MY BABY LOVES LOVIN' - JOE JEFFREY

The Joe Jeffrey Group consisted of Joe Jeffrey (lead vocals and guitar - born Joseph Stafford Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio), Al Russ (bass), Charles Perry (percussion) and Ron Browning (drums).

In 1970 Australia, Joe’s version of “My Baby Loves Lovin’” did big business in Sydney NSW while the original UK version by group White Plains beat it in most other states. The reason it did better in Sydney was because Joe’s first hit “My Pledge Of Love” sold well there previously in 1969.

As you can see from the Oz record label above it was released under Joe's name not under the name of the whole group…every Top 40 chart book issued since credits the song to the whole group, I don’t know why?

Singles:

My Pledge Of Love / Margie - 1969
Dreamin' Till Then / The Train – 1969
Hey Hey Woman / The Chance Of Loving You – 1969
My Baby Loves Lovin' / The Chance Of Loving You – 1970
A Hundred Pounds Of Clay / Power Of Love – 1970

Here for download is Joe Jeffrey with “My Baby Loves Lovin’”:

http://rapidshare.com/files/326415013/Joe_Jeffery_-_My_Baby_Loves_Lovin.mp3

BEACH BOY GOLD - GIDEA PARK

UK pop artist Adrian Baker has been a member of various groups starting from in the 1960s to present day. His work also includes a number of years when he played live with the Beach Boys as part of their touring band.

When the big megamix craze happened in the 1980s Adrian who was on hiatus from playing with the Beach Boys decided to cash in and record a medley of their songs, "Beach Boy Gold", which also included songs by Jan and Dean and other surf groups. He released the medley under the group name of Gidea Park.

The single 7" mix of "Beach Boy Gold" hit the airwaves in Oz and did really well. It was also issued as a longer 12" mix. The former has not been on CD where as the latter is often issued on surf compilation CDs.

Capitol records issued a megamix by the real Beach Boys to try and compete with Gidea Park. The 7" single was edited from the 12" vinyl mix. The 12" vinyl mix had 2 versions: the pop songs mixed on one side and the ballads on the flip side. These 12" mixes have been issued on CD.

Here for download is the single edit of "Beach Boy Gold":

http://rapidshare.com/files/324978228/gidea_park_-_beach_boy_gold.mp3

EL RANCHO ROCK - THE CHAMPS

The Champs are best known for their big selling song "Tequila" which still gets a spin when I do mobile disco work. It has made the boys very rich...considering it was actually the b-side of the original single...but that's another story...

After their initial hit, the group had a string of less successful instrumental hits. One of these was "El Rancho Rock" which was released in Oz on the Leedon label. It was the label's 6th release.

Here for download is the single mix of "El Rancho Rock":

http://rapidshare.com/files/324990119/the_champs_-_el_rancho_rock.mp3

ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN - JIMMIE RODGERS

Jimmie Rodgers has other songs on this blog. Please use search facility to locate them.

Jimmie was an American singer whose hits included many non-American traditional songs like "Waltzing Matilda" and "English Country Garden". I have a suspicion that Jimmie sang so many non-American standards to get a foothold in lucrative overseas markets and of course with old traditional songs you don't have to pay royalties.

He certainly had a big chart run in the 1960s right through until the early 1970s. One of his last singles was "Windmills Of Your Mind" which was released around 1971 on the A&M label.

Here for download is the original mono single mix of "An English Country Garden":

http://rapidshare.com/files/324990116/jimmie_rodger_-_english_country_garden.mp3

DON'T YOU JUST KNOW IT - HUEY SMITH AND THE CLOWNS

There are many artists which show up on the old Leedon label started by Lee Gordon in the late 1950s. He has other artists on this blog. Please use search facility to locate them.

The 3rd single to be unleashed on the new Leedon label was "Don't You Just Know It" in 1958 by popsters Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns.

By olden day standards it did well and was Top 20 in Sydney.

Here for download is a cleaned-up copy of the old single of "Don't You Just Know It" in glorious mono:

http://rapidshare.com/files/324990115/Huey_Smith___the_Clowns_-_Don_t_You_Just_Know_It.mp3

MY KNIGHT IN BLACK LEATHER (7") - BETTE MIDLER

In 1979 Bette Midler put out a very camp disco song called "My Knight In Black Leather". It was a great dance track. Bette must have had her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. The single did big business in Oz but only minor business in the USA.

The album version went for nearly 5 mins but the edited single ran 3:30 mins. The vinyl single is hard to locate nowadays and I don't think the edited version has ever been on CD.

Here for download is the single edit of "My Knight In Black Leather":

http://rapidshare.com/files/324990113/bette_midler_-_my_knight_in_black_leather__tom_mix_edit_.mp3

ANY DREAM WILL DO - MAX BYGRAVES

In 1973 veteran UK entertainer Max Bygraves had a hit with a song from the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. The song “Any Dream Will Do” was covered by many artists but his version made it into the Top 10 biggest hits of the year…

The 1973 Year End Charts:

01. Tie A Yellow Ribbon - Dawn
02. Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Picket
03. For The Good Times - Perry Como
04. And I Love You So - Perry Como
05. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
06. You're So Vain - Carly Simon
07. Never, Never, Never - Shirley Bassey
08. Any Dream Will Do - Max Bygraves
09. I Am Pegasus - Ross Ryan
10. Top Of The World - The Carpenters

It is one of those songs which is hard to find on CD. For download is an extended 12" Tom Mix version of “Any Dream Will Do”:

http://rapidshare.com/files/324490515/max_bygraves_-_any_dream_will_do__extended_tom_mix_.mp3

LOOKING AFTER NO.1 - BOOMTOWN RATS

The Boomtown Rats were an Irish rock band that scored a series of UK hits between 1977 and 1980 and were led by vocalist Bob Geldof, who organised the Ethiopian relief efforts, Band Aid and Live Aid. Bob was instrumental in organising songs like “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, raising millions of dollars for people in drought and war stricken areas.

All original six members were originally from Dún Laoghaire, Ireland. The name "Boomtown Rats" comes from Woody Guthrie's autobiography, Bound for Glory. They became a notable band, but one whose accomplishments were overshadowed by Geldof, a former journalist with the New Musical Express magazine. The group moved to London in October 1976, and became associated with the punk rock movement. Signing a recording contract with Ensign Records, they released their debut single, "Looking After No.1", in August 1977. It was the first of nine straight singles to make the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart.

Here for download is their first single "Looking After No.1", which as you can see was taken from a vinyl 7” that Bob signed for English friends Peter and Heidi…who moved to Newcastle Australia...

http://rapidshare.com/files/324480376/boomtown_rats_-_looking_after_no.1.mp3

I BELIEVE I'M GONNA LOVE YOU - FRANK SINATRA

Francis "Frank" Sinatra had a long career and when I was just a kid the first song I ever heard him do was his minor hit from 1975 called "I Believe I'm Gonna Love You" which as it turns out has been done by many other people.

Frank was mostly on EMI subsidiaries but went to the Reprise label in the 1970s. His change of label also brought a softer edge to his orchestrations and for some reason his Reprise work lacks the punch and clarity of his earlier work. Maybe he was just getting older?

Today is my 32nd wedding anniversary so to celebrate I have placed this old chestnut on the blog for lovers everywhere to enjoy!

Here for download is the single version of "I Believe I'm Gonna Love You":

http://rapidshare.com/files/315625797/Frank_Sinatra_-_I_Believe_I_m_Gonna_Love_You.mp3