Sunday, March 30, 2014

More car boot 45s

I found a good batch of 45s at the car boot sale this morning - none of them are especially rare, but some of them are obscure and quite interesting in their way. So here are six of them, with Youtube links where avaiilable.
1. The Jarmels - Little Lonely One/ She Loves To Dance.
The Jarmels were a doowop group from Richmond, Virginia, best known for their 1961 hit A Little Bit Of Soap. Originally called the Cherokees, they were discovered by Ben E King who took them to New York where they became the first black group signed by the Laurie label. Little Lonely One was their first release and deserved to be a hit. It was covered by Barry Martin for RCA and was also one of Tom Jones's early releases, recorded by Joe Meek and released on Columbia. The B side of the Jarmels 45 is also excellent.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UWf3zHvWp4     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y28OxnU65zg
2. The Packabeats - Evening In Paris/ The Traitors.
Another record with a Joe Meek link, this time a double sided instrumental by a group who had one release on Parlophone and two on Pye. The A side is Evening In Paris, a Telstar style number,  but I prefer the B side, which was used in the Telstar movie a few years back.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9e0jnrI8Dc   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx4tMf9Q1-c
3. Jody Gibson & the Muleskinners - So You Think You've Got Troubles/ If You Don't Know.
Jody Gibson made his first record Good Morning Captain under the name of Joe D Gibson for the American Tetra label. It wasn't very successful, but while serving with the US Air Force he was stationed in the UK where he met Wally Whyton, who introduced him to George Martin. This led to a couple of 45s being released, one of which, If You Don't Know, is featured on one of the That British Sound compilations. I prefer the Marvin Rainwater song So You Think You've Got Troubles, but I can't find that on Youtube, so here is If You Don't Know.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHGEJG2eljs
4. The Four Kestrels - Sound Off (Duckworth's Chant)/ Can't Say That I Do.
The first of three demos, this one is a bit of a mystery. They appear not to be the same group as The Kestrels (which included Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway for a time), yet there are four of them and they recorded for Decca, as did the Kestrels for one of their singles. Produced by Johnny Keating, this is a cover of a 1951 US military syle number first recorded by Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra in 1951. Strange record, but not on Youtube, so here is the Monroe version.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QQBBPc6hp0
5. Three Barry Sisters - Tall Paul. B side - Duane Eddy - The Lonely One.
John Spencely mentioned to me that he's got a demo in his collection which has a Decca record on one side and a London record on the other side. Here's another one (maybe the same one for all I know). The Three Barry Sisters sometimes recorded with John Barry (aka Johnny Prendy) and released four singles on Decca, including this fairly dire cover of a song which was recorded by Annette (Funicello) and came out in the UK on Gala. The Lonely One was Duane Eddy's fourth UK 45 and I also have a one sided London demo of the record, so why also issue a double sider? Who knows.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rwMZ20T3SE
6. Jack Jones - Love Bug/ And I love Her.
Finally a demo from a middle of the road singer who I have never even considered to be worth listening to in the past, but John S persuaded me that his version of The Race Is On is pretty good. So too is his Love Bug, although the only version I can find on Youtube is by George, rather than Jack, Jones. You'll just have to take my word for it. The B side is the Lennon and McCartney song (which IS on Youtube)..   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQPYO01e7FQ&list=PLFF4C69DB9D32DED7   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBXtxbo6aug

6 Comments:

At 9:28 am , Blogger Nick said...

John Spencely commented: Great finds Nick. I love Sound Off - I presume it's a straight cover of the Titus Turner on Parlophone which I was telling you about when you came over (it is). Let me know if any good, as never heard this version (will put on Youtube). The Four Kestrels provide the backing on Billy Fury's cover of Don't Worry and (more impressively) it's flip - Talking In My Sleep. All other records are great finds too. The Traitors is a great 45. Well done sir!

 
At 9:29 am , Blogger Nick said...

Nick Sands recalled: My band supported the Packabeats once and the drummer allowed me to use his drums for the second set. I was 14and the ballroom must have been a hundred degrees so sweaty hands...well that Packabeat drummer had tightened his skins to the max and as soon as I did a roll the sticks went flying...very embarrassing. Luckily he had about 30 tucked into the bass drum, so I kept on grabbing more and they kept on flying LOL

 
At 1:10 pm , Anonymous John S said...

Hello Nick

I might be wrong on this but I think Barry Martin's is the original of 'Little Lonely One' as Hank Levine both write and produced the Martin 45.
Cheers
John

 
At 1:42 pm , Blogger Nick said...

I think you're right about Barry Martin's version being the original (I certainly remember hearing his version first) although this is an example of the cover being superior.

 
At 10:06 am , Anonymous John S said...

Absolutely Nick; the Jarmels version is the definitive version. Such a great group.

Apart from 'A Little Piece of Soap' I don't know of anything else by them; did they record much else?

 
At 7:44 pm , Blogger Nick said...

Nothing else released in the UK. They made few more singles but had no hits. Major Harris (of Delfonics fame) was a member for a time.

 

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