10 more obscurities chosen at random from my favorites lists
Today......from 1963
MARVA ALLEN – HE’S GONE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBeT8UVVpQ
Excellent soulful release fittingly on the…um…Excello label by this mysterious lady whom I have not much other info on (save that she also
had a fine unreleased item “Here Comes The Night Owl” too)
Here’s how “He’s Gone” is definitely He’s Here where my Top Femme Records list for 1963 is concerned
1. Hello Stranger Barbara Lewis
2. Heat Wave Martha & The Vandellas
3. That’s How Heartaches Are Made Baby Washington
4. The Love Of My Man Theola Kilgore
5. Cry To Me Betty Harris
6. Be My Baby Ronettes
7. Sleigh Ride Ronettes
8. Da Doo Ron Ron Crystals
9. You’re No Good Betty Everett
10. Ruler Of My Heart Irma Thomas
11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Darlene Love
12. He’s Gone Marva Allen
JIMMY ANDERSON – I’M A KING BEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhKXuvyWkA4
Staying with Excello here’s a fine 1963 revival of the old Slim Harpo classic.
Here’s what “Cash Box” had to say about it (February 2 1963) **************************************************************************************
JIMMY ANDERSON (Excello 2227) (B-b) “I’M A KING BEE”
(2:21) [Excellorec BMI — Moore]Here’s a potent shufflin’ tradition -oriented r&b lament rendered in a feelingful, sincere fashion by
Jimmy Anderson. Side has enough good things in it to create a stir. **************************************************************************************
THE CHANTS - I COULD WRITE A BOOK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwQRCzVXa4g
Look Ma!! Your boy’s included a British record here!!
A real honest-to-God B-R-I-T-I-S-H record!!!!
And by a five member strong young black vocal group from the poor
Toxteth district of Liverpool singing a doowop-ish version of one of my favorite Broadway show tunes (those with lonnnnnnnng memories here might
recall a post I did years ago now “Give My Regards To Broadway” where I named my favorite versions of famous old show tunes. And in there my
pick for Rodgers & Hart’s “I Could Write A Book” - from the 1940
Broadway show “Pal Joey” -was this version by The Chants)
Recorded for Pye label (and leased to Cameo in US) it was released in
December 1963 and was the very first record played on the special
edition of the hit BBC-TV show “Juke Box Jury” that was filmed on
December 7th 1963.
Footage of the actual show used to be on YT but all we have today is
this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmS9G_EpcNQ
Why “special”? ‘Twas because on this particular show the four-man panel whose mission was to guess whether the records played to them would be “hits” or “misses” with the record buying public) consisted of the four Beatles who had no hesitation in pronouncing this song by fellow
Liverpudlians a resounding “HIT”
(@ 2:40 in YT clip above)
Sadly in reality it wasn’t---but it made enough impression on this
writer to make his 1963 favorites list!
Here’s a nice rundown on The Chants by Merseybeat’s own Bill Harry
https://sixtiescity.net/Mbeat/mbfilms116.htm
THE ENCHANTERS – THE DAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhufZ0-jms0
From “CHANTS” to “ENCHANTERS” in one easy move.......
Hailing from Detroit this group comprised Alton “Bart” Hollowell (lead) Gerald Hollowell (tenor) Ulysses Hollowell (tenor) Tommy Wade (tenor)
and Jack Thomas (baritone).
Their debut record “True Love Gone” on Mercer label in 1956 attracted
the attention of Coral records who signed them to the label. A series of further good releases followed including my favorite by them---the 1957 Christmas classic “Mambo Santa Mambo”
Coral revived “True Love Gone” on a re-release in 1963---this time
paired with the previously unissued “The Day” a lovely r&b ballad much
too good to be left languishing in the vaults
GOOD TIME CHARLIE – WATCH THAT STUFF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8aVZZjJXow
Derivative but ultra catchy r&b stomper on Galaxy that I fondly remember getting good play at the smoky little Scene r&b club in London that
yours truly frequented in those days and where I first heard many of the records that have been so very good to me and stayed with me all my
life
BUNKER HILL – THE GIRL CAN’T DANCE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g8rG6WVJvk
Backed by Link Wray & his then current lineup of Raymen here is Bunker
Hill doing his level best to imitate a demented Little Richard-on-speed
with his followup (but one) on Mala label to his super-raucous 1962
“Hide And Go Seek” hit.
Born David Walker in Washington D.C he was a professional boxer as a
young man and later went on to lead the famous gospel group The Mighty
Clouds Of Joy.
I’ve seen boots around on this one which is hardly surprising when the original 45rpm commands three figure sums on both sides of the puddle
GREGORY HOWARD – WHEN IN LOVE (DO AS LOVERS DO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xin0eHCfxLo
One of the best ever Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers ripoffs is to be
found on the staid old Kapp label as late as 1963---and one that became
really famous when it was booted on the Gee label under the name of “The Gee-Tones”
I sold an original copy of this on eBay for a three-figure sum two years
ago
JEWELL & THE RUBIES - KIDNAPPER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQNR0pUCIoM
Long time beach music favorite in the USA (and club fave here in UK too)
by a group of students from Ville Platte,Louisiana led by local high
school band director Jewell Douglas.
This highly catchy “amateur” effort sold well enough when released by
the small local La Louisianne outfit to get picked up for national
distribution by the big ABC-Paramount label
THE STARGLOWS – LET’S BE LOVERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Fyqb_WnAI
Nice one-off effort by The Starglows vocal group (containing
ex-Flamingos Terry Johnson and Nate Nelson)---so unsurprising that the recording often used to be mistaken as a late unissued Flamingos
recording.
It was recorded for Atco following a deal set up by Joe Rock manager of
The Skyliners of “Since I Don’t Have You” fame whose then current label was the very same Atco
JAY WIGGINS – SAD GIRL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB2E99D6jl8
“Sad Girl” was the first release by this super soul singer from
Washington DC who really should have gone on to a long and successful
recording career
Released on the small IPG (Independent Production Group) label and
popular enough to spawn several followup releases on IPG and Solid
labels before Amy reissued “Sad Girl” in 1966.
His career was derailed later in the 60’s when he was jailed for
refusing the draft
for Vietnam (reason given was his then recent conversion to Islam)
Here’s a nice piece on him by Sir Shambling :-
https://www.sirshambling.com/artists_2012/W/jay_wiggins/index.php
And of course the “Sad Girl” song finally crashed the Billboard Top 50
and went high on their r&b chart in 1969 in the excellent Intruders
version then charted again in 1982 for GQ
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)