Record #0822: Let's Spend the Night Together / Ruby Tuesday – THE ROLLING STONES

Decca 45-F 12546 (original) Finland, February 1967
Words & Music by:  Side A – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards; Side B – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
Musicians: Side A - Mick Jagger (lead and backing vocals), Keith Richards (lead guitar, bass and backing vocals), Brian Jones (organ), Charlie Watts (drums), Jack Nitzsche (piano); Side B - Mick Jagger (lead vocals, backing vocals and tambourine), Keith Richards (guitar, backing vocals and bowing the strings of an upright bass), Brian Jones (alto recorder, piano and backing vocals), Charlie Watts (drums), Bill Wyman (bass and fingers on the fingerboard of the upright bass)
Recording sessions: Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham at Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK,  Side A - 3.-11. August and 8.-26. November 1966; Side B – 8. November – 3. December 1966
Highest chart positions:  Side A – Finland #14, US #55, UK #3; Side B - US #1

I have already posted the US release here.

This entered the Finnish charts in February 1967 and peaked at #14 the next month.

The disc was manufactured by Musiikki-Fazer, which was the most significant Finnish music industry company. It was established in 1897 and sold to Warner Music in 1994.

List price:  Not in the US catalogue. One was sold in eBay for 29 euros in 2017.

Record #0821: Come On, Come On, Come On / (blank) – JERRY WILLIAMS AND THE VIOLENTS

 

Toms RM 4038 (promo) Sweden, 1963
Words & Music by:  Side A – Frogman (Gunnar Bergström), Beverly Hill (Ulf Arne Sandström); Side B – (no track)
Musicians: Jerry Williams (lead vocals), possibly Hasse Rosén (lead guitar), Tonny Lindberg (rhythm guitar), possibly Rune Wallebom (piano), Billy Gezon (bass), Johnny Landenfeldt (drums)
Recording sessions: Recorded in Sweden (probably in Stockholm) in 1963
Highest chart positions: none

This is a single-sided promotional flexi-disc record paid by a Danish chocolate and candy producer Toms.

Jerry Williams (Erik Sven Fernström) and the Violents never released this song as a single, but it appears on their 1964 album “More Dynamite”.

When Little Richard performed at the Star-Club in Hamburg in 1962, this group and the Beatles were the opening acts of the night. When the Beatles toured in Sweden in 1963, this group was their opening act.

The Violents was first an instrumental group (1959-1962) in the style of the Shadows. They had a local hit with “Alpens ros” which went to #5 in the Swedish charts in 1961.

List price: Not listed in my catalogues. Discogs.com shows a median price of 10 euros for this.

Record #0820: Ticket To Ride / Yes It Is – THE BEATLES

Capitol 5407 (original) USA, 19. April 1965
Words & Music by:  Side A – John Lennon, Paul McCartney; Side B - John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Musicians: John Lennon (double-tracked lead vocal, rhythm guitar on side A, ), Paul McCartney (harmony vocal, bass; lead guitar on side A), George Harrison (12-string lead guitar & rhythm guitar on side A; harmony vocals and lead guitar on side B), Ringo Starr (drums, tambourine & handclaps on side A; drums and tambourine on side B)
Recording sessions: Produced by George Martin at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, UK; Side A – on 15. February 1965; Side B - on 16. February 1965
Highest chart positions: Side A – US #1, Canada #1, Australia #1, New Zealand #1, UK #1, Ireland #1, Netherlands #1, Germany #2, Norway #1, Sweden #1, Finland #3; Side B – US #46

Although both tracks are generally regarded as Lennon compositions, McCartney also contributed to each.

“Ticket To Ride” was featured in the movie “Help!”.

The Carpenters covered “Ticket To Ride” on their first single in 1969 (A&M 1142). It charted in Adult Contemporary in both the USA (#19) and Canada (#24) and in US Billboard Hot 100 (#54).

The harmonies in “Yes It Is” are absolutely fantastic!

The single peaked at number 3 in Finland in May 1965. There were two local artists, Katri Helena (“Minne tuuli kuljettaa”) and Kari Kuuva (”Pikku Nina”) ahead of it.

I don’t seem to have the record itself. I must add it to my “wanted list”.

List price: Original release (orange & yellow swirl, no “subsidiary of…” text) VG+ is $15, NM $30; picture sleeves VG+ $50, NM $100.

 

Record #0819: From Me To You / Thank You Girl – THE BEATLES

Parlophone R 5015 (reissue) UK, 6. December 1982
Words & Music by:  Side A – Paul McCartney, John Lennon; Side B - Paul McCartney, John Lennon
Musicians: John Lennon (vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica), Paul McCartney (vocals, bass), George Harrison (lead guitar), Ringo Starr (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by George Martin at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, UK; Side A – on 5. March 1963; Side B - on 5. & 13. March 1963
Highest chart positions: (the reissue didn’t chart) Side A – US #41, Canada #6, Australia #9, New Zealand #1, UK #1, Ireland #1, Norway #9, Sweden #5; Side B – US #35

Producer George Martin and Brian Epstein originally wanted the Beatles to release “How Do You Do It?”, a Mitch Murray song (that had already been rejected by Adam Faith and Brian Poole). They wanted it on the two preceding singles, too. However, “From Me To You” was ultimately chosen here instead.

Gerry and the Pacemakers released “How Do You Do It?” on 1. March 1963. Martin produced it and Epstein managed them, too, so they both got what they wanted- and it was a UK #1 hit.  I have posted that record here.

The Beatles’ version of “How Do You Do It?” wasn’t released until “Anthology 1” in 1995.

This was issued for the 20^th anniversary of the original UK release.

List price: Not in Goldmine catalogue; 16 EUR on 45cat.com and about 15–20 EUR on eBay.