Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Record #0070: Twistin’ the Night Away / One More Time – SAM COOKE


RCA 47-7983 (original) USA, Jan. 1962
Words & Music by:  Sam Cooke
Musicians:
Sam Cooke (vocals), Tommy Tedesco (guitar), Clifton White (guitar), René Hall (guitar), Ernie Hayes (piano on side A), Edward T. Beal (piano on side B), Earl Palmer (drums), Jackie Kelso (sax), John Ewing (sax on side A), Jewell Grant (sax), unknown bass
Recording sessions: RCA Studios (Studio 1), Hollywood, CA, Side A - Dec.18; Side B – Dec 19, 1961
Highest chart positions:  US #9, US R&B #1, UK #6 

To make it short and simple: this is a great single.

List price:  Very Good+ is $7.50, Near Mint is $15

Monday, July 30, 2012

Record #0069: Somethin’ Stupid / Give Her Love – NANCY SINATRA & FRANK SINATRA

Reprise 0561 (original) USA, Mar. 1967
Words & Music by:  Side A – Clarence Carson Parks; Side B – Jim Herbert
Musicians:
Frank Sinatra (vocals), Nancy Sinatra (vocals on side A), Al Casey (guitar on side A), most of others were probably members of the Wreckin’Crew.
Recording sessions: Los Angeles, CA, Side A - Feb.1, 1967; Side B – Nov.17, 1966
Highest chart positions:  US #1, US Adult Contemporary #1, UK #1, Canada #1, Norway #1, Australia #1

This single was a huge international hit. This is probably still the only father-daughter duet #1 song in US charts.

Reprise released also another version of this single later in 1967 with the same number, same A side, but with “I Will Wait For You” as the flip side.

List price:  Very Good+ is $5, Near Mint is $10

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Record #0068: Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) / She Don’t Care About Time – THE BYRDS


Columbia 43424 (original) USA, Oct.29, 1965
Words & Music by:  Side A – music by Pete Seeger, words mostly from the Book of Ecclesiastes; Side B – Gene Clark
Musicians:
Roger McGuinn (lead & acoustic guitar and vocals), David Crosby (guitar and vocals), Gene Clark (guitar, tambourine and vocals), Chris Hillman (bass), Michael Clarke (drums)
Recording sessions: Columbia Studios, Hollywood, CA, Sep. 1965
Highest chart positions:  US #1, UK #26

A great part of this musical painting is painted with McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker guitar. What a great sound.

This single was released five months after “Mr. Tambourine Man”, which went #1 in both US and UK charts. “Turn! Turn! Turn!” didn’t find quite the same success in the UK, but it topped the charts in the US.

List price:  Very Good+ is $7.50, Near Mint is $15

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Record #0067: Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair) / Blue Bells Ring – THE BROWNS


RCA 47-7614 (original) USA, Nov. 1959
Words & Music by:  Side A – Jack Segal, Evelyn Danzig; Side B – John D. Loudermilk
Musicians:
Jim Ed Brown (vocals), Maxine Brown (vocals), Bonnie Brown (vocals), Hank Garland (guitar), John D. Loudermilk (guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Floyd Cramer (piano), Buddy Harman (drums), Anita Kerr Singers (backing vocals). Produced by Chet Atkins.
Recording sessions: RCA Victor Studio, Nashville, TN, Sep.24, 1959
Highest chart positions:  US #13, US Country #7

The title song is a cover of Dinah Shore’s and Juanita Hall’s original from 1949 and it has been covered my many artists including Harry Belafonte, Frankie Laine, Roy Orbison, Gene Vincent, Jim Reeves and Willie Nelson. The Browns’ folk/country cover has been the biggest success of the song in the States.

List price:  Very Good+ is $6, Near Mint is $12

Friday, July 27, 2012

Record #0066: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes / Harbor Lights – THE PLATTERS


Mercury C-30093 (re-issue) USA, year unknown
Words & Music by:  Side A – Kern, Harbach; Side B – Jimmy Kennedy, Hugh Williams
Musicians:
Tony Williams (lead tenor), Herb Reed (bass vocals), Zola Taylor (contralto), David Lynch (2nd tenor), Paul Robi (baritone), others unknown
Recording sessions:, Side A – Paris, France, Sep.24, 1958; Side B – Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, IL, Aug. 11-13, 1959
Highest chart positions:  Side A – US #1, US R&B #3, UK #1; Side B – US #8, US R&B #15, UK #11

This is a dime a dozen re-issue record, at least for a collector. The songs of this single were the A sides of two singles released by the Platters in 1958 an 1960. They are great classic songs, nevertheless.

Side A was recorded during the group’s tour in Europe.

List price:  Not listed in Goldmine’s guide. These go for a couple of bucks in ebay.