check that out!

We have a reasonably faithful cover by James Taylor 1977 in the library.

29 Let The Little Girl Dance - Billy BlandThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960 (1960, 1987)

Song Review"Let the Little Girl Dance" is a song written by Carl Spencer and Henry Glover and performed by Billy Bland. It reached #7 on the U.S. pop chart, #11 on the U.S. R&B chart, and #15 on the UK Singles Chart in 1960. The song ranked #51 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1960.

Let the little girl dance, let the little girl danceShe never danced before so let her on the floor (so let her on the floor)Let the little girl dance, let the little girl danceShe wants to give it a try, so let the little girl by (so let the little girl by)

She's been a little wallflower on the shelf, standing by herselfNow she got the nerve to take a chance, so let the little girl danceLet the little girl through, she wants to pass by youBuddy, can't you see she wants to dance with me (she wants to dance with me)She's been…

Okay, I don’t sing, and I don’t dance. Thus, this track doesn’t figure heavily into my formative years, physically. However, I still like it – passively. I was a non-dancing wallflower and never had the nerve to take a chance … to dance. Ah, but I can appreciate good music – passively, if nothing else.

No other versions in our library.

30 Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop - Little Anthony & The ImperialsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960-Still Rockin' (1960, 1989)

Song ReviewThis seemingly innocuous song became one of the first great earworms, with the chorus of "Shimmy, shimmy, ko-ko-bop, shimmy, shimmy, bop" burrowing into our brains and refusing to let go. Like many hits of this era aimed at teenagers, it's about a dance: the "ko-ko-bop." The third verse contains specific instructions:

Left foot forward, right one backBring them side by sideSyncopate your last two stepsNow you're gonna glide

The song is about a guy who is entranced by a "native" girl who shows him the dance. This is based on a song called "(Shimmy Shimmy) Ko Ko Wop," which was released by a Pittsburgh group called the El Capris in 1956. That song was written by group members James Scott, James Ward and Leon Gray; it takes place on an island and has a Polynesian rhythm.

The Little Anthony & the Imperials version is a not-so-subtle rewrite, with just a tweak to the title and a change of setting for the verses. This version is credited as written by Bob Smith. Various "Shimmy" songs followed: in 1960 "(I Do The) Shimmy Shimmy" by Bobby Freeman went to #37 US; "Shimmy Like Kate" by The Olympics made #42 that same year; and in 1962 James Brown hit #61 with "Shout And Shimmy." This was the first uptempo hit for Little Anthony & the Imperials, who were known for their ballads "Tears On My Pillow" and "So Much."

Little Anthony did not like this song and would often disparage it on stage before performing it.

OMG, read the review. I had no idea this was supposed to be a dance. This track was sufficiently important to me that I managed to memorize the words, especially the Baaaahhh. Give it a few listens and see if you don’t find yourself singing Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop and Baaaahhh, at least in your head if not out loud.

We don’t have any other versions in the library, but the covers listed in the review are impressive.

31 Stay - Maurice Williams & The ZodiacsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960 (1960, 1987)

Song ReviewNot much over a minute and a half in length in its original recording, "Stay" is nevertheless one of the classics of the early rock & roll era. Written by Maurice Williams -- also author of the 1957 Top Ten hit "Little Darlin'," recorded by the Diamonds -- "Stay" was cut by Williams with his group the Zodiacs after he determined that no one else was going to steal a hit from him this time and went knocking on doors in New York City, eventually getting a sympathetic ear at tiny Herald Records. After a trip back to their South Carolina home for a re-recording, Williams and the Zodiacs saw "Stay" soar to number one in the fall of 1960. With so little needle time, it was simple and catchy, and it had the added attraction of a surprise falsetto voice that appeared on the second chorus. That effect made it a natural for the Four Seasons to cover, given their falsetto-singing leader, Frankie Valli, and the group cut it in 1963 for their Folk-Nanny album; it was also released on a single that didn't get any attention at first. Then the Four Seasons switched record companies from Vee-Jay to Phillips, and Vee-Jay retaliated by reissuing "Stay" in competition with their first Phillips single, "Dawn (Go Away)," in 1964. The ploy worked: "Stay" made it into the Top 20, and Vee-Jay promptly reissued Folk-Nanny under the title Stay & Other Great Hits, which made the LP charts. Especially in its original

version, "Stay" went on to become a staple of oldies radio. In late 1977, Jackson Browne released his live album Running on Empty, which concluded with "The Load-Out," a song about the musician's desire to play, that segued into a modified version of "Stay," complete with falsetto singing by his backup musician, David Lindley. In 1978, a single with "The Load-Out" on one side and "Stay" on the other was released from the album, and "Stay" appeared in the Top 20 for the third time. Also that year, the Williams recording was used on the soundtrack to American Hot Wax, a biographical film about disc jockey Alan Freed. The following year, Browne, along with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, performed "Stay" at one of the No Nukes benefit concerts that were recorded and filmed for album and movie release. An even more prominent movie placement came ten years later, when Williams' version of "Stay" was used in Dirty Dancing and placed on its chart-topping, multi-platinum soundtrack album, thus introducing the timeless song to yet another generation.

Please, please, pleaseTell me you're going toNow your daddy don't mindAnd your mommy don't mindIf we have another dance, yeahJust one more (One more time)]Oh, won't you stayJust a little bit longer?Please let me danceAnd say you will (Say you will)]Won't you place your sweet lips to mine?Won't you say you love me all of the time?

Your daddy don’t mind … Your mommy don’t mind … and … I don’t mind. In fact, I really like it, so s-s-s-t-t-t-a-a-a-y-y-y and keep those tunes rolling on and on and on … This track certainly managed to stay in my memories. Got that Doo Wop feel that I like so much. “Oh, won’t you stay just a little bit longer?” And then there’s that groaning and falsetto and … ahhhh …

Have other versions by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (63), Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (79), and Cyndi Lauper, but I’ll STAY with Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.

32 You Got What It Takes - Marv JohnsonThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1960 (1960, 1987)

Song Review

This major Marv Johnson hit (number ten pop, 1959) should have been credited to Motown; it was produced and co-written by Berry Gordy Jr. Marv was a Detroiter who cut in the same studios with the same musicians as the artists actually signed to Tamla Records, and he toured and did shows with the Tamla artists. But Marv struck a deal with United Artists Records when they licensed his first hit, "Come to Me," and he wouldn't get on Motown officially until the mid-'60s. This giant took off on R&B/soul radio and crossed pop. Women loved the lyrics, which really are more appropriate from the feminine perspective. It's possible this was intended for Mabel John, who Berry also produced, and shopped the acetates to United Artist, but they never released anything on her, and Marv may have gotten the song by default. The lyrics simply say you may not be well off or good looking, but you got what it takes for me.

Well, you got what it takes for me, for sure. Yet another from my musical sweet spot. Ah, the 60s … They had what it takes … and still got what it takes … for me.

We have a version by Bobby Parker (57) that predates Marv Johnson’s, but the tune was written by Marv and that clinched its selection.

33 Shop Around - The MiraclesRock'n'Roll Era: 1961 (1961, 1995)

Song ReviewThis was the first million-seller for Motown Records. It was also the label's first Top 10 single in the US. Miracles leader Smokey Robinson wrote this in about 20 minutes. In a 2006 interview with NPR, he explained that some songs just flowed out of him, and those were often the hits. Robinson wrote the song for another Motown artist, Barrett Strong, but Motown leader Berry Gordy convinced him to record it with his group, The Miracles, and have Robinson's wife, Claudette, sing lead. Gordy worked on the song with

Robinson, which was a slower and more bluesy number when the Miracles first recorded it.

The song was released as a single, but late one night, Gordy woke Robinson up with a phone call announcing he thought up a different arrangement for the song and called the group into the studio to record it (it was not uncommon to re-record a song in those days after hearing it on the radio and considering improvements). Everybody made it to the studio except the piano player, so Gordy pounded the ivories while the tape was rolling. The hit version, which had a faster tempo and Smokey on lead, was recorded around 3 a.m. Robinson made up the lyrics about his mother telling him go through lots of girls in pursuit of the perfect one. His mother died when he was 10. A cover version by Captain & Tennille went to #4 US in 1976. In this version, the advice to "shop around" is delivered to a daughter. A white singer on the Motown roster named Debbie Dean recorded an answer song called "Don't Let Him Shop Around" which hit #92 in 1961.

When I became of age my mother called me to her sideShe said, son, you're growing up now pretty soon you'll take a brideAnd then she said, just because you've become a young man nowThere's still some things that you don't understand nowBefore you ask some girl for her hand now Keep your freedom for as long as you can nowMy mama told me, you better shop around (shop, shop)Oh yeah, you better shop around (shop, shop around)Ah, there's some things that I want you to know nowJust as sure as the winds gonna blow nowThe women come and the women gonna go nowBefore you tell 'em that you love em so nowMy mama told me, you better shop around, (shop, shop)Oh yeah, you better shop around (shop, shop around)A-try to get yourself a bargain sonDon't be…

This may be the best known track on Naweenda 2019. But it is pivotal and just had to be included. 1961 was Eduardo & Philipe’s DJ year. “Before you ask some girl for her hand now; Keep your freedom for as long as you can now” … Hmmm, the bachelor’s anthem? You know what can totally ruin a classic tune like this? Have it included in a popular current commercial. That’s what happened to Louis Prima’s “Jump Jive And Wail”. Damn!

Interestingly, this is the only version in my library. It’s all we need, however. A classic for sure. Oh, is that Smoky Robinson on lead? Yep, it most certainly is.

34 Don't Play That Song (You Lied) - Ben E KingThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: The '60s-Rave On

Song ReviewBen E. King's third album is a little short in running time but very high in quality, in terms of the dozen songs here. The title track was the selling point, but couldn't help but be seduced by the exquisite production of "Ecstasy" and "On the Horizon," the latter making about as fine use of harps and an ethereal chorus as one imagines possible -- and when the strings come in, violins and cellos alternately, the sheer beauty of the track just overflows. "Show Me the Way to Your Heart" isn't too far behind, and then "Stand by Me" shores up the opening of the second side -- not that anything here needed shoring up, but it's good that they got the single onto a long-player so it didn't go to waste. Even the lesser material, like "Here Comes the Night" and "First Taste of Love" (the latter a Jerry Leiber/Phil Spector song that bears an uncanny resemblance to Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On"), is interesting to hear for the lively production. This album, like its predecessors, dates from a period in which producers and engineers were figuring out what one could do with soul and R&B in terms of engineering, and the sound separation and textures are nothing if not vibrant and alluring in their own right, separate from the music.

DO … yes, DO play that song … for me and everyone else. Although Aretha’s 1970 version is good and Ruby Johnson’s 1966/67 recording is soulful, I still prefer this one that I remember from my youth: Ben E King’s 1962 version reproduced on Naweedna 2019. I’m playing that song just for you, no lie. Kind of the anthesis of Play It Again, Sam, eh?

35 Let's Dance - Chris MontezThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1962-Still Rockin' (1962, 1989)

Song ReviewA lightweight pop hit from 1962, "Let's Dance" still earns points with rock & roll fans decades afterward for its classic organ riff and Montez's delightfully slurred delivery of some very simplistic lyrics. A number four hit for the Monogram label, it was followed by "Some Kinda Fun," which barely missed the Top 40, and a string of hits later in the '60s for A&M.

The pounding organ & drum does it for me. Ah, but I still can’t dance, so I just play tunes like this and appreciate ‘em passively. Well, I may tap my foot a bit and/or jiggle some, but that doesn’t count as dancing. I was in college when this came out, and I remember it being played at gatherings.

We have several “Let’s Dance” tracks in the library, but none of ‘em are like this one.

36 Easier Said Than Done - The EssexThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1963 (1963, 1988)

Song Review"Easier Said Than Done" is a popular song sung by The Essex that was a number-one song in the United States during 1963. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on July 6, 1963, and remained there for two weeks. The song was written by William Linton and Larry Huff.

The Essex were active-duty members of the United States Marine Corps at the time, as was Linton, who wrote the song at the request of Essex member Walter Vickers. Linton said the song's rhythm was inspired by the sound of the Teletype machines in the communications office at Camp Lejeune. The group was not thrilled with the song but recorded it for use as the B-side of their debut single, "Are You Going My Way". The recording was unusually short, and editing was used to repeat part of the recording; even so, the song was only a little over two minutes. The single was released in May 1963, but "Easier Said Than Done" quickly emerged as the more popular side. The song became a major hit with broad appeal, reaching number one on both the pop and rhythm and blues charts. The song became the title track of the group's first album, which reached number 113 on the Billboard album chart, becoming their only charting album.

“The song's rhythm was inspired by the sound of the Teletype machines.” Teletype machine clatter? Yep, you get your inspiration wherever you can find it. My inspiration comes from this 1963 track … I was 20 and Janie was all of 13 when it came out. So, do you get the teletype clatter thing? We sure do. If you are too young to know about teletypes, think about the clicky-click of a keyboard.

This is the only version of this track in my library. One of a kind, folks!

37 Fingertips Part 2 - Little Stevie WonderThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1963 (1963, 1988)

Song Review Through the efforts of Gerald White, his brother Ronald White of the Miracles, and soon-to-be mentor/frequent songwriting partner Clarence Paul, Steveland Morris began recording for Berry Gordy's Detroit-based Motown Records as Little Stevie Wonder on their Tamla imprint in 1961. It was slow going at first with Wonder's singles failing to chart. Then a seven-minute-long album cut from his Recorded Live! The 12-Year-Old Genius LP began receiving radio play. Playing album tracks was an extremely rare occurrence back then, least of all album tracks that broke the radio-friendly three-minute barrier. "Fingertips" was a live version recorded at Chicago's Regal Theater of a studio-recorded song from his previous album, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie. Gordy decided to issue it as a single 45, splitting the song into two parts on each side. Radio DJs began playing the second part which seemed to capture the frantic energy of a live concert, particularly felt with a musician's desperate cry of "what key?!, what key?!" "Fingertips, Pt. 2" parked at number one pop for three weeks during the summer of 1963. The Recorded Live! The 12-Year-Old Genius album hit number one pop. For many years, the stereo version of "Fingertips" remained unavailable. That is, until the original vinyl release of the Cooley High movie soundtrack in the mid-'70s, where it appears in all of its full glory (not broken up into two parts). When CDs appeared during the '80s, it's said that one lucky individual profited mightily by supplying Motown with a clean vinyl copy of Cooley High; the label is said not to have had a usable stereo recording of the track.

Yeah, a real wonder. Little Stevie is the 12-year-old version of Big Stevie Wonder. Wonder of wonders … this was my first and still favorite Stevie Wonder track. It was slightly edited to

accommodate time constraints (as they say on TV), but the essence is still there, I hope. Did you get the “What key, what key” part? Hope so. Stevie’s way ahead of the band at that point … and still only 12 years old.

Obviously, there are no other versions of Fingertips Part 2 in our library … or anywhere else in all likelihood. And … I just downloaded Fingertips Part 1 from YouTube. Yay!

38 Hello Stranger - Barbara LewisThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1963 (1963, 1988)

Song ReviewHistorians like to break down music, including soul music, into neat categories that can easily be defined by style or region. In fact, many great soul songs eluded easy categorization, one example being Barbara Lewis's self-penned 1963 #3 hit "Hello Stranger." Though Lewis was from Michigan, it didn't sound like Motown, and while there were bits of girl group, pop, and gospel involved in the tune, it wasn't especially in thrall to any of those schools. It was just a gentle, sexy, easygoing, and above all melodic number, sung with an unpretentious earthiness. There's a bossa nova feel to some of the arrangement as well, not only in the rhythm but also in the Wurlitzer-type organ, which dates the song yet also adds to its charm. Though "Hello Stranger" came out just after the death of the doo wop era, doo wop continued to echo in soul music, and does so here in the infectious "she-bop, she-bop, my baby" backup harmonies by the Dells. More memorable than Lewis's cooing of the title phrase is her repeated rumination, with the Dells alongside her, "seems like a mighty long time." As such, the record is great makeout music - a perfect soundtrack, whether in theory or practice, for the first moments alone after there's been a time in a relationship when the partners have been separated from each other. While "Hello Stranger" oozes romance, it simmers without coming to a boil, making it stand out all the more in a genre (soul) that often builds to a frenzied climax.

Oooo, the male choir works for me. And then there’s that plaintive organ backing. Make-out music … I’ve often wondered how many children were conceived with this track or those by The Fleetwoods or Johnny Mathis or … fill in the blank if you were of age during this period. Are things like this in current music? Suppose so, people keep having babies.

Lots of “Hello Stranger” tracks in the library. However, all but one are Bluegrass tunes, like the Hotmud Family version on Naweedna 01. The one other R’n’R version: Queen Latifah on her Dana Owens album.

39 He’s So Fine – The ChiffonsThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1963 (1963, 1988)

Song Review"He's So Fine" is one of the all-time greatest girl group classics, going to #1 in 1963. The hook of "He's So Fine" might be basic, but it's about as memorable as they come in rock music: the insistent, repeated "doo-lang, doo-lang doo-lang" that serves as the song's intro and is repeated throughout the verses. It's just two ascending notes, but it's catchy enough, with an irresistible loping beat and naivete in the Chiffons' harmonies, to be indelible. That loping, slightly lazy beat continues in the verses, in which the "doo-lang" riff is kept up by the backup singers as the lead vocal delivers a typical but fetching idealization of a boy, as so many girl group songs do. The bridge of the song seems a little like an afterthought to connect the verses, but it's attractive anyway, particularly in the way the backup singers respond to the lead vocals with drawn out, almost drawled "oh yeah"s. The cut also benefits from an effective fade, in which the lead sings the title in a descending minor-keyed two-chord riff different from that heard throughout the rest of the song, her "so fine"s immediately seconded by the backup harmonies. As is known by many rock fans, and even some people who know little about pop music, George Harrison got into a lot of trouble over allegedly plagiarizing "He's So Fine" for his huge early-1970s hit "My Sweet Lord." The melody of "My Sweet Lord" is similar to, though not exactly similar to, "He's So Fine." The publishers of "He's So Fine" sued over the matter, and in 1976 Harrison was ordered to pay $1.6 million in damages.

Do-lang, do-lang, do-lang Do-lang, do-lang He's so fine (Do-lang, do-lang, do-lang)…

Do-Lang indeed. That’s a hook that sticks … a mind worm, if you will. It didn’t take much audition time to make this a necessary inclusion in Naweedna 2019, although it was a hard choice between this and The Chiffons’ One Fine Day. Oh, those 60’s girl groups.

The only other track in the library with this title is by Jimi Hendrix … it’s different, as you might expect … he’s neither girl nor group.

40 Tell Him - The ExcitersThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1963 (1963, 1988)

Song Review"Tell Him", originally written and composed as "Tell Her", is a 1962 song that was written and composed by Bert Berns, who, when he did so, used the pen name of Bert Russell, and which was popularized through its recording by the Exciters. The song was recorded as "Tell Her" by Dean Parrish in 1966, and Kenny Loggins in 1989. Billboard named the Exciters version #95 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

The song was first recorded as "Tell Her" in 1962 by Gil Hamilton, aka Johnny Thunder, with Berns producing. "Tell Her" was also a single for Ed Townsend in 1962, before Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller produced the version by the Exciters, released as "Tell Him" in October 1962. "Tell Him" reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated 26 January 1963. A No. 5 R&B hit in the United States, "Tell Him" was No. 1 in France for two weeks and reached No. 5 in Australia.

In the UK, the Exciters's single peaked at No. 46, whilst a cover version by Billie Davis reached No. 10. In Chile, Davis' version peaked at No. 1. Another UK cover version by Alma Cogan did not appear in the UK Singles Chart, but it became the singer's breakout hit in Sweden with a No. 10 peak. In the Netherlands the Exciters's, Billie Davis's, and Alma Cogan's respective singles of "Tell Him" charted in tandem with a No. 17 peak. Cogan also recorded five alternate versions of "Tell Him" with her vocal being respectively in German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish and French; her French rendition of "Tell Him" reached No. 53 in France, where the Exciters version reached No. 1 there.

Dusty Springfield, en route to Nashville to make a country music album with the Springfields in 1962, was on a stop-over in New York City when she heard the Exciters's "Tell Him" playing while taking a late night walk by the Colony Record Store on Broadway: the experience persuaded Springfield to embark on a solo career with a Pop/Soul direction. She would recall: “The Exciters sort of got you by the throat...out of the blue comes blasting at you 'I know something about love,' and that’s it. That’s what I wanna do.

“I know something about love … “ and I know something about 60s girl groups … and this is a good representative of that collection. As the review states, this is a Leiber/Stoller production … and another good one from their catalogue. I’m telling you right now!

Only version of this track in the library … Tell Him by Celine Dion & Lauren Hill are totally different.

41 Devil With A Blue Dress - Shorty Long25 Hard to Find Motown Classics, Vol. 3 (1964, 1986)

Song ReviewA round of applause, ladies and gentlemen, for Frederick Earl “Shorty” Long, in many ways the loose cannon of the Motown canon. Often referred to as the label’s top blues signing of the mid- to late-Sixties, Shorty was much more eclectic than that suggests, such that it hardly seems fair to pigeonhole him as a blues artist at all. After Shorty’s tragically early death in 1969, Roger Green summed up his career perfectly with a written epitaph (quoted in The Complete Motown Singles: Volume 9):

“…A man who sang what he wanted to sing – everything from the blues to romantic ballads, from wild and crazy numbers to a utopian vision of heaven on earth. Short in stature but big in talent, he entertained and amused us, and finally he inspired us.”

Because Shorty was a natural showman and a quick-witted wiseacre, as well as someone who appears to have approached his life and his music with a toothy smile and a pleasingly laid-back attitude, it’s perhaps taken a while for him to claim his rightful place among the Motown greats, and the time has still yet to arrive for his work to be seriously reappraised. He didn’t sell a lot of records, the few singles he did strike chart gold with

were novelty/comedy dance numbers, and so Shorty Long has been underappreciated, regarded as a second- or third-tier talent, an amusing but inconsequential footnote.

Well, balls to that. Here, Shorty Long is the man, small though he may be.

"Devil with a Blue Dress On" (also known as "Devil with the Blue Dress On") is a song written by Shorty Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson, first performed by Long and released as a single in 1964. A later version recorded by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels in 1966 peaked at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

"Devil with a Blue Dress On" was also recorded by Pratt & McClain, who are best known for the theme from the television series Happy Days. Bruce Springsteen's version of the song was part of the No Nukes concert album in 1980, and he has performed it regularly in concert from the 1970s to the present. A Spanish language version of the song was recorded by Los Lobos and released on the Eating Raoul film soundtrack in 1982. Today the Duke University basketball pep band plays this song during Blue Devil home games at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. A version of the song was recorded by Nicholas O'Har for the 1990 spoof of The Exorcist, Repossessed (film).

“High-heeled shoes and an Alligator hat … and a Blue Dress … here she comes now.” Wow! And I bet you thought it was originally by Mitch Rider. Nope, Shorty wrote it in ‘64, and Mitch covered it in ‘67. It’s Shorty’s tune all the way. Just love the slow, slippery way Shorty Long delivers the lyric. Although this is fairly recent for my aged memories, I most definitely recall it when from the first release. And I still like it. Holy Mackerel … or Holy Mack-ah, as Shorty seems to say (or swallow).

Got versions by Mitch Rider, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Kerchen and Markellis-Haskell-Maul in the library. It’s a bit of a classic. And … comes in two varieties: Devil With A Blue Dress and Devil In A Blue Dress. I believe ‘with’ is preferred.

42 Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss) - Betty EverettThe Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1964 (1964)

Song Review"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" is a song written and composed by Rudy Clark. It was first released as a single in 1963 by Merry Clayton that did not chart. The song was made a hit a year later when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit No. 1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964. Recorded by dozens of artists and groups around the world in the decades since, the song became an international hit once again when remade by Cher in 1990.

Calvin Carter, the chief A&R man for the Chicago-located Vee-Jay Records, found "It's in His Kiss" while visiting New York City in search of material for the Vee-Jay roster which included Betty Everett. After Everett had a hit with another song Calvin Carter brought back from New York City, "You're No Good", Calvin Carter suggested Everett cut "It's in His Kiss" as the follow-up single. Everett – who found the song puerile – reluctantly agreed. The accompanying vocals on Everett's recording were provided by Vee-Jay session regulars the Opals, a trio of teenage girls (Rose Addison, Myra Tillison, and Rose "Tootsie" Jackson)[4] from East Chicago, Indiana.

Dave Marsh in his book The Heart of Rock and Soul opines that Betty Everett's version, "while [credited] as a solo performance is one of the finest girl group hits, undoubtedly the best one made outside the genre's New York City/Philadelphia/Los Angeles "axis""

“Does he love me; I want to know? Ah, it’s in his kiss” … and nowhere else apparently. Well, there you go, and Betty Everett is gonna tell you all about it, persuasively, I might add. Are you “listening to all I say”?

The library has versions of this track by Cher, Jearlyn Steele, and none other than Big John & The Buzzards. Oh, wait, the Big John version is Oop Shoop. Ha!

43 The Nitty Gritty - Shirley EllisShindig (1964)

Song Review"The Nitty Gritty" is a 1963 song written by Lincoln Chase and recorded by Shirley Ellis. Released by Congress Records, it reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1964.

Motown released a version of "The Nitty Gritty" by Gladys Knight & The Pips in mid-1969 on its Soul imprint. It went to #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Soul chart. A version by Diana Ross & The Supremes can be found on the 2001 edition of their album, Anthology. Southern Culture on the Skids covered it on the Dirt Track Date album.

I was surprised to discover that this live recording from Shindig was the only version available. At least the only one I could find. I remember it and have it associated with various TV shows … especially the ‘Get Right Down To The Nitty Gritty’ thing. The complete track is only 2:19 and I cut it back to 1:04 without losing any of its essence. But I made sure to get that terrific bass hovering in the background. I always wonder what those bass guys look like. Are they tall, thin dudes, or more like short fat fanny? I usually settle on tall and thin – with size 15 shoes.

My library shows versions by Southern Culture On The Skids and a different tune with the same title by the Texas Tornados. Shirley rules, however.

44 Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd & The PiratesRarities (1965, 1987)

Song Review"Shakin' All Over" is a song originally performed by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. It was written by leader Johnny Kidd, and his original recording reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1960. Kidd's recording was not a hit outside of Europe. In other parts of the world the song is better known by recordings of other artists.

In 1964, a band from Plattsburgh, New York called the Twiliters recorded a live version but it did not chart. A classic version by Chad Allan and the Expressions, also known as The Guess Who, was recorded in December 1964 and released in the spring of 1965, and it reached #1 in Canada, #22 in the US and #27 in Australia. Normie Rowe's 1965 version reached #1 in Australia as a double A-side with "Que Sera Sera".

The musicians who performed on the recording were Johnny Kidd (vocals), Alan Caddy (guitar), Brian Gregg (bass), Clem Cattini (drums) and Joe Moretti (lead guitar). Kidd was quoted as saying:

“When I was going ‘round with a bunch of lads and we happened to see a girl who was a real sizzler, we used to say that she gave us 'quivers down the membranes'. It was a standard saying with us referring to any attractive girl. I can honestly say that it was this more than anything that inspired me to write "Shakin' All Over".

Oh yeah, one of my favorites of all time. That jiggly guitar really sets it off. Originals are the best as indicated by the surprisingly faithful covers. 'Quivers down the membranes' became “Quivers down the backbone” and the rest is musical history. Leaves me Shakin’ All Over …

There are several versions of this track in our library: Chad Allen & The Expressions, The Who, Wanda Jackson, The Guess Who, and Eilen Jewell. They are all good, but the Wanda and Eilen versions are maybe the best. Hey, I like the women, ya know.

45 96 Tears - Question Mark & The Mysterians96 Tears (1966)

Song ReviewAmerica in the mid-'60s was a truly grand time and place to be alive; where else could five greasy-looking teenagers who sounded like they were still learning their instruments cut a record in someone's living room and not only see it win nationwide release, but hit number one on the Billboard singles charts? Rock & roll doesn't come much more gloriously dumb than "96 Tears"; over a two-finger Farfisa organ riff from one Frankie Rodriguez Jr., Question Mark (aka Rudy Martinez) wails in a combination of sorrow and anger about the girl who has done him wrong, and announces his determination that he's going to hurt her as she hurt him, until he's cried 96 tears -- not 90, not 100, but exactly 96. It was weird as all get out, but it was also funny, and very catchy. In 1966, a time when every kid who could talk his parents into buying a Sears Silvertone guitar dreamed of someday being as big as the Beatles, it must have been a real inspiration to see five guys from Saginaw, MI, who weren't much farther along than they were achieve this impossible dream, if only for a moment. While Question Mark and the Mysterians cut a few more records (most of which sounded an awful lot like "96 Tears"), their days in the sun were numbered, though over 30 years later, the band was still at it, sounding just as inspired (and only a bit less inept) as they did during their 15 minutes of fame, and more than willing to crank out their hit for anyone who wanted to hear it.

Janie was surprised when I picked this track for inclusion. She considered it too ‘modern’ for this collection. Yes, 1966 is current for me, but there’s that pulsating organ, the lyrics, and all the rest that fit together, so I had no qualms at all about including it. Besides, how can you go wrong with a group name like Question Mark & The Mysterians … sometimes more simply listed as … ? & The Mysterians.

Let’s see, the library has versions by Garland Jeffries, Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.

46 Stir It Up - Johnny NashI Can See Clearly Now (1972)

Song Review"Stir It Up" is a song composed by Bob Marley in 1967 and first recorded by his group The Wailers that year and issued as a single. The song was later covered by American singer Johnny Nash on his 1972 album I Can See Clearly Now. The following year, Marley and the Wailers re-recorded the song for their album Catch a Fire."Stir It Up" was Marley's first successful song outside Jamaica.

Johnny Nash recorded several hits in Jamaica, where he travelled in early 1968, as his girlfriend had family links with local TV and radio host and novel writer Neville Willoughby. Nash planned to try breaking the local rocksteady sound in the United States. Willoughby introduced him to a local struggling vocal group, Bob Marley & The Wailing Wailers. Members Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Rita Marley introduced him to the local scene. Nash signed all four to an exclusive recording contract with his JAD label and an exclusive publishing contract with Cayman music. None of the Marley and Tosh songs he produced were successful. Only two singles were released at the time: "Bend Down Low" (JAD 1968) and "Reggae on Broadway" (Columbia, 1972), which was recorded in London in 1972 on the same sessions that produced "I Can See Clearly Now."

"I Can See Clearly Now" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1972. "I Can See Clearly Now" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 4, 1972, and remained atop the chart for four weeks, and spent the same four weeks atop the adult contemporary chart. The I Can See Clearly Now album includes four original Marley compositions published by JAD: "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "You Poured Sugar On Me" and the follow-up hit "Stir It Up".

Well, if 96 Tears was ‘recent’ this 1972 track is practically futuristic. Bob Marley is credited as the author, and I was aware of his more popular version. However, when I bought More Music from Northern Exposure (1994) and heard the included Johnny Nash rendition, well, I quickly became a convert. The music from the TV show, Northern Exposure, is exceptional. I’ve often said, “if I can have only two CDs, they would be Northern Exposure & More Northern Exposure.” The person who compiled these CDs had impeccable taste. I believe it was David Schwartz because he has six of the 24 tracks on the CDs. He certainly knew about the Marley version but seemed to prefer Nash’s. Hell, even Bob “Music Man” Mahoney agrees that Nash’s version is superior … and I agree with the Music Man. Hope you do as well. I remember Johnny Nash from his ’68 Cupid release. That was quickly followed by “Hold Me Tight”, not to be confused with the different Beatles tune of the same title … or the much earlier title released by The Treasures in ‘64.

In addition to Marley’s 1972 version, we have one by Jack Johnson and a different track with the same title by Patti LaBelle. Johnny Nash is still the winner.

47 The All American Boy - Bill Parsons (Bobby Bare)The Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1959 (1959, 1988)

Song Review"The All American Boy" is a 1958 talking blues song written and sung by Bobby Bare, but credited by Fraternity Records to Bill Parsons, with songwriting credit to Bill Parsons and Orville Lunsford. While Bare was in the army, Parsons lip synced the record on TV. The song reached #2 on the Billboard charts, (It was kept from the #1 spot, by Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by The Platters). Overseas, "The All American Boy" went to #22 on British charts. The song was inspired by the success and then conscription of Elvis Presley, thus the Pop Chronicles music documentary used it as the theme song for its episodes focused on Presley. A cover version was recorded by Bob Dylan and The Band in 1967, officially released November 4, 2014 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete.

If you didn’t already know who was being referenced in this song, how long did it take you to figure it out? I remember listening to this in the Lancaster High School lunchroom where they played WTVN radio Top Hits. I can see the room in my mind – west end, second floor – but I don’t recall whose homeroom it was. Somehow, I have it closely associated with Ed (Doyle Edward Green, aka, Eduardo). Good tune, impossible to shorten, great memories …

The story about Bobby Bare recording under the name of Bill Parsons is interesting. It seems lots of things like that happen in the music industry. It caused me some confusion for a while. I had the track listed under both artist names and somehow managed to put both into the Naweedna 2019 playlist. After editing the other tracks to fit, the list was just 2 seconds under the 80-minute limit. I was ecstatic … until I discovered the double entry … why there were two different artists listed for the same track? I took out the track attributed to Bobby Bare and that additional 2:59 allowed me to fit in a couple other tracks: He's So Fine & Tell Him. It was a win, but only after a bit of frustrating confusion.

“… Then one day my Uncle Sam, says (knock, knock) ‘Here I am.’ Uncle Sam needs ya, boy. I’m a gonna cut your hair off. Take this rifle. Gimme that guitar. Yeahhh …”Those words continue to echo in my head as they have been since 1959.

Nope, no other versions of this track in our library … or maybe anywhere else for that matter.