Record #0512: It Could Happen To You / The Age of Miracles – DINAH WASHINGTON

Mercury 71560 (original) USA, Mar. 1960
Words & Music by:  Side A – Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen; Side B – Clyde Otis, Murray Stein, Belford Hendricks
Musicians: Dinah Washington (lead vocals), Joe Zawinul (piano on side B), Belford Hendricks Orchestra
Recording sessions: New York, NY, Side A - Apr. 7, 1959; Side B - Sep. 28, 1959
Highest chart positions:  US #53

The title song was originally performed by Dorothy Lamour in a 1944 film "And the Angels Sing".

This release was wedged between two of Washington's hit singles, "Unforgettable" (US #17, US R&B #15 in late 1959) and "This Bitter Earth" (US #24, US R&B #1 in Jul. 1960).

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

Record #0511: Nature Boy / Look For My True Love – BOBBY DARIN

ATCO 6196 (original) USA, 1961

Looks like I have two copies of this single. Both are original, but they are different pressings / variants of it. The other post is here.

Record #0510: I'm Gonna Do What They Do To Me / Losing Faith In You – B. B. KING

BluesWay 61018 (original) USA, Jun. 17, 1968
Words & Music by:  Side A – B. B. King; Side B – King
Musicians: B. B. King (vocals and Lucille), others unknown, possibly including: Irving Ashby (guitar), David Allen, Jr. (bass), Jesse Sailes (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by Lou Zito and Johnny Pate in the USA, 1968
Highest chart positions:  US #74, US R&B #26

Both songs are from King's 1968 album "Blues on Top of Blues" (BluesWay BLS-6011).

Unfortunately I couldn't find these in YouTube. Neither did I find any recording details, but as this is not a Kent release, it is likely that the songs were recorded the year they were released.

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

Record #0509: Hang 'Em High / Over Easy – BOOKER T. AND THE M.G.'S

Stax 0013 (original) USA, Oct. 1968
Music by:  Side A – Dominic Frontiere; Side B – Jones, Cropper, Dunn, Jackson
Musicians: Booker T. Jones (keyboards), Steve Cropper (guitars), Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass), Al Jackson, Jr (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by Booker T. & the M.G.'s at Stax Studios, Memphis, TN, 1968
Highest chart positions:  US #9, US R&B #35, US AC #39

The title song is a cover of the theme song of a 1968 western movie, "Hang 'Em High", starring Clint Eastwood.

This was the group's first US Top 10 song since their 1962 hit "Green Onions". Their next release, "Time Is Tight" did even better in 1969 (US #6, US R&B #7, UK #4).

List price:  Very Good+ is $4, Near Mint is $8

Record #0508: Lover, Come Back To Me! / That's All – NAT KING COLE

Capitol F2610 (original) USA, 1953
Words & Music by:  Side A – Sigmund Romburg, Oscar Hammerstein III; Side B – Alan Brandt, Bob Haymes
Musicians: Nat Cole (lead vocals), Side A - Billy May's Orchestra: Willie Smith (alto sax), Ted Nash (tenor sax), Richard Clay (tenor sax), Charles Deremo, Robert Dawes (clarinet/saxes), Conrad Gozzo, Tony Facciuto, Robert McKinzie, Andre Peele, Jack Laubach (trumpets), Si Zentner, Dick Nash, Karl De Karske, Robert Reisiger (trombones), Cliff Fishback (piano), John Collins (guitar), Jack Agee (bass), Ralph Pena (bass), John Markham (drums), Jack Costanzo (bongos/congas), unknown chorus; Side B - Nelson Riddle's Orchestra: Gerald Vinci, Mischa Russell, Victor Bay, Harry Bluestone, Walter Edelstein, Alex Beller, Nathan Ross, Marshall Sosson, Anatole Kaminsky (violins), David Sterkin, Stanley Harris (violas), Cy Bernard, James Arkatov (cellos), John Cave, Vince de Rosa (french horns), Milt Bernhart, Jimmy Priddy (trombones), Kathryn Julyie (harp), Ted Nash, Harry Klee, James Williamson (flutes), Charlie Harris (bass), John Collins (guitar), Buddy Cole (piano), Lee Young (drums)
Recording sessions: Capitol Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA, Side A - Jan. 14, 1953; Side B - Jan. 20, 1953
Highest chart positions:  none

This was one of the very few Cole's singles that failed to chart in the 50's. As a matter of fact, also his next single "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" / "Mrs. Santa Claus" didn't make it either. The one after that ("Answer Me My Love") went to US #6.

The title song is from the musical "New Moon".

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

Record #0507: Love Potion No. 9 / Stay Awhile – THE CLOVERS

United Artists 180 (original) USA, Aug. 1959
Words & Music by:  Side A – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller; Side B – Leiber, Stoller
Musicians: John "Buddy" Bailey (lead vocals), Billy Mitchell (tenor), Matthew McQuater (tenor), Harold Lucas (baritone), Harold Winley (bass vocals), King Curtis (tenor sax), Mike Stoller (piano), unknown guitarist, bassist & drummer
Recording sessions: Produced by Leiber & Stoller in New York, NY, Jun. 8, 1959
Highest chart positions:  US #23, US R&B #23

This sounds a bit like The Coasters and the reason for it is rather simple; at the time both groups were produced by Leiber & Stoller, who also wrote many of The Coasters' hit songs. "Love Potion No. 9" was the only hit they wrote for The Clovers. Another common nominator here is King Curtis, who also played in many recording sessions with The Coasters.

List price:  Very Good+ is $12.50, Near Mint is $25

Record #0506: The Pink Panther Theme / Dear Heart – HENRY MANCINI AND HIS ORCHESTRA

RCA Victor 447-0739 (re-issue) USA, around 1965-68
Words & Music by:  Side A – Henry Mancini; Side B – Mancini, Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Musicians: Plas Johnson (tenor sax on side A), Abraham Laboriel (bass) and others in an orchestra conducted by Henry Mancini. An unknown chorus on side B
Recording sessions: Produced by Joe Reisman at RCA Studios, Hollywood, CA, Side A - Sep. 16, 1963; Side B - Jun. 8, 1964
Highest chart positions:  (for the original release in 1964) US #31, US AC #10

There are two things on "The Pink Panther Theme" that make it one of my favorite movie themes. Those two are Plas Johnson's great sax and Abraham Laboriel's fabulous walking bass line.

List price:  Not listed in Goldmine's catalog

Record #0505: The Lion Sleeps Tonight / Tina – THE TOKENS

RCA Victor 47-7954 (original) USA, Oct. 1961
Words & Music by:  Side A – George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore; Side B – Marion Roberts
Musicians: Jay Siegel (lead falsetto), Mitch Margo (first tenor), Hank Medress (tenor), Phil Margo (baritone), Joe Venneri (guitar), with an orchestra and chorus conducted by Sammy Lowe
Recording sessions: Produced by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore at RCA Recording Studio, New York, NY, Jul. 27, 1961
Highest chart positions:  US #1, US R&B #7, UK #11

I didn't use to dig this song much, but with age I've grown to like it a tad more. Especially the lead falsetto part is great (not the female falsetto ... still don't dig that one).

This was the only #1 and Top 10 hit for The Tokens.

The title song was originally "Mbube" and it was written by Solomon Linda, who also did the original recording in South Africa in 1939. This single doesn't show any credit for him. There were some copyright issues around this.

List price:  Very Good+ is $12.50, Near Mint is $25