SHG: Kenny Ball: "Midnight in Moscow"

Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen: “Midnight in Moscow”
Entered the chart on: 2/17/62
Peaked on: 3/17/62
Weeks at #2: 1
Song at #1: “Hey! Baby” by Bruce Channel

Oh, honestly! Were we really so starved for talent over here that we had to import our Dixieland jazz from across the Atlantic Ocean? Actually, I do believe Kenny is in fact the first British act we’ve covered here at Second Hand Goods (at least directly, there was David Rose conducting the orchestra for Connie Francis on “My Happiness”).

This is another record from my parents’ collection. I was obsessed by this song as a kid, though I can’t say particularly why. Something about it intrigued and fascinated the junior version of me. Let’s see if it holds up.



All right, for those following along at home and wondering why this is called “Midnight in Moscow,” it’s adapted from an old Russian folk song. And I was absolutely not kidding about the Dixieland jazz thing. The accompaniment is drums and a freaking banjo! The rest is horns, horns, horns! Kenny and his trumpet lead the charge but we also get a muted trombone (which gets a solo and a raunchy glissando in the final head repeat, which has someone in the band yelling with delight!) and some wailing clarinet.

I have to say, for whatever reason, this still does it for me. It sounds utterly bizarre amidst all the R&B, early rock and dance craze records that surrounded it, and maybe that’s what appeals to me so much. Whatever, it’s fun, and I make no apologies for my enjoyment.

Rating: 5

SHG: Dion: "The Wanderer"

Dion: “The Wanderer”
Entered the chart on: 12/18/61
Peaked on: 2/24/62
Weeks at #2: 1
Song at #1: “Duke of Earl” by Gene Chandler

I was wondering when I’d get around to Dion, who rose from the ranks of Italian-American street-corner doo-wop groups in the Bronx (The Belmonts, in this case) to the top of the singles charts. He started questionably (as a soloist, at any rate) with “Lonely Teenager” but there’s no doubt that he had some serious pipes, and could really deliver the goods when presented with A-material. I get the feeling, unless my memory’s failing me, that the lyrics to this one are questionable for other reasons, but we’ll get to that.



Yeah...the lyrics to this one are pretty sleazy, about a serial love-maker who’s probably looking for a nasty case of V.D. if he keeps up this behavior. That said, there’s something oddly irresistible about this one, the shuffle beat, the sax solo and Dion’s raunchy vocal lead, which captures the mood of the song perfectly.

Others have pointed out the double-standard of this song following up “Runaround Sue.” The protagonist of this song is the male equivalent of Sue, but while there’s all sorts of finger-wagging towards Sue and her wanton ways, the subject of “The Wanderer” is deemed “cool.” Yes, it’s incredibly sexist. I still highly enjoy both songs.

A product of its time, sure, but an enjoyable one all the same. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must.

Rating: 4

SHG: Elvis Presley: "Can't Help Falling in Love"

Elvis Presley: “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
Entered the chart on: 12/18/61
Peaked on: 2/3/62
Weeks at #2: 1
Song at #1: “Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee and the Starliters

We’ve entered 1962, and I can’t help but notice that Elvis has completed his final metamorphosis into Tame Elvis. You’ll notice this was from Blue Hawaii, one in a long line of cheesy Elvis flicks, and the same one that featured the much-mocked “Ito Eats.”

You know, when I was a kid, I really disliked Elvis. Probably a bit of mild rebellion, as Elvis was Mom’s favorite. Then again, it might be me associating him with tunes like this, which I’ve never really liked. I distinctly remember the Blue Hawaii soundtrack in a stack of Mom’s records.



I was going to say “Elvis is the best part of this,” but while Elvis usually is the best part of any Elvis record, there’s other stuff of worth here. The up-down piano arpeggio that weaves through the entire track does a good job of tying it all together (is that Floyd Cramer? Possibly Elvis himself?). The Jordanaires are back and wonderful as usual on backing vocals. There’s also a sweet, slinky guitar hook during the B verse that grabs the listener. And do I detect a ukulele in the background? It’s from Blue Hawaii after all.

A lesser producer would have just swamped the whole thing in a treacly string orchestration, but fortunately that doesn’t happen. The production on this record is flawless, as is, typically, Elvis’ singing performance. The problem with this is the song itself. I’ve always found it to be bland, sentimental mush designed to appeal to weepy teenaged girls. Yuck.

At least it’s well-done, and Elvis gives it his all as usual, but that can’t save the song from the junk pile.

Rating: 2

SHG: Bobby Vee: "Run to Him"

Bobby Vee: “Run to Him”
Entered the chart on: 9/18/1961
Peaked on: 12/25/1961
Weeks at #2: 1
Song at #1: “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by the Tokens

Bobby Vee, if I ever think of him at all...actually, let me stop right here. I tend not to think of him at all. He’s never struck me as anyone’s favorite. I can’t imagine legions of raving, screaming, stomping Bobby Vee fans showering him with adulation. He seems like someone who had chart hits mainly to fulfill some kind of quota. The sort of artist where you ask someone about him, they respond with, “Eh, he’s all right I guess.”

Which isn’t to say that his output was completely without worth (he had a decent singing voice and “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes” was well-crafted, if not quite a masterpiece) but the mere mention of his name doesn’t exactly quicken the pulse.

Now, in my copy of the Whitburn Book, I’ve placed check-marks next to all the songs I’ve heard. This isn’t completely helpful, as there’s no context for it. It doesn’t explain where and under what circumstances I heard it. My guess would be that I was listening to some charts-obsessed oldies radio personality, a Dick Bartley or Casey Kasem presentation, probably. More pertinent for our purposes, just because I’ve heard a song doesn’t mean I’ll remember it years later, and that’s definitely the case with “Run to Him.” Not conjuring up memories of any kind of melody based on the title. So let’s “refresh” my “memory” of this one...



The loping rhythm of this almost makes me feel of an old cowboy song, but the swaths of strings and the drippy Johnny Mann Singers tell us we’re solidly in Bobby Rydell territory. That said, this might be the first teen-idol song I’ve heard done with any sort of competence. Yes, it’s sugary-sweet as hell, but it’s at least well-produced and well-written (Gerry Goffin co-wrote it). Yes, I’ll probably forget it as soon as it’s done playing (again) but Bobby’s singing voice is quite spiffy. No punched notes, no overwrought teenage melodrama, just a sweet melody performed well. The chord and key changes on this are actually surprisingly sophisticated for a tune made to appeal to teenaged girls.

Not in love with this, but I appreciate that it’s not just a quickie done with zero effort and hustled out the door to earn a quick buck. Like most of what I’ve heard from him, perfectly adequate.

Rating: 3

SHG: The Dovells: "The Bristol Stomp"

The Dovells: “Bristol Stomp”
Entered the chart on: 9/18/1961
Peaked on: 10/23/1961
Weeks at #2: 2
Song at #1: “Runaround Sue” by Dion

Not to obsess, but after listening to “Crying,” I went ahead and re-familiarized myself with Don McLean’s version and k. d. lang’s also for good measure*. And you know what? Both versions are very, very good! Neither is quite as spectacular as the original, at first, but both are performed by first-rate singers with reverence to the source material, yet who make the song their own. Isn’t that what good cover songs do?

Something tells me I’ll be referring back to this text in the near future.

Anyway, the Dovells. Is this the first “dance craze” record we’ve covered at Second Hand Goods? Was there really a dance to go with this song? Or did they just want to get their home-town some air-time on national, public radio. No idea if it’s actually true, but I understand the BBC banned this tune**, considering its lyric too salacious. “Bristols,” you see, is a slang term for women’s breasts.

Methinks someone at the BBC has a dirtier mind than any of us. What did they think this song was about? The mind boggles...



Oh yes, this is a Cameo-Parkway joint, so I think that’s a big, fat “yes” on the “is this a dance craze song or not?” Cameo-Parkway were the crassest of the early “youth-oriented” labels; they had no shame in jumping on any trend that came down the pike and exploiting it with ruthless abandon.

The thing that sticks in my mind about this, more than the insistent “The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol, etc.” backing vocal litany, is that jaunty guitar strumming accompaniment. Trust me to notice something about the instrumental track!

I guess we’re in “white people trying to sound black” territory again, which explains Len Barry’s wailing lead vocal on this. I don’t dislike it, but he’s kind of all over the place, missing notes right and left. Is it just me? Maybe it is, because obviously a lot of people bought this record.

I don’t know, maybe I’d like it better if they used a different take, but I bet Cameo-Parkway wanted to rush-release this and get it out the door as quick as possible to exploit the ever-fickle teenage taste. Because that’s the Cameo-Parkway way.

Rating: 3

*Still haven’t worked up the nerve to check out the rendition by Dutch Schlager singer Gerard Joling. I’m still burned by the time I heard what Wayne Newton did to “In Dreams.”
**It did become a hit, albeit belatedly, for the UK nostalgia group the Late Show in 1979.

SHG: Roy Orbison: "Crying"

Roy Orbison: “Crying”
Entered the chart on: 8/28/1961
Peaked on: 10/9/1961
Weeks at #2: 1
Song at #1: “Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles

And here we have the light at the end of the tunnel I spoke of earlier. After “Only the Lonely,” I was certainly eager to review more Roy Orbison songs. Sadly, this is the last one. Happily, it’s another tune I love.

Full disclosure time, and I’m showing my age here, but I heard Don McLean’s cover before I even knew it was a Roy Orbison song. Similarly, I had heard (and loved) Linda Ronstadt’s version of “Blue Bayou” long, long before Roy’s. I think that’s testament to Roy’s talent that so many other talented people were inspired by him.



Dare I compare this with the Dick & Deedee song from the last edition? That one had a fantastic snare drum hook, this one opens with an equally splendid tom-tom hook. And is that a celeste I hear? Bob Moore’s orchestration is, typically, just lovely. As with his chart-topping “Running Scared,” this one builds solidly from start to finish.

Damn, Roy, is it impossible for you not to knock one out of the park? And has there ever been anyone who ever made heartbreak so compelling? The man’s voice was a force of nature, nobody else could hit those high notes in the last refrain and still sound smooth as a pane of glass. Nobody else could tug at your heart-strings with the touch of sorrow in his voice.

I’m just going to bask in this moment of bliss. Don’t mind me!

Rating: 5

SHG: Dick & Deedee: "The Mountain's High"

Dick & Dee Dee: “The Mountain’s High”
Entered the chart on: 8/28/1961
Peaked on: 9/25/1961
Weeks at #2: 2
Song at #1: “Take Good Care of My Baby” by Bobby Vee

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know something good is coming on the horizon. Gifted with foresight, I also know that 1962 has much better songs. In the meantime, let’s take a look at “The Mountain’s High,” an oldie you don’t really hear much anymore. Methinks there might be a reason for that. Only one way to find out.



[makes sour lemon face]

Right, I get what they’re going for. Whitewashing isn’t cool anymore. It’s 1961, and sounding like you’re black is cool. I think this might be our first instance of “blue-eyed soul.” I would have preferred the Righteous Brothers, but I got Dick & Deedee. Them’s the breaks, I suppose.

The best thing about this is that “rat-a-tat” snare drum hook. The worst thing about this is definitely Dick & Deedee themselves. Dick sounds strained most of the time while Deedee is so insufferably shrill. If I had a dog, no doubt he’d be howling in agony at this, begging me to turn it off.

And then Deedee starts making cuckoo bird noises at the end, for no real good reason. Deedee, Martha Reeves you are not.

[needle scratch]

Well, that’s enough of that then. Time to put on some Mary Wells and cleanse the palate. And the brain.

Rating: 1