Recent finds on 45

Here's a mixed bag of singles and EPs I picked up, mainly in charity shops, the other day.
First, here are two EPs by The Tornados. Tornado Rock, their fourth and last on Decca released in 1963, features vocal versions of rock and roll hits and is really pretty awful. Judge for yourself.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zQ2WQ7suSA
The Sounds Of The Tornados, their first Decca EP, shows the five group members of the time on the cover but the sleeve notes describes the group as a quartet, before going on to list five. Here's Ridin' The Wind, first track on the EP  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVEdRBHm2dw

 
Next, here's a 45 by British guitarist Judd Proctor, who made his name with the Ray Ellington band, and who released a number of instrumentals on Parlophone in the early 1960s. This one, Speakeasy, is typical of his style.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghodk8X628U
Also here's a lesser known but rather untypical 45 by the under-rated American vocal group The Lettermen, best known for their melodic versions of The Way You Look Tonight and When I Fall In Love.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ29-KfhmB4









 

Next, here we have Blue On Blue by American ballad singer Bobby Vinton, written by Bacharach and David. Vinton is best known for Roses Are Red, Blue Velvet and Mr Lonely.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDvuLJk9Sjc

Here are a couple of RCA demos - firstly Sweet Dreams by Don Gibson, one of my favourite country singers of the late 50s and early sixties. This one was released in 1960.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXpaGmZSFaY
The second one is Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On by The Browns, also from 1960, who are best known for their 1959 hit The Three Bells. The song is better known by Johnny Tillotson.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6OJFU9U54o

 
Finally here are two records from the great sixties Ska and Rocksteady era. One is a superb rocksteady version of the Coasters' Yakety Yak by The Cool Spoon (Alton Ellis and Jeff Dixon) from 1967.  The B side - Drum Song by the Soul Vendors - is also excellent.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl_HawbePjE  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcQh3eCctUI
More in the ska style is Blazing Fire by Derrick Morgan from 1963. Another excellent B side - I'm In A Jam by Derrick and Patsy.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6NC6LI7uBA