Forgotten Singles for Saturday 29 August 2009

To think, in the week following playing The Rascals - People Got To Be Free, with references to Bobby Kennedy, his brother Ted Kennedy sucumbs to cancer. Tried to play the Tom Clay song, What The World Needs Now but, my software in Taupo didn't seem to want to play the 6:17 song. Messy, spoiling my best attempts.

Mr. Lee Grant
Thanks To You, NZ#1(3) from 24 August 1967 - Monster Hit
Mr Lee Grant was born Bogdan Charis Kominowski to Polish parents on April 22 1945, in a Nazi concentration camp just outside Dusseldorf. His father was killed, but he and his mother survived and emigrated to New Zealand in 1949, settling in Palmerston North.
His first interest in music came when he joined a local band called the Cyclones. He was happy to play with them at weekends but then a friend knew a DJ, and he soon had him doing dance gigs in the Hawkes Bay area. The DJ decided that Bogdan Kominowski was a bit of a handful, so he came up with a new name, Lee Grant. The Mr was added to avoid confusion with an Auckland actress Miss Lee Grant.

Mr Lee Grant's first recording was "Doo-Doodle-Do-Doo"/"As Long As I Have You" and to promote the re-release on Zodiac, he travelled to Auckland for an appearance on "Teen Scene". It was while doing that show, he met reporter, Dianne Cadwallader. She decided to become his manager and groomed the 21 year old as a presentable soloist. Dianne secured guest spots at "Teenarama" in Wellington and a recording contract with HMV. She had him dressed by a Wellington fashion mogul and he quickly became New Zealand's Mr Mod and his career was on a fashionable roll.


Jane Morgan with the Troubadours
FASCINATION Kapp [USA], This million-seller for Jane by 1958 (three million by 1965) is an oldie 'Valse Tzigane' of 1904 by F. D. Marchetti, with words (1954) by Dick Manning. It was featured in the film Love in the Afternoon (1957) starring Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn. Educated at the Juilliard School or Music (as lyric soprano) in New York, Jane Morgan sang at clubs to pay for her tuition. Offered a contract by French impresario Bernard Hilda, she became a hit in Paris in a few weeks. Her reputation spread throughout the Continent and Jane starred in Rome, Madrid, Brussels, Geneva and on the French Riviera, becoming a prolific linguist, Then America wanted her to star in the top clubs, and billed her as 'The American Girl from Paris'. She also appeared in many summer stock shows in the USA and in dramatic roles. She is one of the most sought-after night-club entertainers, The French words of 'Fascination' were written by Maurice de Ferandy in 1942. US#7, with 29 weeks in Top 100 from 26 August 1957 and NZ#1 in December 1957. HUGE HIT


Kathy Kirby
Dance On - Written by three members of the group The Avons (who had success with their British cover of "Seven Little Girls Sittin' In The Back Seat") The instrumental version by the Shadows was UK#1(1) 24 January 1963. Kathy's vocal version made UK#11 from 31 August, Au#1(2) from 1 November 1963 and was a Big Hit in NZ. Kathy Kirby today

*The Beach Boys - Do It Again, UK#1(1), 28 August 1968, US#20, 10 weeks in Top 100 from 27 July 1968. Monster Hit in N.Z. (*regular on Coast)


Vanilla Fudge
You Keep Me Hanging On, Au#1(5) from 28 August 1968, (US#6, UK#18 in Top 20 September 1967) Big Hit in N.Z. Had been in the US Top 100 the year before, 5 weeks in Top 100 from 8 July, peak #67. Psychedelic-rock quartet formed in New York in 1966; Mark Stein (lead singer, keyboards). Vinnie Martell (guitar), Tim Bogert (bassist) and Carmine Appice (drummer). The song had been a US#1 for the Supremes in 1966.



Tommy Roe
SHEILA. US#1(2) from 1 September 1962, 14 weeks in Top 100 and a HUGE HIT in N.Z. Tommy Roe's own group from his teenage years, recorded "Sheila" for the Judd label in 1960 but the song didn't have any impact until after Roe signed to ABC Paramount.