Articles by John Twang

Austrian Elfi Graf (Elfrieda Rupp) had her first hit in 1974 with "Herzen haben keine Fenster" translated as "Hearts Have No Windows" (Buschor - Mayer) which became "My Melody of Love". Bobby Vinton's version of "My Melody of Love" (Mayer - Vinton) hit the top ten the same year. This led to his nickname "The Polish Prince".

One of the first interracial do-wop groups, the Del Vikings (Dell Vikings or Del-Vikings) were Norman Wright, David Lerchey, Don Jackson, Clarence Quick and Kripp Johnson. In 1957 they released "Come Go With Me" (Quick) which succeeded getting into Billboard's top five. There were many member changes over the years and there is still a group touring under the name. Here is the demo of "Come Go With Me" and the hit version.

Published in 1933 "Temptation" (Freed - Brown) was first recorded by Bing Crosby for the MGM film "Going Hollywood", the working title was "Paid to Laugh". "Temptation" charted on Billboard for 12 weeks peaking in the top five. The Everly Brothers cover charted for 15 weeks in 1961 reaching the top thirty. "Temptation" did much better on other world charts

In 1960 Ray Sanders cut "A Little Bitty Tear" with the Anita Kerr Singers as the B side of "A World So Full of Love" for Liberty Records. He was signed after an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. It's been said that composer Hank Cochrane wrote the third and final verse in the bathroom at the recording studio just before the session. Burl Ives covered the tune a year later and took "A Little Bitty Tear" into the top ten. The release was nominated for a Grammy but lost to "Moon River".

Cajun fiddler Leo Soileau and his Three Aces (Floyd Shreeve, Dewey Landry and Tony Gonzales) recorded his "Hackberry Hop" also known as "Hip Et Taiau" in 1935. Guitarist Clarence Garlow released "Route 90" (Garlow - Renee) as the B side to "Crawfishin'" in 1953 as "Bon Ton" Garlow. In 1958 Chuck Berry took "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Berry) high into the top ten. The flip side was "Reelin' and Rockin'". The Beach Boys "Surfin' USA" (Wilson) with Mike Love on lead took the same melody and Chuc…

Known for his "trucker songs" Red Sovine also sang other material as proven by the 1966 album "Country Music Time" and the track "Missing You" (Noe - Sovine) which was originally recorded as a single released in 1955 as the flip side to "Why, Baby, Why". Polio survivor Texan Ray Peterson covered the tune in 1961 taking "Missing You" into the top thirty.

He's white and he's Dan Penn (Pennington) and he's composed and/or produced more "soul" hits that your average writer. "The Puppet" (Penn - Oldham) is just one of many. Cousins James and Bobby Purify (Robert Dickey) hit the top ten with "I'm Your Puppet" in 1966 from their self-titled album.

The Elegants (Vito Picone, Art Senosa, Carmen Romano, Frank Tardogno and James Mochella) were one-hit wonders in a big way with this doo-wop classic. "Little Star" (Picone - Venosa) went to the top of the American charts. The 1957 demo is here along with the 1958 hit. According to Vito's website "theelegants.net" Vito Picone makes a cameo appearance in "Goodfellas". He is in the Billy Batts scene at the end of the bar.

Here is George Harrison's demo of "It Don't Come Easy" originally titled "You Gotta Pay Your Dues". Who composed it remains a mystery although there is credible speculation that George did by his lonesome or that he and Ringo co-composed the tune. Yet on the single it is credited to "Starkey" (Ringo). Ringo Starr took the tune to the top ten in 1971 but "It Don't Come Easy" was not included as an album track until his 1975 "Blast From Your Past".

Otis Redding wrote and recorded "Respect" in 1965 and got well into the top forty. It's on the album "Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul" produced by Steve Cropper of Booker T & the MGs. Aretha Franklin's cover with sisters Erma and Carolyn in the background was issued in 1967 on the album "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You". "Respect" topped the chart and has been listed in the top of Rolling Stone's 500 greatest songs of all time.

In 1963 The New World Singers (Gil Turner, Happy Traum and Bob Cohen) were the first to record "Blowin' in the Wind". According to Wikipedia, Gil Turner was the first to perform the song on the very night Dylan completed writing it in 1962. Their 1963 album "New World Singers" also features Mr. Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". Bob wrote the liner notes too. Bob Dylan's version comes from "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan". 1963 was a good year for music. Peter, Paul and Mary's cover wa…

Grammy winner, producer, musician, rock and roll, country and rhythm and blues writer Wayne Carson Thompson composed "The Letter" and probably smiled when it, like his other material, was nominated for a Grammy. The Box Tops (Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, Gary Talley and John Evans) recorded "The Letter" in 1967 and despite the fact that it was less than two minutes it soared to the top of the charts. During rehearsals for the Mad Dogs and Englishmen conert tour Joe Cocker r…

After appearing on Broadway in the original production of "The Sound of Music" former child star Patty Michaels was the first to record "Born a Woman" in 1966. Patty was a regular for one season on television's Sing Along With Mitch. Months later session singer Sandy Posey covered the Grammy nominated "Born a Woman" (Martha Sharp) and took it into the top fifteen. In 1969 she appeared on stage with Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. A year earlier she married Elvis tribute artist Wade Cummings aka E…

In 1958 Domenico Modugno exploded into the music world with "Volare". This Italian singer, composer, actor and parliamentarian released "Io" (Modugno) (English: "It's Me") from the album "Domenico Modugno" in the same year. The top ten hit came from Elvis Presley who issued the English version in 1963. "Ask Me" (Modugno - Grant - Kaye - Baum) on the flip side of "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby". You'll find "Ask Me" on "Elvis' Gold Records, Volume Four". That's Floyd Cramer on the organ.

Johnny Mathis (details elsewhere in this blog) recorded "Show and Tell" (Jerry Fuller) for the album "Killing Me Softly With Her Song" in 1973. That same year saw Al Wilson's cover of "Show and Tell" from the album "Weighing In" hit the top of the charts and rightly so.

Willie Bobo (William Correa) studied with Mongo Santamaria and at 19 joined Tito Puente's band. Later he worked with Perez Prado, Cal Tjader and George Shearing and as a sideman for the likes of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery, Cannonball Adderley, Chico Hamilton and Sonny Stitt. Originally recorded in 1965 "Evil Ways" was composed by Bobo's guitarist Sonny Henry and appears on the 1967 album "Bobo Motion". Santana released their debut album "Santana" and "Evil Ways" in 1969 shor…

Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan were the first to record Irving Berlins "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911 when the song was first published. Then came "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (Fields - Donovan) in 1914. Debbie Reynolds and Carlton Carpenter starred in the 1950 movie "Two Weeks in Love" featuring "Aba Daba Honeymoon" which became one of the top songs of 1951 after peaking at the number three position.

R&B, gospel and rock and roll singer/guitarist Johnny Fuller released Haunted House (Bob Geddins) in 1959. Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were next to record the tune but when Hi Records expressed a desire to record the song with a slightly different arrangement they declined. Once the singer for Bill Black's Combo "Jumpin'" the Gene Simmons cover came out in 1964 and peaked just shy of the top ten at number eleven.