June 03, 2009 Earworm

I was minding my own musical business when I happened to notice that Susan had posted a "video" of Dee Clark's "Raindrops" on Facebook and now I have it on endless repeat. I'm happy to note that Dee's testicle shrinking shrieking on the fade out still rattles me as much as it did when I was a wee one.

The production by Vee-Jay house wunderkind, Calvin Carter, was slicker than anything the label had yet released, and was awarded with their first appearance on the adult contemporary charts for it. For all its sophistication and sheen, it's that twangin' guitar, later used to great effect for Jerry Butler's "Moon River", getting along quite nicely with a strange arrangement that ranges from the subtle and cinematic to the buoyant and down right silly, that makes "Raindrops" as endlessly memorable as it is.

"Raindrops" peaked at #2 in 1961, held back from the top spot by Gary US Bonds' "Quarter To Three", a record that couldn't have been more different but what could have been a cure for what ailed Dee. It was Vee-Jay's biggest top 40 hit to date but dubious royalty was about to take the label all the way.

Susan, I hope you cheer up and dry out soon. And let us know if you need a lifeboat.

July 24, 2008 Earworm

Another PF Sloan composition that made its way to Vee Jay in 1964 is "Can I Get To Know You", in a dreamy arrangement that tips its hat to Barbara Lewis, that was relegated to b-side of Betty Everett's take on Goffin-King's "I Can't Hear You". Neither side of this spectacular 45 did much to disturb the charts; the a-side topped out at #66 that summer while "Can I Get To Know You" had to wait two years to chart when it got the word "Better" added to its title and a typically Turtles re-vamp and topped out at #86.

Betty Everett would score her biggest hit on her next release, "Let It Be Me", a duet with Jerry Butler. The Turtles would follow up their version of "Can I Get To Know You (Better)" with their own biggest hit, "Happy Together", so perhaps there is more charm to this song than what you can hear.

Betty's version of "Can I Get To Know You" can also be found on Castle Pulse's "Chapel of Love: Girl Group Gems"

July 23, 2008 Earworm

Shelley Fabares, teen tv star and reluctant recording artist, was given the choice of recording "Johnny Angel" or finding her role as Mary Stone filled by another actress when it returned from hiatus. She wisely chose the former though fully aware that she was not a singer and, after a tedious cut and paste editing job, found herself with a number one single. Several more followed but none had the dreamy charm of her first (which is actually her second; she duets with Ray Petersen on the flip side of his "She Can't Find Her Keys")or matched its success and after "The Donna Reed Show" wound down, so did her time with Colpix.

I have no idea how she ended up at Vee Jay and, considering her lack of success there, Vee Jay had no idea of what to do with her fantastic record with The Fantastic Baggys, "I Know You'll Be There". While she obviously had not invested in singing lessons since her first hit, she navigates P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri's composition wonderfully, matching its naive sincerity (almost) note for note. Given her June marriage to Lou Adler, it's likely that he's got a hand in this production - I've never seen a copy of this 45 to verify credits - but it's Sloan and Barri as the Baggys who truly pull the pet sound together making a surfer girl record that betters most of the stuff Brian Wilson did with The Honeys.

Coupled with the almost as charming "Lost Summer Love", Vee Jay released this obvious summer single in December and watched it go nowhere. Shelley would release two more singles on Dunhill, her husband's label, over the next two years. Her last, a cover of Sandy Posey's "See Ya Round On The Rebound", is something I'd really love to hear.

"I Know You'll Be There" can be found on the Castle Pulse collection, "Chapel of Love: Girl Group Gems"

UPDATE:
Sandy Posey's version of "See Ya 'Round On The Rebound" was on her "A Single Girl" LP released in '67, Shelley's version was released in '66 making Sandy's the "cover".
If you, too, would like to hear Shelley's version of "See Ya 'Round On The Rebound", Kmatt found the following link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=o0IygpcxKOQ