Record #0525: Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On / It'll Be Me – JERRY LEE LEWIS

Sun 267 (original) USA, Mar. 15, 1957
Words & Music by:  Side A – Dave Williams, Sunny David (=James "Roy" Hall); Side B – Jack Clement
Musicians: Jerry Lee Lewis (vocals and piano), Roland Janes (guitar), Jimmy Van Eaton (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by Sam Phillips and Jack Clement at Sun Studio, Memphis, TN, Feb. 1957
Highest chart positions:  US #3, US R&B #1, US Country #1, UK #8

This classic single was the breakthrough for Jerry Lee. It was the first of his five US Country #1 hits and his only US R&B #1.

Jerry Lee's version of "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On" was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Legend has it that only one take was needed to get this hit song done. Well, that could be, but Jerry Lee had played it before in at least two other studio sessions.

The song was originally recorded by Big Maybelle in 1955.

List price:  Very Good+ is $20, Near Mint is $40

Record #0524: I Hear You Knocking / Black Bill – DAVE EDMUNDS

MAM 3601 (original) USA, Dec. 1970
Words & Music by:  Side A – Earl King, Dave Bartholomew; Side B – Dave Edmunds
Musicians: Dave Edmunds (everything except the bass), John (David) Williams (bass)
Recording sessions: Produced by Dave Edmunds at his 8-track home studio, Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales, 1970
Highest chart positions:  US #4, UK #1

This was Edmunds' debut solo single. He had had a taste of success already with his band Love Sculpture and their single "Sabre Dance" (UK #5) in 1968.

The title song is a Smiley Lewis original from 1955. The flip is a nice roots instrumental.

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

Record #0523: Move It On Over / (Last Night) I Heard You Crying In Your Sleep – HANK WILLIAMS

MGM K10033 (original 7") USA, 1950
Words & Music by:  Side A – Hank Williams; Side B – Williams
Musicians: Hank Williams (vocals), James "Zeke" Turner (lead guitar), Louis Innis (rhythm guitar), Dale Lohman (steel guitar), Bronson Reynolds (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle)
Recording sessions: Castle Studio, The Tulane Hotel, Nashville, TN, Apr. 21, 1947
Highest chart positions:  US Country #4 (in 1947)

"Move It On Over" is one of my favorite Hank Williams songs. Absolutely great! Many elements of rock'n'roll music can be heard in this song and it's widely considered to have been very influential to the early steps of the genre.

The session was run very early in Williams' recording career; his first session with a full band was just about four months before this. Yet, that doesn't show in any way here. It's like Hank was a full pro from the get-go.

Gotta love the slap bass during the first solo! :)

The original 78 rpm issue of this record came out already on Jun. 6, 1947. It was the first US Country Top 10 hit for Hank Senior.

A cover by Travis Tritt & George Thorogood went to US Country #66 in 1999.

List price:  Very Good+ is $25, Near Mint is $50

Record #0522: Stop Beatin' Round the Mulberry Bush / Real Rock Drive – BILL HALEY WITH HALEY'S COMETS

Essex 310 (original, first pressing) USA, 1952
Words & Music by:  Side A – Bickley Reichner, Clay Boland; Side B – Bill Haley
Musicians: Bill Haley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Danny Cedrone (lead guitar), Marshall Lytle (upright bass), Billy Williamson (steel guitar), Johnny Grande (piano) Billy Gussak (drums)
Recording sessions: WVCH Radio Station Studio, Chester, PE, Nov. or Dec. 1952
Highest chart positions:  none in national charts

These two tracks were recorded about 6 months before the group's first hit, "Crazy Man, Crazy". This is the first release to title Haley's backing as "Comets". In the preceding releases they were "The Saddlemen".

The title song is based on a 19th century English nursery rhyme "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush".

This is a fairly rare piece. Too bad that my copy is a tad worn-out, but it's a little blue gem anyway.

List price:  Very Good+ is $75, Near Mint is $150. Orange label is listed at $80 for NM.

Record #0521: Silhouettes / Daddy Cool – THE RAYS

Cameo 117 (re-issue) USA, 1963?
Words & Music by:  Side A – Frank Slay, Bob Crewe; Side B – Slay, Crewe
Musicians: Harold Miller (lead vocals), David Jones (tenor), Walter Ford (tenor), Harry James (baritone), others unknown
Recording sessions: New York, NY, 1957
Highest chart positions:  (for the original release in 1957) US #3, US R&B #3

The original release of this was the debut single of The Rays.
It was also the first chart success for the songwriters Slay & Crewe, whose later hits included "La Dee Dah" (US #9 for Billy & Lillie in 1958) and several hits for Freddy Cannon, like "Tallahassee Lassie" (US #6 in 1959), "Jump Over" (US #28 in 1960), "Buzz Buzz A-Diddle It" (US #51 in 1961). It seems that the two writers split in 1962 and Crewe started writing songs for The Four Seasons with Bob Gaudio. Crewe & Gaudio wrote many of the group's biggest hits in the 60's, including the US #1 hits "Big Girls Don't Cry" (1962), "Walk Like a Man" (1963) and "Rag Doll" (1964).

"Silhouettes" was covered by Herman's Hermits in 1965 (US #5, UK #3). "Daddy Cool" (as a medley with "The Girl Can't Help It") was covered by The Darts in 1977 (UK #6). It was also covered by a Finnish singer, Tapani Kansa in 1978 ("Rokkivaari Hotanen" ... Finnish lyrics, generic session musicians). :P

List price:  This early re-issue is not listed in Goldmine's catalog.