Featured Songs for Saturday 24 October 2009

Cliff Richard And The Shadows
TRAVELLIN’ LIGHT. UK#1(5) from 30 October 1959. Written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett and produced by Norrie Paramour. Cliff’s previous No 1 with this backing group was “Living Doll” when they were called the Drifters. Their name was changed was to avoid confusion with the American Drifters. Cliff’s first four singles had all been uptempo, all in the fashionable rock ‘n’ roll vein and sung with a hint of surliness in the voice but it was not until the success of the easy paced “Living Doll”, his 5th single, that Cliff topped the charts and the same winning format was used for “Travellin’ Light”.



Brenda Lee
I WANT TO BE WANTED US#1, 24 October 1960 and Monster Hit in N.Z. An adaption of an Italian song 'Per Tutta La Vita', that came after two million sellers for the singer, from late 1959 and mid 1960.A professional singer since age six and after she appeared on TV in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, she was described in France as ‘the most dynamic American artist since Judy Garland. Backing musicians included Floyd Cramer (piano), Bob More (bass), and Homer 'Boots' Randolph (sax)
Playd Tuesday 7 October 2008



Bobby 'Boris' Pickett * in NexGen but not regulary scheduled
MONSTER MASH. US#1(2) from 20 October 1962 (14 weeks in Top 100) and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
Bobby Pickett began his recording career in Hollywood while aspiring to be an actor. Co-written with Leonard Capizzi, his song charted twice more, #91 in 1970 and #10 in 1973.


Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
*SUGAR SHACK US#1(5) from 12 October 1963 (15 weeks in Top 100)
The 1st million-seller for Jimmy who began singing as a youngster in La Grange, Illinois. He studied piano for four years and in 1957 organised his own rock 'n' roll band before meeting up with the Fireballs at a recording studio. The Fireballs had already had some success on record and Jimmy teamed up with them as singer and rhythm guitarist. Au#1(2) from 12 December 1963 and Monster Hit in NZ

Peggy Lee * also by Ruby Murray
MR. WONDERFUL, NZ#1 in October 1957 HUGE HIT in N.Z.
Ruby's version didn't show in the UK Top 20 whereas Peggy Lee made UK#5, 13 weeks in from 24 May 1957 (her first UK chart success) and US#14, 20 weeks in Top 100 from 3 March 1956 – from the year before! From the Broadway musical starring Sammy Davis Jr.






Question Mark & The Mysterians
96 TEARS, US#1(1), 29 October 1966 and a Big Hit in N.Z. A Mexican / American quintet out of Detroit via Acapulco. The lead singer Question Mark joined the group one night while they were playing at Michigan's Mount Holly Ski Lodge. At the time, not even other members of group knew Question Mark's real name (Rudy Martinez) or anything about his past. Part of his image was to wear dark glasses all the time and to live alone.