My ambitiousness got the best of me with the posting of the two-part history piece, “Quirky 45s That Bubbled Under (1959-1976).” If you go to Zero to 180’s home page now (as of April 2020), you might be frustrated that it takes so goshdarn long to finish loading all the content (i.e., 200+ audio clips spread out amongst the two parts). This latest piece — a tribute to all the 45s released by King and its subsidiary labels that “bubbled under” the Billboard Hot 100 chart — features “only” 50 (ish) audio clips. However, coming on the heels of the previous two-parter, all that additional “weight” only compounds the problem, unfortunately.
Thanks once again to Top40Weekly.com, who generously provides chart information about these uncharted songs that peaked just beyond the reach of Billboard‘s Hot 100. As with the previous post, this piece is chronologically arranged and begins in 1959, the year Billboard began keeping records of these near-hits. Given the amount of historical detail below, I have highlighted some of the big takeaway points and discoveries that came out of this research:
Summary Highlights
- Lowman Pauling, whose work with The ‘5’ Royales as both a songwriter and guitarist was under-recognized for its influence on the emerging soul music (not to mention Jamaican ska), would later be championed by King (James Brown, Vicki Anderson, Hal Hardy) and non-King artists (Shirelles, Mamas & the Papas, Detroit Wheels).
- Whodunit around the authorship of “Cute Little Ways” — was the song written by Hank Ballard or Henry Glover?
- Speaking of whodunit, why exactly did “Please Please Please” by James Brown and the Famous Flames come close to entering Billboard’s Hot 100 four years after its original release? Two theories offered.
- Syd Nathan was not afraid to dust off an older King recording, “modernize” the sound and/or spiff up the artist name, if that’s what it took to sell records, as in the case of “Every Beat of My Heart” by Henry Booth (or is it?) and the Midnighters — the song by Johnny Otis that would launch the career of Gladys Knight and the Pips.
- Hard to believe that “Please Come Home For Christmas” never officially entered the Hot 100 given how often Billboard deemed it a “Christmas Best Bet” throughout the 1960s, as well as the song’s enduring popularity, as evidenced by all the many cover versions. Fun to find out that Charles Brown’s original recording is held in especially high regard “along the route from Houston to New Orleans.”
- How Mad Men-esque to learn that King’s promotional efforts for “Seagrams” (a “Tequila”-inspired instrumental ) by the Vice-roys included a half pint of Seagram’s VO whiskey and one package of Viceroy cigarettes to select personnel at radio stations around the country.
- “Lonesome 7-7203” by Hawkshaw Hawkins was written for Jean Shepard by Justin Tubb, who points out that the song was originally conceived from a female perspective.
- More evidence of the Cincinnati OH–Kingston, JA connection via Hank Marr’s organ instrumentals.
- A shift in cultural consciousness can be seen manifesting itself with Billboard renaming its “R&B” chart as “Soul” Singles beginning in the August 23, 1969 edition (as pointed out in the Marva Whitney section below).
- Even if King’s entire roster consisted solely of James Brown, hard to overstate the global impact of this one artist alone — be sure to look for the “Hey America” World Tour of 45 picture sleeves plus a news item about King’s “largest promotional/merchandizing budget” used for the “ James Brown Month Of Soul” campaign in March 1969.
- In a bonus section of Fraternity 45s that “bubbled under” the Hot 100, we learn from Harry Carlson himself — one of the most beloved figures in the music industry — what a struggle it was to go ten years between hits (i.e., from 1957’s “So Rare” by Jimmy Dorsey to 1967’s “Then You Can Tell Him Goodbye” by The Casinos).
* * *
Note: Click on song title links below to hear streaming audio of songs.
AUDIO LINK for “I Know It’s Hard But It’s Fair” by The ‘5’ Royales
peaked at #103 on June 8, 1959 [King]
- The Lowman Pauling-penned “I Know It’s Hard But Fair” also serves as the kickoff track of 1959 King LP, The Five Royales — an album that some are willing to pay several hundred dollars to acquire.
- Sundazed saw fit to reissue the original mono LP on vinyl in 2015 and had this to say:
“Suddenly in the news thanks to their recent induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, the ‘5’ Royales also recorded for King. Sundazed’s 180-gram reissue of their self-named 1959 King LP (which butchered the spelling of their ‘5’ moniker on its cover) is a romping overview of some of the R&B vocal quintet’s then-recent singles. The gospel-drenched lead vocals of Johnny Tanner (or sometimes, his brother Eugene) presaged the rise of soul music, but it’s the blistering guitar of chief songwriter Lowman Pauling, a primary influence on Steve Cropper, that grabs most of the glory now.”
- “I Know It’s Hard But Fair” is also the title of Ace UK‘s “hits and rarities” anthology from 2005.
King LP 678 –
AUDIO LINK for “Let Nobody Love You” [B-side] by Little Willie John
peaked at #108 on July 13, 1959 [King]
- This B-side of “Leave My Kitten Alone” [covered by The Beatles but unissued until 1995’s Anthology I] was co-written by Rudy Toombs and Henry Glover.
- Both sides were reviewed in Billboard’s June 22, 1959 edition: “The artist has two potent entries that could get him back on the charts. He gives ‘Kitten’ a feelingful belt over strong New Orleans type ork backing. ‘Let Nobody’ is a ballad with beat, and he’s given a fem chorus assist. Either can score.”
- “Let Nobody Love You” also reached the #29 position on Cash Box‘s Rhythm & Blues Top 50 chart for the week ending September 26, 1959.
- Johnny’s Record House in New Orleans reported in the October 31, 1959 issue of Cash Box that “Let Nobody Love You” was a top ten seller.
- One British music enthusiast shelled out £68 in 2004 for the UK single release.
1959 – UK
AUDIO LINK for “Cute Little Ways” by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
peaked at #106 on September 7, 1959 [King]
- Billboard‘s review in the August 24, 1959 edition: “Hank Ballard sells an uptempo blues with a lot of spirit, over a strong backing. Could get coins.”
- “Cute Little Ways” also reached the #24 position on the “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart, Cash Box‘s equivalent of Billboard‘s “Bubbling Under” releases.
- Detroit’s Horn Records reported in the October 3, 1959 issue of Cash Box that “Cute Little Ways” was a hot 45, as did Wilkes-Barre’s Joe Tomato of WBAX.
- Important to note that when issued in Denmark, the 45 label indicates the song to have been written by Henry Glover (who wrote the flip side, “House With No Windows“) — not Hank Ballard, as it says on all other King releases. The truth?*
[*As noted in the comment below, nothing amiss with the songwriting credits on the Danish single release — please disregard]
See?
It says “Henry Glover” on the Danish 45 release
AUDIO LINK for “I’m With You” by The ‘5’ Royales
peaked at #107 on June 27, 1960 [King]
- Billboard‘s March 14, 1960 edition includes this review: “A slow and strongly gospel flavored chant by the group. Lead offers a good shouting sound. Spinnable.”
- Cash Box listed “I’m With You” as #6 on its “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending June 25, 1960 while still holding strong at the #10 position on the same chart for the week ending August 6, 1960.
- 45Cat stalwart mickey rat offers up this praise: “Great gospel tinged proto-soul from hugely influential group. This one has a riffing ‘ska’ beat, another example of the kind of R&B that influenced Jamaican artists. Flip [“Don’t Give More Than You Can Take“] is a fast rocker featuring Lowman Pauling’s distinctive guitar.”
- Noted roots rock author, Peter Guralnick points out on his blog: “The ‘5’ Royales were always at the heart of the discography of my book, Sweet Soul Music. As one of their album titles proclaimed, their music represented “the roots of soul.” Further down the page, Guralnick adds, “By 1960, even with such transformative songs as ‘I’m With You’ and ‘Wonder When You’re Coming Home,’ the ‘5’ Royales were slipping off the charts, and it was the Shirelles and James Brown who were recasting Lowman’s music.”
- Robert Christgau – “Dean of American Rock Critics” – takes
Collectables[*Ed Ward, actually – see comment below] to task for not including “I’m With You” on their Very Best of the ‘5’ Royales anthology, even though, oddly, the song is listed on this 2004 CD release!
Sam & Dave
1968 French B-side
AUDIO LINK for “If You’re Lonely” by Annie Laurie
peaked at #104 on July 25, 1960 [DeLuxe]
- Written by jazz trumpeter/bandleader, Harry James, along with Zanesville-born trumpeter and King music director, Andy Gibson, “If You’re Lonely” also peaked at #17 on Billboard‘s R&B chart on July 18, 1960.
- “If You’re Lonely” was pegged as an R&B “Best Buy” in the July 18, 1960 edition of Billboard.
- Thanks to 45Cat’s jukebox george, who informs us that the July 30, 1960 edition of Cash Box lists “If You’re Lonely” #23 (out of 25) on their “Looking Ahead” singles chart for the “possibility to break into the Top 100.”
- Jon Hartley Fox writes in King of the Queen City: The Story of King Records — “‘If You’re Lonely’ made the [R&B] Top Twenty in 1960, but that was the only other hit from her second stint on DeLuxe. Laurie reportedly retired from secular music not long after that and devoted her magnificent voice solely to church work.”
AUDIO LINK for “Shim Sham Shuffle” by Ricky Lyons
peaked at #104 on October 17, 1960 [Federal]
- Co-written by Ricky Lyons and Rudy Toombs, 45Cat’s jukebox george points to evidence (i.e., lower matrix number — *although this is a misnomer [see comment below]) that “Shim Sham Shuffle” might be one of those B-side breakout hits that “attracted attention” to a much greater degree than the intended A-side.
- However, Billboard‘s selection of “Shim Sham Shuffle” as one of the “Spotlight Winners of the Week” in their October 3, 1960 edition leads me to question accusations of the song’s B-side status — this review puts the matter to bed: “The younger chanter comes thru with an exciting vocal here of a rocking item based on ‘The Eagle Rock.’ Flip is ‘Have No Fear.’
- Cash Box picked “Shim Sham Shuffle” as one of its “Best Bets” for the week ending October 15, 1960: “The ‘latest’ dance is conveyed with solid rock-blues vigor by the singer and combo. Deck’s got sound and humor.”
- Spectropop playfully observes that Ricky Lyons’ vocal “adds a Bob Wills-style whoop to the R&B lexicon.”
- “Shim Sham Shuffle” was also released as a King single by Johnny Brandon in 1956 — although, a quick listen to the earlier release reveals the existence of two completely different tunes that merely share a song title.
- 45 reissued on King in 1965 — Discogs contributor, bob.dalrymple.7 notes the two releases by the same parent company and makes the distinction between “one with bells [i.e., vibraphone] at the end and one without,” adding that the “King release doesn’t have the bell ending [likely played by Gene Redd].”
AUDIO LINK for “Please Please Please” by James Brown
peaked at #105 on October 21, 1960 [Federal]
- Having a devil of a time trying to determine why this #6 R&B hit from 1956 almost hit the Billboard Hot 100 four years later, as I can only find two single releases by King – 1956 and 1964 – with neither of them 1960 (or its environs) — theories, anyone?
- Possible theory #1: Might The ‘5‘ Royales’s version released in 1960 (on the Home of the Blues label) explain the resurgence of the original version by Brown and the Famous Flames?
- Possible theory #2: Is King’s 1959 “Please Please Please” EP release the more likely explanation for the song’s appearance on the Billboard “Bubbling Under” chart?
- Billboard reviewed “Please Please Please” in their October 31, 1960 edition: “Brown intones a pounding chant with the Flames lending a good gospel flavor to the backing. A lot of spirit here.”
- Billboard‘s January 3,1957 edition pegged “Please” as one of 1956’s Top Rhythm & Blues Records with regard to “best seller in stores” (#17), “most played in jukeboxes (#48), and “most played by disc jockeys (#20).
- What delicious irony that Syd Nathan (who initially and loudly dismissed “Please” as a “piece of [dung]”) made the decision to add live crowd sounds to the original studio recording for release in 1964 (during a contract dispute with Brown), no doubt to capitalize on the runaway success of 1963’s Live at the Apollo (another Brown recording of some renown that Nathan famously fought at first).
- 45Cat’s teabiscuit, however, boldly asserts — counter to received wisdom — that “by 1960, not 1964, the overdubbed ‘live’ version of the A side was issued.”
B-side
AUDIO LINK for “Hold It‘ by James Brown Band
peaked at #112 on February 13, 1961 [King]
- Alan Leeds’ “James Brown Drummers Discography” (included in Jim Payne’s The Great Drummers of R&B, Funk & Soul) notes that Brown himself served as the drummer on this track.
- Billboard‘s review in their December 31, 1960 edition: “A wild instrumental version of the Bill Doggett oldie, complete with screams, that could get some action if exposed. The screamer also comes through with a slight vocal now and then.”
- Billboard‘s February 13, 1961 edition notes another James Brown single — “Bewildered” (a ‘Regional Breakout’ hit in Philadelphia) — in an ever higher position (#103) than “Hold It” on the same “Bubbling Under the Hot 100” chart.
- “Hold It” is the lead-off track for the 1961 King instrumental LP, Night Train.
AUDIO LINK for “Sweethearts on Parade” by Etta Jones
peaked at #115 on April 3, 1961 {King]
- Written by Carmen Lombardo and Charles Newman, “Sweethearts on Parade” appeared on the “Bubbling Under” chart, along with another Etta Jones 45 (although recorded for Prestige), “Canadian Sunset,” for two consecutive weeks — March 27 and April 3, 1961.
- Not to be confused with Matt Ward‘s “Sweethearts on Parade.”
AUDIO LINK for “Every Beat of My Heart” by Henry Booth & The Midnighters
peaked at #113 on May 15, 1961 [DeLuxe]
- Written by Johnny Otis, King’s West Coast talent scout (and disc jockey and television show host), “Every Beat of My Heart” was originally recorded in 1952 by The Royals, who later became The Midnighters, and subsequently covered by [Gladys Knight and] The Pips and James Brown and the Famous Flames, among others. That’s right, the same recording from 1952 would get a reboot in 1961, albeit under a new artist name (and, as one YouTube contributor notes, modernized with overdubbed “rock and roll instrumentation“).
- Marv Goldberg adds further clarity in his history of The Royals:
“Note that the lead singer with the beautiful smooth sound isn’t Henry Booth, but Charles Sutton. Because of the success of Gladys Knight and the Pips’ remake of ‘Every Beat Of My Heart’ in 1961, King’s DeLuxe subsidiary reissued it, with the label crediting ‘Henry Booth and the Midnighters.’ Possibly they just got it mixed up or possibly Henry was still with the Midnighters at that point. Whatever the reason, R&B fans have believed over the years that Henry was doing lead; he isn’t.”
- The two versions of “Every Beat” by The Midnighters and The Pips made Cash Box‘s Top 100 chart for the week ending May 27, 1961 and, if I’m not mistaken, tied for the same position (#70)! The same phenomenon would take place the following week (#48).
- Billboard‘s review of this 45 side in the May 8,.1961 edition was (unwittingly) their second one: “Henry Booth and the Midnighters turn in a very pretty and restrained reading of an attractive tune penned by Johnny Otis. It has a chance.”
- Billboard‘s original review of The Midnighters’ debut 45 in the April 12, 1952 edition (page 36) has this to say about the flip side, “Every Beat of My Heart”: “This is a little disappointing after the fine performance [“All Night Long“] on the other side. Judged from these two efforts, the Royals are more effective with a tempo that has a strong beat.”
- Jon Hartley Fox in King of the Queen City notes that “Every Beat” is “the hit that launched Gladys Knight and the Pips.”
- Also worth reading the comments about the original 1952 release from various 45Cat contributors, such as mickey rat, who opines, “Right from the start the Royals/Midnighters used an electric bass in the rhythm section and I have to say that’s what I liked about a lot of later ‘50s King R&B product.”
“The Matador” by George Scott and the Bud Mote Orchestra
peaked at #104 on June 12, 1961 [Fairlane]
[streaming audio not yet available]
- 45Cat contributor jukebox george informs us — “Cash Box May 6 1961 (pg. 38): New York – D.L. ‘Boots’ Woodall, formerly veep of the National Recording Corp. (NRC), has announced the first release on his new Fairlane label, a master purchase from the Margo label tagged “Matador.” King Records is handling Fairlane’s distribution.”
- Billboard‘s review in their May 8, 1961 edition: “Here’s a different kind of instrumental, featuring a mariachi-styled brigade of trumpets against strong guitar work. Has a solid rhythm in the Mexican groove and it can move.”
- Billboard Music Week would also review this 45 in their April 10, 1961 issue: “Here’s a bit of slower-paced fare again much in the polka tradition. There’s also a touch of flamenco about the horns here.”
- Cash Box‘s review from their April 8, 1961 edition: “Interesting color to this fast-beat stand, featuring guitarist Scott & trumpets, on a catchy Spanish-flavored tune. Original sound that could mean something for the Atlanta label.”
AUDIO LINK for “Hully Gully Callin’ Time” by Jive Five with Eugene Pitt
peaked at #105 on March 1, 1962 [Beltone]
- Released on King-distributed Beltone, “Hully Gully Callin’ Time” was a “Regional Breakout” in the NYC area, as reported in Billboard‘s April 21, 1962 edition.
- Two weeks later, Billboard filed this report from Chicago: “[New independent distributor] Kent is also working on what it hopes will be its first big hit, ‘Hully Gully Callin’ Time’ by the Jive Five on Beltone. The tune has hit position 28 on the influential WLS Silver Dollar Survey and is getting good supporting air play around the city.”
- Billboard‘s review in the March 3, 1962 edition: “Attractive hunk of teen wax with the lead selling the hully gully effort solidly over listenable support by the group.”
- Cash Box listed “Hully Gully” at the #37 position on its “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending March 24, 1962.
AUDIO LINK for “I Wish I Could Cry” [B-side] by Little Willie John
peaked at #116 on June 30, 1962 [King]
- Billboard had high hopes for this 45’s A-side — “Every Beat of My Heart” (!) — while saying nothing about the flip side in its review published in the May 28, 1962 edition.
- Cash Box was a little more optimistic about the prospects for this B-side (near) breakout hit in its review for their May 26, 1961 issue: “Here the songster and the ork-chorus up the tempo slightly to a shuffle-beat-ballad pace. Take your pick. Both ends have the goods.”
- The following year, Cash Box reported in their July 28, 1962 edition this brief news item: “Sue Sandler, co-cleffer of Little Willie John’s ‘Until Again My Love‘ and ‘I Wish I Could Cry,’ excited with all the action on the artist’s 2 King releases.”
AUDIO LINK for “Wonderful One” by The Shondells
peaked at #116 on October 13, 1962 [King]
- According to our old friend, mickey rat — “Almost certainly produced in Los Angeles by Johnny Otis … Songwriters on a couple of their other songs registered with [Library of Congress] were Shirlee Brooks, Jacqueline Scruggs, Rosemary Reeves, Beverly Simmons & Novella Simmons, so I’m guessing they were all members of the group.”
- Coincidentally or not, “Wonderful One” was cited by Billboard as a “Regional Breakout” single in Los Angeles.
- Billboard would review this single’s A-side in the July 21, 1962 edition — and it wasn’t “Wonderful One” (B-side breakout hit?) about which the reviewer had nothing to say.
- Cash Box listed “Wonderful One” at the #42 spot on its “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending September 15, 1962.
- Forgotten Hits music blog says The Shondells (not to be confused with Tommy James’ backing group of the same name) are from Cincinnati — is this true? [*No — from Pomona, California (see comment below)]
AUDIO LINK for “Please Come Home for Christmas” by Charles Brown
peaked at #108? on December 22, 1962 [King]
- Did Top40Weekly.com misfire with the inclusion of this stellar yuletide track — written by Charles Brown and Gene Redd — that has been covered by Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Johnny Adams, (“Little“) Johnny Taylor, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Freddy Fender, William Bell, The Eagles, Martina McBride, and Bon Jovi, among others? Billboard tells us this 45 peaked at #76 on January 6, 1962. However, is it somehow possible this track came close to entering the Hot 100 later that same year close to Christmas? As it turns out, yes! Billboard‘s December 22, 1962 issue confirms that, indeed, “Come Home For Christmas” bubbled under at the #108 position.
- That same Billboard edition also reported “Christmas” to be a “Regional Breakout” single in New Orleans, while one year prior. Billboard noted the song’s strong performance in the Philadelphia market. The 1963 Christmas season would also find this track no less diminished in popularity, says Billboard, who would also peg this single in 1967 as one of its “Best Bets for Christmas” and then again in 1969.
- The original 1960 release — which peaked at #21 on Billboard‘s R&B chart on December 31st that year — features another Christmas classic, Amos Milburn’s “Christmas (Comes But Once a Year),” on the flip side. This 45 squeaked into Cash Box’s Top 100 chart (#96) for the week ending December 31, 1960. “Christmas” also made Cash Box‘s Top 50 R&B chart (#30) for the week ending December 24, 1960, and then again, even higher (#21), for the week ending January 6, 1962.
- Chris Varias contributed a special piece to The Cincinnati Enquirer in 2017 about the enduring appeal of a classic Christmas song that was “born in Cincinnati” at King Studios — article features reminiscences from Don Henley and Cincinnati native, Nick Lachey, as well as music history from Cincinnati Public Library’s own, Brian Powers.
- The Houston Chronicle‘s Rick Campbell wrote a humorous item in 2015 entitled, “‘Please Come Home For Christmas’: A Holiday Song I Don’t Hate.”
- Lake Charles, LA’s 92.9 (“The Lake”) offers up “The Story Behind ‘Please Come Home For Christmas” in which we learn the regional popularity of the song in a particular part of the Deep South: “In 1960, King Records released ‘Please Come Home for Christmas’ and the song, for some reason, went nowhere nationally, but along our part of I-10, it became an instant classic. Since 1960, radio stations all along the route from Houston to New Orleans have played the record every single Christmas.”
Lead-off track on this indispensable Christmas LP
AUDIO LINK for “The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist” by Freddy King
peaked at #103 on Feb. 2, 1963 [Federal]
- “Bossa Nova Watusi Twist” — a “Regional Breakout Single” in two large metro markets, Memphis-Nashville and Dallas-Fort Worth — was given a “Four-Star” rating in Billboard‘s January 12, 1963 edition.
- Although there no musician credits in Ruppli’s King Labels sessionography, this song — recorded at Cincinnati’s King Studios on November 27, 1962 — no doubt includes the drumming work of legendary session musician, Philip Paul, who also played on the previous featured track by Charles Brown.
- Small news item in the January 26, 1963 issue of Cash Box: “With promo man Ralph Cox, the biggies to watch are “Seagrams” by The Vice-Roys (Bethlehem), “The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist” by Freddy King, Hank Ballard’s “The Rising Tide” and “Every Beat Of My Heart” by James Brown.”
AUDIO LINK for “Seagrams” by The Viceroys
peaked at #127 on March 30, 1963 [Bethlehem]
- The fluke hit of 1958’s “Tequila” inspired a host of alcohol-themed instrumentals in its wake, including that same year’s more generic “Cerveza” (‘Boots Brown’ a.k.a., Shorty Rogers), as well as the brand-specific 1961’s “Bacardi” and “Seagrams” from the previous year.
- As previously noted, 1960’s “Seagrams” by The Viceroys was issued on Bethlehem, a subsidiary label of King. Seagrams Corporation, however, did not take kindly to the appropriation of its name and threatened to sue for trademark infringement, with some stations refusing to play a song named for a commercial product without being paid for advertising time. A sheepish notice in Billboard’s March 23, 1960 edition said, “We Goofed!” — more specifically:
“When this instrumental came to us, it was titled ‘Seagram’s.’ We missed the possible legal conflict with the Seagram’s trademark and also the policy at many radio stations of not playing a record with a commercial product name in its title.”] and indicated that “Seagrams” was now changed to “Seagreen.”
- Worth noting that on page 22 of that same March 23, 1960 edition of Billboard was this wink-wink news item:
Just Call This a Real Loaded Idea
SAN FRANCISCO— A novel record promotion originated by Bob Earl, San Francisco branch manager for King Records, has been picked up by the national record distributor and will be repeated in Cincinnati, Chicago and New York.
Bethlehem’s new recording of “Seagram,” sung by the Vice-roys, prompted Earl to include a half pint of Seagram’s VO whiskey and a package of Viceroy cigarettes when delivery the disk, all wrapped up in gay “Mardi Gras” gift paper. Uniformed messenger delivery personnel called upon local deejays in the four top r & b and rock and roll stations in San Francisco and Oakland — KSAN, KEWB, KDIA and KYA.
Innocent mistake
AUDIO LINK for “Lonesome 7-7203” by Hawkshaw Hawkins
peaked at #108 on April 6, 1963 [King]
- Just three days after this song’s release, notes West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Hawkins perished in a plane crash that also took the lives of fellow King recording artist, Cowboy Copas, as well as country superstar, Patsy Cline.
- Justin Tubb, who wrote the song, recounts in this 1997 episode of “Country Family Reunion” how he gave the song originally to Jean Shepard – Hawkshaw’s widow – who recorded it for Capitol (in whose vaults the song remains unissued). Tubb points out that “Lonesome” strikes him as a “girl’s song” because “when a husband and wife break up, it’s usually the guy who has to leave, and the wife stays home and keeps the house and furniture.”
- Billboard‘s review in their February 2, 1963 edition: “A fine new weeper ballad. Hawkshaw’s girl has walked out and he pleads with her to call him on his new phone.”
- The biggest hit of Hawkins’ career, “Lonesome 7-7203” stayed on top of the Country chart for four weeks after his death.
- The single’s flip side — titled (ironically, in hindsight) “Everything Has Changed” — was written by King A&R executive and producer, Ray “Starr” Pennington, who produced Hawkins’ final album, “one of the first country albums to feature both black and white session musicians,” as noted by Rocky 52.
- Still trying to make sense of this 45Cat catalog record which indicates “Lonesome” to have been released (a) not only as a “split” single in January 1963 with “Seagram’s” by the Vice-Roys on the flip side [!] but also (b) issued with a different label on each side (i.e., King on the A-side, Bethlehem on the B-side). For real?
AUDIO LINK for “The Greasy Spoon” by Hank Marr
peaked at #101 on January 18, 1964 [Federal]
- Written by Hank Marr and Gene Redd, “Greasy Spoon” — which came within a hair of hitting Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart — was a “Regional Breakout” single in the Memphis-Nashville area, as reported in Billboard.
- “Greasy Spoon” also hit the #68 spot on Cash Box‘s Top 100 Singles chart for the week ending January 11, 1964.
- Billboard‘s August 26, 1972 edition noted that the “Greasy Spoon” single was one among many reissued by Starday-King in a news item entitled, “32 King Oldies Released; Many Are Classics.”
- Randy McNutt inKing Records of Cincinnati writes that “King groomed Marr as Bill Doggett’s successor,” also noting that later in life, “Marr became a music professor in Columbus.”
1964 picture sleeve –
AUDIO LINK for “Again” by James Brown and the Famous Flames
peaked at #107 on April 25, 1964 [King]
- Billboard‘s review in the April 11, 1964 edition makes direct reference to the fact that James Brown had (temporarily) left King for Mercury/Smash: “Brown has a string of ’em on his former label and he’s got another romantic side here. Tender reading of the standard that’s not in conflict with his other release.”
- “Again” just squeaked onto Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart (#50) for the week ending April 25, 1964 — this same chart also includes one of Brown’s singles (his cover of Louis Jordan’s “Caldonia“) recorded for Smash.
“Again” included on rare South Korean edition of Prisoner of Love LP
AUDIO LINK for “Wee Wee Hours (of the Nite)” [B-side]
by James Brown & the Famous Flames
peaked at #125 on April 25, 1964 [King]
- Billboard awarded this single four stars (i.e., “new singles with sufficient commercial potential in their respective categories to merit being stocked by dealers, one-stops and rack jobbers”) in its February 8, 1964 edition.
- This full-page King ad of James Brown releases published in the previous week’s edition of Billboard (a) touts the new “live” version of “Please Please Please” [discussed above] and also (b) reveals that “Wee Wee Hours” ended up being yet another B-side breakout hit. (a James Brown original, by the way, not to be confused with Frank Sinatra’s 1955 classic, “In the Wee Small Hours“).
AUDIO LINK for “How Long Darling” [B-side]
by James Brown & the Famous Flames
peaked at #134 on June 6, 1964 [King]
- Speaking of B-side breakout hits, “How Long Darling” is the B-side of “Again” — the single that was discussed mere moments ago.
- Cash Box‘s April 18, 1964 edition provides this review — and once again speaks of Brown’s contractual relationship with King in the past tense: “James Brown has been running extremely hot recently and this top-notch item, ‘Again,’ cut during his days with King should quickly develop into a best-seller. The tune is a slow-moving, shuffle-beat pop-blues lament with a nostalgic while-back sound sold with authority by the songster. On the flip, ‘How Long Darling,’ Brown dishes-up a funky, traditional, low-down r&b weeper with a contagious repeating riff.”
“How Long Darling” –
Included on this 1966 EP from the UK
AUDIO LINK for “So Long” by James Brown and the Famous Flames
peaked at #132 on June 27, 1964 [King]
- “So Long” was pegged by Billboard as “Hot Pop” in the “Programming Specials” section of its June 6, 1964 edition.
- Cash Box‘s review in their June 6, 1964 issue: “The chanter might well do Top 100 business with this hard-driving full ork-backed pop-r&b teen-angled danceable weeper cut during his days with King. Loads of potential here.”
- “So Long” also spent two consecutive weeks on Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart (#48 and #50) before dropping off altogether at the end of June.
“So Long” –
Included on this 1965 EP from the UK
“Silver Spoon” [B-side?] by Hank Marr
peaked at #134 on March 27, 1965 [Federal]
[streaming audio not yet available]
- Cash Box‘s review in their March 20, 1965 issue provides credible evidence (though not solid proof) that “Silver Spoon” is (yet another) B-side breakout hit: “‘No Rough Stuff‘ written by Gene Redd] Wailin’jazz-styled instrumental with plenty of sax and organ. [‘Silver Spoon’ written by Hank Marr & Gene Redd] Slow-paced shufflin’ jazzer.”
- Side note: More evidence of the Cincinnati, OH/Kingston, JA connection (a) Hank Marr’s Federal 45 “Tonk Game” enjoyed release in Jamaica on the King label; (b) that same recording was issued in the UK on the Blue Beat label.
“Silver Spoon” included on this 1965 King LP
“Tears of Joy” by Vicki Anderson
peaked at #131 on September 23, 1967 [King]
[streaming audio not yet available]
- Cash Box‘s review of Anderson’s version of “Tears of Joy” — written by Lowman Pauling for The ‘5’ Royales — was included in their July 15, 1967 issue: “Anderson vocalizes nicely on this shuffling, soul-filled romance ode. Bears watching.”
- “Tears of Joy” hit the #46 spot on Record World‘s Top 50 R&B chart, as reported in the September 30, 1967 issue. That same issue also listed “Tears of Joy” at the #40 position on their “Singles Coming Up” chart, Record World‘s equivalent of Billboard‘s “Bubbling Under” chart. Record World also reported the previous month that the single was “selling well in Atlanta.”
- Here is a link to King’s half-page ad for “Tears of Joy” that was published in Billboard‘s September 2, 1967 edition.
“Tears of Joy” included on this 1968 King Compilation LP
AUDIO LINK for “You’ve Got to Change Your Mind”
by Bobby Byrd & James Brown
peaked at #102 on March 16, 1968 [King]
- “You’ve Got Change Your Mind” – which came this close to making the Hot 100 – was predicted by Billboard to reach the Top 20 of the Top Selling R&B Singles chart, as noted in their February 10, 1968 issue: “Byrd and Brown join forces in this groovy rock ballad that’s given a wailing, soulful vocal workout. Loaded with top sales potential for both pop and r&b markets. FLIP: ‘I’ll Lose My Mind‘.”
- Cash Box posted this review in the issue for the week ending February 10, 1968: “Outstanding pairing of James Brown and Bobby Byrd makes for some grand spinning material for r&b deejays. The team grooves slowly on a [indecipherable adjective] ballad that shows strength without speed through powerful vocals and throbbing orchestral backing. Cute lyrical snatches should stir up plenty of excitement for the side.”
- “Change Your Mind” — a “Regional Breakout” single in the Washington DC market — also peaked at the #47 position (for two consecutive weeks), as reported in Billboard.
- “Change Your Mind” also hit the #93 spot on Record World‘s 100 Top Pops chart for the week ending February 24, 1968.
- Written by Brown and Byrd along with Gene Redd and Ron Lenhoff (with an arrangement by Sammy Lowe), “Change Your Mind” features Bernard Purdie on drums, Al Lucas on bass, Carl Lynch & Wallace Richardson on guitars, and Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis & St. Clair Pinckney on tenor saxophones.
“Change Your Mind” b/w “Lose My Mind –
AUDIO LINK for “Shhhhhhhh (For A Little While)”
by James Brown & the Famous Flames
peaked at #102 on June 15, 1968 [King]
- “Shhhhhhhh (For A Little While)” was part of Billboard‘s “Special Merit Spotlight” (i.e., new singles deserving special attention of programmers and dealers) in its May 4, 1968 edition: “Raunchy instrumental is given a powerhouse workout by the Brown band.”
- Written by James Brown and Bud Hobgood, “Shhhhhhhh” was released around the time Brown and his band toured Vietnam and the Far East, as reported by Ed Ochs in his “Soul Sauce” column for Billboard shortly after their return: “Brown opens the National Soul Festival at Yankee Stadium, Friday as his three singles, ‘Licking Stick,’ ‘America Is My Home‘ and ‘Shhhhhhhh (For A Little While)’ work their way up the charts.”
- The previous month, Ed Ochs filed this report in the same Billboard column: “James Brown, everybody’s ‘Soul Brother No. 1,’ will trail his ‘I Got the Feelin’‘ giant with ‘America Is My Home,’ a song that echoes one man’s patriotism, which James already proved with his words to thousands on TV in Washington and in Boston last month. Another single, ‘Lickin’ Stick,’ will also be released and will join ‘Shhhhhhhh (For A Little While),’ an instrumental with James on the organ, and ‘You’ve Got the Power‘ with [Vicki] Anderson — all on King Records.”
- “Shhhhhhhh” hit the lucky #13 spot on Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending June 15, 1968.
- King’s ad in the June 1, 1968 issue of Record World predicted this 45 (along with “Lickin’ Stick”) to be a US #1 record.
AUDIO LINK for “There Was a Time” by The Dapps Featuring Alfred Ellis
peaked at #103 on July 27, 1968 [King]
- “There Was a Time” reached the #27 position on Billboard‘s Best Selling Rhythm and Blues Singles chart, the week prior to November 2, 1968.
- This 45 also appears to have peaked at #45 on Cash Box‘s Top 50 R&B singles for the week ending July 27, 1968.
- Cash Box‘s review in their June 15, 1968 edition: “James Brown produced this has-to-be-heard instrumental reworking of his while back hit. Albert [sic] Ellis’ hard driving sax stirs this side to a frenzy sure to make it a disko favorite. Should produce good sales. Flip: ‘The Rabbit Got The Gun‘.”
AUDIO LINK for “Soul Pride (Pt. 1)” by James Brown
peaked at #117 on April 5, 1969 [King]
- Co-written and arranged by Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis, “Soul Pride (Pts. 1 & 2)” features the musicianship of Clyde Stubblefield (drums), Alfonzo Kellum (bass), Jimmy Nolen (guitar), Alfred Ellis (alto sax), Maceo Parker (tenor sax), Fred Wesley (trombone), and Richard “Kush” Griffith & Waymon Reed (trumpets).
- Cash Box‘s review in their March 8, 1969 issue: “Booming instrumental side with the brash James Brown brass and a terrific bass showing make the songster’s new side a solid programming choice with blues and pop deejays. Splendid dance side here that should see the same good response his instrumental of last year met.”
- “Soul Pride” reached the #38 position on Billboard‘s Best Selling Rhythm and Blues Singles in their April 12, 1969 edition.
- “Soul Pride” just made it into the bottom reaches of Cash Box‘s Top 100 Singles chart in late March and early April 1969.
- Cash Box‘s March 8, 1969 issue would also feature this exciting news flash:
King’s ‘March Is James Brown Month‘ Label’s Strongest Drive Ever
NEW YORK — King Records has allocated the largest promotional and merchandising budget in its history for a special “March Is James Brown Month Of Soul” campaign.
Col. Jim Wilson, Starday-King Vice President of Marketing, said that the national program will extend through the month of March and is designed to further “accentuate the all-market appeal and widespread saleability” of James Brown recorded product at the consumer level.
Special deejay kits which include an exclusive “not-for-sale-radio programming only” EP album along with James Brown spot intros and bio material have gone forward to radio stations.
A deluxe packaged Brown album, Say It Loud, I’m Black And I’m Proud, featuring the title song along with other James Brown chartsellers hits such as “Lickin’ Stick” and “Good-Bye My Love” has been prepared for immediate release to coincide with the “Month of Soul” campaign.
In addition to the current top-writing chart hit single, “Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose,” a new instrumental single “Soul Pride” featuring James Brown playing and conducting his band has just been shipped to radio stations and all King distributors.
Additionally, attractive James Brown calendar posters, cut-out floor displays, complete album and singles catalogs and other point-of-sale dealer aids are available at all King distributors.
Network TV appearances during March, including the Hollywood Palace Show and Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, plus an intensified ad campaign will add further impetus to recognition of the month-long drive.
1969 picture sleeve –
AUDIO LINK for “Things Got to Get Better” by Marva Whitney
peaked at #110 on August 23, 1969 [King]
- Written by Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis and James Brown, “Things Got to Get Better (Get Together)” also reached the #22 position on Billboard‘s Soul Singles chart on September 6, 1969.
- Transition Alert! You can see for yourself the change in terminology from “R&B” to “Soul” by examining the same chart from just a few weeks before, where the Marva Whitney 45 can be found at the #49 spot on Billboard‘s “Rhythm and Blues Singles” chart, as of August 16, 1969. By the following week (when the 45 has inched up to #48), that same chart has been renamed the “Soul Singles” chart for the week ending August 23, 1969.
- “Things Got to Get Better” reached #11 on Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending July 26, 1969. That same week, Record World listed this 45 at the #49 position on its “Singles Coming Up” chart.
“Things Got to Get Better” –
Kickoff track on 1969 live album
AUDIO LINK for “From Atlanta to Goodbye” by The Manhattans
peaked at #113 on October 7, 1970 [DeLuxe]
- Ed Ochs reported the following King/DeLuxe news in his “Soul Sauce” column published in the September 19, 1970 edition:
“New James Brown album titled Sex Machine and featuring hits like ‘Mother Popcorn,’ ‘I Got the Feeling‘ and ‘Lickin’ Stick.’ And due this week is James’ new single, ‘Super Bad.’ On DeLuxe, The Manhattans’ ‘From Atlanta to Goodbye’ and Bobby Wade’s ‘Blind Over You.'”
- Related news item entitled “Gil Music Into Soul” from Billboard‘s October 17, 1970 edition:
“Gil Music, headed by veteran publisher George Pincus noted for easy listening hits such as ‘A Taste of Honey’ and ‘Calcutta,’ is invading the soul music field. The firm is scoring with disks by Carolyn Franklin on RCA Records, ‘All I Want to Be Is Your Woman’; Little Richard on Reprise Records, ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ and the Manhattans on DeLuxe Records, ‘From Atlanta to Goodbye.'”
- “From Atlanta to Goodbye” entered Billboard‘s Top 50 Soul Singles chart at the #48 position on October 31, 1970.
- “From Atlanta to Goodbye” also reached the #7 position on Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart on October 10, 1970, while Record World listed the song at the #12 spot on its Singles Coming Up chart.
AUDIO LINK for “Hey America” by James Brown
peaked at #105 on December 12, 1970 [King]
- Co-written by Nat Jones and Addie Williams (Jones), “Hey America” was predicted by Billboard to reach the Pop Top 60 in their December 12, 1970 “Spotlight” single review: “Brown swings back to his message lyrics and this one is set to a driving rock beat loaded with Hot 100 and Soul chart potency. Much of the potential of his recent ‘Super Bad’.”
- “Hey America” reached #27 on Cash Box‘s “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart for the week ending December 26, 1970.
- “Hey America” also reached the #43 position of Record World‘s R&B Singles chart for the week ending December 26, 1970.
- Billboard reviewed the Hey America Christmas album (cover by Dan Quest) exactly one week later: “Here is a delightful blend of Christmas and Soul, packaged the way only Soul Brother No. [1] could do it. Into his inimitable soul format, Brown has woven messages of peace, love and happiness that are applicable, not only at Christmas, but throughout the year. The material here is all original, written by Nat Jones.”
- Billboard also reviewed in that same issue Bobby Byrd’s King album, I Need Help, (two spaces to the left of Hey America): “From the James Brown Show and the original Famous Flames comes singer-organist Bobby Byrd, who broke the soul market wide open with his ‘I Need Help‘ hit. Byrd sounds like he’s in for a big run as a top soul attraction with a distinct, but popular brand of funk to make his ‘You Got to Change Your Mind,’ ‘You Got to Have a Job‘ and ‘Hangups We Don’t Need‘ successive hits.”
When’s the last time you’ve seen a
Everyone Sing along –
C’mon, it’s good for you
“Hey America” World Tour
Belgium — 1971
France — 1971
Germany — 1971
Italy — 1972
Lebanon — 1972
Portugal — 1971
Jamaica — 1970
Turkey — 1972
AUDIO LINK for “I Know You Got Soul” by Bobby Byrd
peaked at #117 on June 26, 1971 [King]
- Co-written with Charles Bobbitt and James Brown, “I Know You Got Soul” — predicted by Billboard on May 15. 1971 “to reach the Soul Singles chart” — in fact, made it all the way to #30 on Billboard‘s Soul chart on July 10, 1971.
- “I Know You Got Soul” also reached the #24 position on Cash Box‘s Top 60 R&B chart on July 24, 1971 (not to mention the #23 spot on their “Singles – Looking Ahead” chart in that same issue).
- Thanks to 45Cat’s RogerFoster for providing this review of “I Know You Got Soul” b/w “If You Don’t Work, You Don’t Eat” from the June 23, 1971 edition of UK’s Blues and Soul: “More of that infectious James Brown beat, with the music being supplied by the man’s own band, the J.B.’s. In fact, both sides have been hits for Bobby in the States and they are both ultra-funky dance items in the ‘I Need Help’ vein. If anything, the top [i.e., A] side is stronger than ‘I Need Help’. The rhythm, as always, is the dominant factor and this is something that James specializes in. A big R&B record that won’t go ‘pop’.”
A-side of 4-song UK 12-inch – 1988
AUDIO LINK for “A Million to One” by The Manhattans
peaked at #114 on May 27, 1972 [DeLuxe]
- “A Million to One” is also the title track of their second album for Starday-King released on the newly-revived DeLuxe subsidiary label.
- Ed Ochs would report on March 11, 1972 in his “Soul Sauce” column for Billboard that “Starday King has landed Ben E. King and the Vibrations.” Also, this just in: “The Manhattans’ ‘A Million to One’ is still strong in the song”
Part of full-page King ad (pg. 43) –
12/11/71 issue of Record World
AUDIO LINK for “One Life to Love” by The Manhattans
peaked at #102 on October 21, 1972 [DeLuxe]
- “One Life to Love” reached the #68 position on Record World‘s Top 100 Singles chart for the week ending November 18, 1972.
- Cash Box‘s November 22, 1980 issue includes a lengthy biographical profile most likely underwritten by Columbia in celebration of their first gold single for “Big Red” after leaving Starday-King:
“Early in 1972, The Manhattans recorded ‘A Million To One,’ written by Teddy Randazzo, whose publishing was handled by Hermi Hanlin. The group was looking for new management at the time, and after ‘Million To One’ charted, Hanlin took over. The group soon found itself in King’s studio in Macon, Ga. [i.e., Bobby Smith Studios] cutting its second Deluxe LP, A Million To One, with Bob Riley producing. It resulted in another big hit with the single ‘One Life To Live,’ written by Lovett. Although its records were charting regularly in the R&B field, pop success remained too elusive. ‘One Life To Live’ caught the attention of Columbia’s Mickey Eichner, and as King Records was in its death throes, he brought the group to Columbia late in 1972.”
- Elsewhere in that same profile, longtime friend, Rob Riley, looks back on a long career:
“The Manhattans were very much into what I commonly refer to as “my kind of music,” the ballad — filled with that old street corner churchy harmony. I had listened to them for years on Jo Evans’ Carnival Records. But in 1972, there we were, face-to-face in the Starday-King‘s Records office in Nashville, Tenn.
My normal function with King had been strictly national R&B promotion. That particular morning, Hal Neely, the president, had requested that I make certain I was in the city for I was to meet with The Manhattans and their manager, Hermi Hanlin.
I walked in expecting to meet another cocky group with a manager full of ‘why nots’ and ‘how comes.’ My notes were ready to cover the last single release, ‘A Million to One,’ the ‘why nots’ and ‘how comes.’ Instead, here sat five guys smiling and an oval-faced jovial female who immediately said, ‘Okay, Bob Riley, when do we start cutting our first record?’ It was a challenge – more in jest. Although I had produced some Joe Henderson, Joe Tex, and a couple of Midnighter sides along the way, I thought what kind of joke is this? Me, Bob Riley producing The Manhattans!
But this is what Hal and Hermi had agreed upon prior to my arrival. Immediately, it was a warm and open thing which seemed to flow among the seven of us — the five Manhattans, Hermi and myself. We actually forgot Hal was there for a few minutes as we talking about many things, mostly outside the realm of music.
It was agreed that I was to take the group down to Macon, Ga. to King’s other studio which was handled by Bobby Smith, the actual discoverer of Otis Redding. The session became a team effort with the greater position of the input flowing around through Blue, Hermi and myself. The session produced a good album, out of which came one hit song, ‘One Life to Live.’
AUDIO LINK for “Back Up” by The Manhattans
peaked at #107 on February 24, 1973 [DeLuxe]
- Julian Coleman, in his “Soul Sauce” column for Billboard, picked “Back Up” as one of the “Picks and Plays” for the week of January 6, 1973.
- “Back Up” entered Billboard‘s Soul Singles chart at #46 on January 13, 1973, climbed up to #41 the following week, made it to #24 by February 10, 1973, and then inched up to #20 the week after (there the chart trail goes cold).
- “Back Up” peaked at #18 on Cash Box‘s R&B Top 65 chart on March 3, 1973.
- After The Manhattans signed with Columbia in 1973, Starday-King released two more singles on DeLuxe, with the final one — “Do You Ever” — reviewed in the August 11, 1973 edition of Record World, who deemed it a “Hit of the Week”: “Group established themselves as crossover giants with their last outing [Columbia’s] ‘There’s No Me Without You.’ Their old label releases this ballad and the outcome could spell h-i-t. We’ll take Manhattans!.
Other 1/2 of Dec 71 Record Mirror ad –
New Starday-King subsidiary, Mpingo
King Trivia
Mpingo issued three 45s in all before Starday-King ceased operations.
Review of Mpingo’s debut 45 — “Nobody” by Hodges, James, Smith & Crawford — in the January 1, 1972 issue of Record World:
Mickey Stevenson’s new label has a super strong soul side as its first release. Powerful vocal work by new girl group gives it real hit potential. Watch out!
H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N
AUDIO LINK for “60 Minute Man” by The Untouchables
peaked at #104 on October 7, 1960 [Madison]
- Billboard‘s review from their October 31, 1960 edition:
“Here’s a new version of ‘Sixty Minute Man’ that swings even more than the original Dominoes record did. It could be a hit again.”
AUDIO LINK for “Twistin’ Fever” [B-side?] by The Marcels
peaked at #103 on March 1, 1962 [Colpix]
- “Twistin’ Fever” was a “Regional Breakout” single in the Hartford area, as reported in Billboard‘s March 31, 1962 edition.
- Cash Box‘s 45 review in their April 7, 1962 edition assumes “Twistin’ Fever” to be the B-side:
THE MARCELS (Colpix 629)
(B+) “FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND”
(2:19) [Wemar BMI —
Elias, Reid, Richards] Guys who put
“Blue Moon” and some other standards
on the teen map with their
whacky chant style offer an exciting
teen sound here. Lead and fellow
songsters do a very slick job on the
first-rate item, and they’re supported
by a strong Latinish instrumental
sound. Can be another chart go for the
team.
(B-f) “TWISTIN’ FEVER” (2:05)
[St. Louis BMI — Blackwell,
Scott] Old ditty gets a sly, grow-on-you
twist reading. Should also be eyed.
AUDIO LINK for “Fever” by Alvin Robinson
peaked at #108 on September 19, 1964 [Red Bird]
- Alvin Robinson’s version of the King classic was a “Regional Breakout” single in Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte & Houston, as reported in Billboard‘s September 19, 1964 edition.
EP – France
AUDIO LINK for “Sixty Minute Man” by Trammps
peaked at #108 on October 7, 1972 [Buddah]
- Trammps’ proto-soul-flavored version of “Sixty Minute Man” was a Pop singles pick in Billboard‘s September 23, 1972 edition.
- In February of 1975, the single would reach the Top 40 in the UK.
45 – Netherlands
Can you spot the typo?
AUDIO LINK for “Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go” by The Chambers Brothers
peaked at #106 on March 16, 1974 [Avco]
- Reached #76 on Billboard‘s Hot Soul singles chart on April 27, 1974.
- Entered Cash Box‘s R&B Top 70 chart at #70 on March 16, 1974 and climbed to the #57 position by April 13, 1974.
B O N U S B U B B L I N G U N D E R :
F R A T E R N I T Y & L O N N I E M A C K
Here are the 45s that “bubbled under” Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart from Fraternity, Cincinnati’s other notable “indie” label from the original roots rock era. Founded by Harry Carlson in 1954, Fraternity was a “one-man operation” that did business out of Carlson’s office/residence in Cincinnati’s old Sheraton Gibson Hotel. Carlson sold Fraternity in 1975 to Counterpart Records‘ Shad O’Shea, who later sold Fraternity to Victor Piagneri in 2008 “with the promise that he would keep the labels active,” according to Big Boppa‘s Fraternity labels and company sleeves website.
AUDIO LINK for “Book Of Love” by Bobby Bare (Fraternity 878)
peaked at #106 on May 29, 1961
- Billboard‘s review in their April 10, 1961 edition: “A big, big ballad gets a mighty convincing vocal from Bare over a soaring string and choral group accompaniment Flip is ‘Lorena‘.”
- “Book of Love” – a 45 that enjoyed release in Australia, also somehow ended up (licensed?) that same year on a Swedish EP, whose wild cover image makes promises that the music in no way can come close to delivering.
EP – Sweden
AUDIO LINK for “What Kind Of Girl (Do You Think I Am)” by The Charmaines
peaked at #117 on September 18, 1961 (Fraternity 880)
- According to Buckeye Beat —
“The Charmaines were a soul girl trio. Sisters Marian (who used the name Gigi on some of the records) and Jerri Jackson had sung together, but at the start of the girl group sound in 1959/60, Marian started a trio with Irene Vinegar and Dee Watkins. The group was signed to Fraternity records and started recording at King studios. They released two 45s on Fraternity, with the second one, “What Kind Of Girl” being their highest charting record, although only making it to #117 in the Billboard [Bubbling Under] charts. They had a one shot 45 on Dot before returning to Fraternity.
While recording their own 45s, the sessions included other local musicians like Kenny Smith and most notably, Lonnie Mack, who got his big break thanks to a Charnaines session that finished early, allowing him time to record ‘Memphis.’.[which peaked at #12 on Billboard‘s R&B Singles chart]”
- Cash Box‘s review in their June 17, 1961 edition:
THE CHARMAINES
(Fraternity 880)
(B+) “WHAT KIND OF GIRL
(Do You Think I Am)”
(2:22) [B. F. Wood ASCAP — Seneca, Steward]
Gals display lots of rhythmic-rock polish,
and are backed by an infectious combo arrangement.
Upbeat sound that might make the chart grade.
(B-h) “ALL YOU GOTTA DO” (2:14) [Dorsey ASCAP — Starr, Kahn]
The larks move quickly again, and come-up with
more catchy teen doings.
- “What Kind of Girl” reached #26 on Cash Box‘s Singles-Looking Ahead chart on August 26, 1961.
- Gigi and the Charmaines would later be part of Columbia‘s prestigious roster for a pair of single releases in 1966-67.
Fraternity Recordings –
Ace UK anthology (2019)
AUDIO LINK for “Where There’s A Will” [B-side] by Lonnie Mack
peaked at #113 on October 30, 1963 (Fraternity 918)
- The Charmaines provide backing vocals on “Where There’s a Will” as well as the flip side, “Baby What’s Wrong.” According to PragueFrank, these two sides were recorded at the same 1963 King Studios session as “Wham!” and “Suzie-Q,” where Lonnie Mack was assisted by Wayne Bullock [bass], Ron Grayson [drums], Irv Rusetto [sax], and Marv Lieberman [sax], with Carl Edmondson serving as producer.
- 45Cat’s Juke Jules points to the 1959 recording by The Five Blind Boys (Vee Jay) as the inspiration for Mack’s version.
- “Where There’s a Will” also reached #27 on Cash Box‘s Singles – Looking Ahead chart for the week ending December 28, 1963.
- Billboard’s November 9, 1963 “Pop Spotlight” review tags “Where There’s a Will,” however, as the B-side: “The ‘Memphis’ man, Lonnie Mack, enters the singer’s ring on this side culled from this current LP, [‘Baby What’s Wrong‘] is a Jimmy Reed blues that has strong sell and swing. The flip is ‘Where There’s a Will’.”
- Gibson Guitars relays this amusing related anecdote in a tribute piece entitled “Unsung Guitar Hero — Lonnie Mack“: “Mack’s staggering soulfulness is clearly on display on ballads like ‘I’ll Keep You Happy,’ ‘Why,’ and ‘Where There’s a Will There’s a Way’—Lonnie’s third Fraternity single and a tune that received airplay on black radio stations, including one in Birmingham, Alabama, until Lonnie arrived one day for an interview and revealed he was white.”
- “Baby What’s Wrong” (the A-side) peaked at #93 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.
1964 – Australia
(“A Fraternity Recording from U.S.A.”)
AUDIO LINK for “Lonnie on the Move” by Lonnie Mack
peaked at March 7, 1964 (Fraternity 920)
- Cash Box‘s singles review in their February 15, 1964 issue: “The versatile vocalist-instrumentalist can get back in the chart swing-of-things with his newest for Fraternity. It’s a frantic, hard-driving all-instrumental affair, tabbed ‘Lonnie On The Move,’ that can go the ‘Memphis’-‘Wham!’ smash route. The easy-on-the-ears beat-ballad romantic shuffler,[Ray Pennington’s] ‘Say Something Nice To Me‘ displays Lonnie’s winning vocal way.”
- Cash Box‘s March 7, 1964 edition reported that “Lonnie on the Move” was in a group of 45s that were “going strongly” with “juke box ops [operators]” even though “not on Cash Box‘s Top 100″ — also listed at #41 on Cash Box‘s Singles – Looking Ahead chart.that same week.
- According to Led Zeppelin biographer, Mick Wall, prior to Zep’s first ever rehearsal, Jimmy Page played for John Bonham “a single called ‘Lonnie on the Move’. It’s like ‘Turn On Your Lovelight‘ [by Bobby Bland] as an instrumental, and it’s got this drumming that’s really super hooligan [and] I said, ‘This is the kind of angle I’m coming in at’.”
- “Lonnie on the Move” has been part of Jeff Beck’s live repertoire in recent years, as these YouTube performance clips indicate.
- The YouTube contributor who uploaded the above audio clip indicates the vocal contributions of The Charmaines.
On the short-lived (and mysterious) Buccaneer label
AUDIO LINK for “I’ve Had It” by Lonnie Mack
peaked at #128 on May 2, 1964 (Fraternity 925)
- Billboard cited “I’ve Had It” to be a Regional Breakout single in Cincinnati, as reported in their May 9, 1964 edition.
- Originally recorded by The Bell Notes in 1959 [#6 Pop & #19 R&B], “I’ve Had It” has also been paid tribute by Fanny, and Alex Chilton.
- According to PragueFrank, the early 1964 recording session that produced “Lonnie on the Move,” “I’ve Had It,” “From Me to You” and four other songs was the first time Mack had recorded anywhere other than King Studios — in this case, RCA Victor Studio in Nashville.
- “I’ve Had It’ reached #34 on Cash Box‘s Singles – Looking Ahead chart for the week ending May 16, 1964.
- Cash Box‘s June 6, 1964 edition reported that “I’ve Had It” was “going strongly” with “juke box ops [operators]” even though “not on Cash Box‘s Top 100″ chart.
1964 – Canada
AUDIO LINK for “A Public Execution” by Mouse
peaked at #121 on February 26, 1966 (Fraternity 956)
- Record World‘s review in their February 19, 1966 issue as a “four-star” singles pick: “Well done protest type song. Mouse will get the cheese with. Lyrics capture imagination.”
- “A Public Execution” entered Cash Box‘s Top 50 Singles – Looking Ahead” chart at the #50 position on March 12, 1966 and reached the #27 spot two weeks later.
- “Execution” also reached #5 on Record World‘s “Singles Coming Up” chart for the week ending March 5, 1966.
- Mouse is short for Mouse & the Traps, garage rockers from Tyler, Texas.
- “Public Execution” enjoyed a second life thanks to Lenny Kaye’s decision to include the recording on the original 2-LP Nuggets garage rock retrospective released in 1972 (reissued in 1976 on Sire before getting the 4-CD box set treatment in 1998).
“Like a Rolling Stone (Part 2)”
AUDIO LINK for “Heart” by 2 of Clubs
peaked at #125 on October 8, 1966 (Fraternity 972)
- 2 of Clubs, according to Spectropop, is a duo comprised of Patti Valentine and Linda Parrish:
“Linda is from Cincinnati and I’m from Covington, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River,” says Patti. “There was at the time a very popular nightspot called Guys & Dolls. Linda and I each worked there, but not together at first. Singing at Guys & Dolls was my first paying job. Before that I performed anywhere a band was willing to let me get up and sing. Some were sort of bad news places, and at first I wasn’t even old enough to be in them. Ben Kraft, who owned Guys & Dolls, heard about me from people who’d seen me perform. He came to listen to me, liked what he heard and hired me. At some point, it was discovered that Linda’s voice and mine blended together really well, and we decided to become a duo. Linda was married to Carl Edmondson, who headed up the house band.”
- One 45Cat contributor reports that this debut 45 was a “sizeable hit in the Albany, NY market (#2), held out of the top by The Royal Guardsmen” and then asks “where else did this do better locally than nationally?” Answer: Cincinnati, where “Heart” was a Regional Breakout single, as reported in the October 15, 1966 issue of Billboard.
- Spectropop also reports that “Heart” was recorded at King Studios and “reached the Top 10 in places like Chicago.”
- Billboard‘s November 19, 1966 edition found “Heart” included on its “Spotlight” list of 45s “predicted to reach the Hot 100.”
- “Heart” also reached #21 on Cash Box‘s Singles – Looking Ahead chart, as well as #22 on Record World‘s Singles Look Up chart in October of 1966.
Debut 45 – Germany
AUDIO LINK for “How Long Has It Been” by The Casinos
peaked at #121 on June 17, 1967 (Fraternity 987)
- The Casinos started out as The Legends, a teenage doo wop group whose members had attended Woodward High School, according to White Doo-Wop Collector music history blog.
- Billboard‘s review in their June 17, 1967 edition: “The well-blended vocal group should ride high on the charts with this top rhythm ballad. Has the feel and sales appeal of their big one ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.’ Powerful entry. Flip: ‘Forever And a Day’.”
- Excerpt from Record World article entitled, “Fraternity’s Big Comeback Story,” published in their February 4, 1967 issue:
“The show business fraternity has always loved a comeback story, and none is being more warmly received today than that of Harry Carlson and his Cincinnati-based Fraternity Records.
Currently racking up hefty sales on two singles, ‘Walk Tall,’ by the 2 of Clubs, and ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,’ by The Casinos, Carlson told Record World last week that it has been about 10 years since his label had a real hit: Jimmy Dorsey’s ‘So Rare.’ Now, however, things are really swinging for Fraternity and Carlson has just singed four new artists: Danny Scholl, Cal Starr, Kitty West and Chris St. John.
‘All our artists are signed to long-term contracts,’ noted Carlson.
Furthermore, the company is about to bring out four new albums featuring the Casinos, who have signed with Premier Talent, the 2 of Clubs, Lonnie Mack and Cal Starr. ‘This is the first time we’ve had in release more than one LP at a time,’ Carlson further revealed.
Carlson attributes much of the success they are having with ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’ to the Acuff-Rose publishers of the John D. Loudermilk tune. ‘They’ve given me greater support than anyone else in this business ever got. For example, on one Friday, there were three areas in which I needed help; on Monday, Acuff-Rose sent promo men into the area.’
The song had been discovered by producer Glen Hughes (following a few recordings of it that failed to click) who then started using it in clubs.”
- Carlson, noted Shad O’Shea in Greg Evans’ history of “The Cincinnati Sound” for Cincinnati Magazine, “really was loved by the entire record industry worldwide.” Glen Hughes of The Casinos (and later Glen Hughes Promotion out of Nashville) enthuses unabashedly that Carlson “was one of the sweetest, kindest men in the world, like a father to everyone who recorded for him. You hear about musicians in those days didn’t receive all their royalties? I honestly think Harry overpaid us — he was worried about us not getting our fair share.”
- Glen Hughes reveals in that same 1986 Cincinnati Magazine piece how their Top Ten hit was a spontaneous decision in the studio (like “Tequila” by The Champs) when confronted with time to fill at the group’s King recording session:
“I had originally heard ‘They You Can Tell Me Goodbye’ on a Nashville station. It was sung by Johnny Nash, and we had no idea of recording it — we just thought it would be a good song to play in clubs. We kept getting a tremendous response from it, and requests for it.
One day we were recording a jingle for WSAI at King, and we had some time left on the session, so we cut ‘Goodbye.’ We took it to Harry Carlson and he said ‘I believe that’s a hit.’ The song, released in December of 1966, was a hit, reaching number four on the Billboard charts and selling 1.3 million copies. The group which contained as many as nine members, mostly old neighborhood friends from Over-the-Rhine, began touring the country, spurred on by the success of the single.”
“How Long Has It Been” –
Not included on Casinos’ 1967 LP
AUDIO LINK for “Sometimes You Just Can’t Win” by Mouse and the Traps
peaked at #125 on June 8, 1968 (Fraternity 1005)
- Tragedy befell the band around the time they were promoting this single, as Billboard reported in their April 27, 1968 edition in an ironic news item entitled, “Ya Jes’ Can’t Always Win“:
“CINCINNATI—The Mouse and the Traps, who recently scored handily with their ‘L.O.V.E.‘ single on Harry Carlson’s Fraternity label, suffered the loss of some $9,000 in equipment recently when their car and trailer went off the road and overturned near Jackson, Tenn., while on the hop from Texarkana, Ark. to Louisville. With borrowed instruments, the group appeared on the ‘Upbeat’ TV-er in Cleveland the next day. The boys feel the loss incurred in the accident ties in neatly with their latest Fraternity release, ‘Sometimes You Just Can’t Win,’ which last week received its first big play in the Midwest area.”
- Cash Box‘s review in their April 27, 1968 issue: “Coming off a noise-maker with ‘L.O.V.E.’ the group carries on in a heavy pop ballad with arrangements that highlight a fine lead vocal. Flip: ‘Cryin’ Inside‘.”
- Billboard‘s June 1, 1968 edition reports “the platter showing exceptionally well in Louisville; Columbus, Ohio, and Dallas” — those same three areas cited in a Record World May 18, 1968 news item.
US picture sleeve — 1967
Singing aloud is therapeutic, you know –
Primary source for Billboard “Bubbling Under” chart info: Top40Weekly.com
One Response
Four comments:
1) The Danish 45 too credits “Cute Little Ways” to Hank Ballard – your image is of the “House With No Windows” side!
2) If you actually read what Robert Christgau wrote, he does not “take Collectables to task”; he praises Collectables for including “I’m With You” and takes to task Ed Ward, the compiler of Rhino’s earlier “5” Royales anthology, which omitted the song.
3) With King, as with most US labels of the 1950s/1960s, matrix numbers can never be used to determine A and B side status, as the numbers were assigned in the order the songs were recorded in the studio. This has been discussed on 45cat literally hundreds of times, but the misconception obstinately keeps recurring.
4) From a news item in the Los Angeles Times of 11 October 1962, it can be deduced that The Shondells were from Pomona, California (the five members are listed, so it’s the same group). Their supposedly being from Cincinnati is a mere foolish guess based on King being from Cincinnati.