TODAY : 20 FAVORITE FEMME RECORDS OF....1962
1. YOU’LL LOSE A GOOD THING – BARBARA LYNN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWTf1zGTHqM
Hailing from Beaumont Texas Barbara Ozen’s first record was for her
local
Eric label in 1962 before coming under the spell of producer Huey Meaux
and recording the great “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” at Cosimo Matassa’s famous studio in New Orleans. as Barbara Lynn for the Jamie label. The
song was a smash hit going to #8 BBpop and #1 BBr&b. Strangely tho Decca
over here in London had held contract rights with Jamie for years (all
thru the Duane Eddy hit period) the disc was not issued in UK at the
time no idea why. No Barbara Lynn singles appeared here until 1964 (“Oh
Baby We Got A Good Thing Goin’” on London) and it was 1967 before “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” finally appeared here as a non-charting
single on the Sue label.
2. BETTY LaVETT – MY MAN-HE’S A LOVIN’ MAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDPXOoStt9I
Perpetual label jumping (often spelling her name differently) Michigan
born
Betty LaVett started off her career with the fine “My Man-He’s A Lovin’ Man”
on Atlantic and was rewarded with a #7 BBr&b chart hit.Not released here
in
UK (where she never had a single released until 1967)
3. OH MY ANGEL – BERTHA TILLMAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AorX3ImJRb0
Always loved the haunting “Oh My Angel” since first hearing it at one of the
London r&b clubs in 1962. Not much info out there on Texas born Bertha
who
cut two singles for Bobby Shad’s Brent label in New York. Charted #61
BBpop
but strangely never made the BB r&b chart. It did however get a UK
release on
Oriole but didn’t chart (I don’t recall ever hearing it on radio here)
4. IT’S RAINING – IRMA THOMAS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDx1iDl_9YA
New Orleans’ soul queen Irma Thomas here on one of my very favorites by her—
her fourth single released on the Minit label and another great song
from the pen of “Naomi Neville” (a nom-de-record of Allen Toussaint). Non-charting and not released in UK
5. THE ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU – MARY WELLS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Cwpe8acLk
THE female star of Motown at the time (and the same one who will go on
to throw
away both Motown and its works and a glittering career for even greater
riches which will never materialize with a disastrous change of labels).
But that’s her future—right now she is the undisputed Motown Queen—mistress of all she surveys at the ever more popular “Hitsville USA”.A solid #8 BBpop and #2 Br&b..Amazingly not issued UK
6. YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH – MARY WELLS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReIlQF2KN2w
The solid followup from Mary to “The One Who Really Loves You” above
with
backing from the three man male group The Love Tones. Mary’s star shone brighter
yet on this release achieving #9 BBpop and her first #1 BBr&b. Another
first is that“…Punch” was her very first record to get UK release on Oriole American---but sadly non-charting
7. MAMA DIDN’T LIE – JAN BRADLEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mShChmuFv60
From December 1962 comes “Mama Didn’t Lie” a wonderful Curtis Mayfield song
sung to perfection by Jan Bradley on the small Formal label. As with so
many of these tiny labels initial sales were good enough to attract the attention of a bigger company—Chess in this case who took over
distribution against a cover version by girl group The
Fascinations.Chess managed to promote it high in the charts--#14 BBpop
and #8 BBr&b, UK release (in 1963) on Pye-International but non-charting
8. SOMETHING’S GOT A HOLD ON ME – ETTA JAMES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fze6EF9RCuw
Pretty sure I made my acquaintance with Etta on the earlier beautiful
“At Last” but the love affair with her records was really sealed with
the funky rockin’ “Something’s Got A Hold On Me” that I added to my then
small record collection a few months after release here.On Argo label
this one reached #37 BBpop and #4 BBr&b. Released on Pye International
in UK but non-charting
9. TWO LOVERS - MARY WELLS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXIaMP5uFTE
Taking us into 1963 here's the current Motown Queen back with her most successful single so far-the Smokey Robinson written and produced "Two
LOvers"
Charted at #7 BBpop and #1 BBr&b.Released in UK on Oriole-American big
in the r&b clubs but I don't recall ever hearing it on local radio
10. HE’S A REBEL – THE CRYSTALS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Ob9bjgUyw
It’s actually The Blossoms doing the heavy lifting here (with Darlene
Love lead) on a Gene Pitney (no,I’m not gonna say a thing 😉) penned
number that had to contend with a Vikki Carr cover recorded and released ascloseasthis to the original (just three days later!) but that easily
outsold it reaching #1 BBpop and #2 BB r&b thus giving Phil Spector the
first really big hit on his still new Philles label. Released on London
in UK reached #19 here
11. THE LOCO-MOTION – LITTLE EVA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ecskjqanyM
One of the most memorable Goffin-King songs bestowed on their real life babysitter and which the said Little Eva Boyd promptly took the released
record on Dimension label to #1 on both BB pop and r&b charts.Released
on London in UK it reached #19 here.
12. CHAINS – THE COOKIES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gN1EM_2Vc0
Again a Goffin/King song that was first offered to The Everly Brothers
who recorded it for Warner Bros but who didn’t release it. Carole King arranged for the girl trio The Cookies (featuring Ethel “Earl-Jean”
McCrea) to record it for the new Dimension label where it instantly hit
the charts reaching #17 BB pop and #6 r&b. London released it here in UK
and got lots of airplay but it did not chart.
13. WHAT’S A MATTER BABY (IS IT HURTING YOU) – TIMI YURO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBOu9FKlZBk
Here’s one that I’m guessing Diane will really like---and I too was
always partial to Timi’s records ever since “Hurt” came out. And that included her best record of 1962 that I recall buying the day of UK
release (I was in my first job by now). On Liberty in both US and UK
Timi reached #12 BBpop and #16BBr&b. Despite good airplay did not chart
UK
14. MASHED POTATO TIME – DEE DEE SHARP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD9nbH9ujww
Making her debut on record for the Cameo label here is Ms Dee Dee Sharp
usually more at home backing Chubby Checker at last with a record of her
own and promoting the latest dance craze of the day---and a solid smash
hit for the lady. #2 on the BBpop chart and an even better #1 BB r&b.
Released on Columbia in UK did not chart
15. RELEASE ME – LITTLE ESTHER PHILLIPS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKSCdj8GdLM
Great update of the much recorded country standard first introduced by
Eddie Miller in 1950
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG90qXpIenE
After subsequent later versions by Jimmy Heap,Ray Price,Kitty
Wells,Lefty Frizzell,Carl Belew and Patti Page to name just a few
previous artists recording the song it provided a way back to the top of
the charts for the great Little Esther—now on Lenox after stints at Savoy,Federal,Decca and Warwick.A big #8 hit BBpop and better still #1
BBr&b. On Stateside in UK did not chart
16 DEVIL IN HIS HEART – THE DONAYS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oEfzk7kToI
Hailing from Hamtramck Mi The Donays were a girl group that recorded
“Devil In
His Heart” for the small Correc-Tone label in Detroit (No,I’ve never
seen a copy on this label either). The record ended up being distributed
by Bob Shad who gave it better exposure via his Brent label . It still
did not chart but somehow got picked up by Oriole-American for UK
release where one George Harrison reportedly heard it at Brian Epstein’s record store,liked it and introduced it to the rest of the Beatles.And
the rest is history.
17. WHERE ARE YOU – DINAH WASHINGTON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sqP9syR0HQ
Beautiful version of the old standard (first released by Bunny Berigan – 1936). And after a very long stint at Mercury Dinah finally changed
labels signing with Roulette records.(on one American trip I was
privileged to be invited to a lunch where Morris Levy held forth and
told of how the fondest signing he was ever party to at Roulette was
that of Dinah Washington (whom he worshipped). Charted #36 BBpop.
Released on Columbia in UK but non-charting
18. THE END OF THE WORLD – SKEETER DAVIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-IVmKH_yYU
Country star Skeeter one time Davis sister veers very much towards pop
on this very catchy number that was a favorite of mine when it was
current and nothing much has changed in that regard since.Released on
RCA Skeeter’s home for nearly 10 years. Charted #2 BBpop and #4 BB r&b
(!) . A #21 hit for Skeeter on RCA in UK too
19. ALL ALONE AM I – BRENDA LEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mASbHwQk5-A
Brenda’s biggest hit from 1962 recorded 9 August at Columbia Studio
Nashville withher usual star backing including Grady Martin (gtr) Bob
Moore (bass) Buddy Harman (dms) and Floyd Cramer (pno). As well as “All
Alone Am I” Brenda recorded two songs never issued “Anyone For Love” and “Just A Half Of Love”. On Decca the single went to #3 BB pop. On
Brunswick in UK it reached #11
20. IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER – CAROLE KING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXt7IOLchCI
Written specifically for Bobby Vee it was presented to him as part of a
three song package deal (along with “Go Away Little Girl”,”Sharing You”
). Vee chose the latter missing the one that went to #1 and the song in
the spotlight here tho his version of “…September” did turn up on an album later.Meantime Carole cut the song herself released first on
Companion label which promptly changed name to Dimension and took the
record to #22 BBpop.. On London in UK it charted much better going to
#3.
BUBBLING UNDER
21. HE'S SURE THE BOY I LOVE - THE CRYSTALS
22. ROUGH LOVER – ARETHA FRANKLIN
23. SEE SEE RIDER – LaVERN BAKER
24. I JUST CAN’T TAKE IT NO MORE – COOKIE GABRIEL
25. YOUR LOVE IS IMPORTANT TO ME – BETTY EVERETT
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