Record #0010: Real Wild Child / Oh You Beautiful Doll – IVAN

Coral 62017 (original), USA, 1958
Words & Music by:  Side A – Johnny O’Keefe, Johnny Greenan, Dave Owens; Side B – Seymour Brown, Nathaniel Ayer
Musicians:  Jerry Ivan Allison (vocals), Buddy Holly (guitar), Joe B. Mauldin (bass), Bo Clarke (drums), the Roses (backup vocals), Norman Petty (wine glasses on B-side)
Recording session: Norman Petty Studios, Clovis, NM Feb.19, 1958
Highest chart positions:  US #68, UK (Coral 72341, didn’t chart)

Ivan is the second name of the Crickets’ drummer, Jerry Allison. This is pretty much the Crickets (plus Bo Clarke and w/o Sonny Curtis). They had heard the original title song by Johnny O’Keefe, when touring in Australia. When they got back home they decided to record the song as a joke and to use the artist name “Ivan” with it.

Side B has a fairly old song, written in 1911. Try to listen to this version with a straight face. :)

As the single did (surprisingly) well in the charts, they did another Ivan single “Frankie Frankenstein” and released it in 1959. Sonny Curtis replaced Holly on this (very rare) record, which did not hit the charts.

Iggy Pop covered “Real Wild Child” in 1986 and it went #10 in UK charts and #27 in US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.

List price:  “Very Good+” is $100 and “Near Mint” is $200. These seem to be selling in eBay for 30-50 USD nowadays.