Denee Denee

Randy & The Rainbows - Denise

For the not-very-tough-sounding-named-group Randy and the Rainbows, Denise was a reasonable sized success in 1963, a national top ten US hit. But if, like me, you're a Blondie fan, you'll instantly recognise it as the original of Denis, a song they recorded in 1977. Denis was released as a single in the UK in 1978, it climbed to the number two spot on the charts and helped propel Blondie onto the world stage.

I ain't got a home

Clarence Henry - Ain't Got No Home

This is an absolute classic. The debut and career defining release from New Orleans piano player, Clarence 'The Frogman' Henry. Since 1956, this playful song has continued to appeal to generation after generation, who love hearing Henry show how he can sing like a bird and sing like a frog.

It's like nothing in this world

Wanda Jackson - Whirlpool

From 1962, here's Wanda Jackson with Whirlpool. Lyrically, it uses a very similar metaphorical guise as Funnel Of Love, which she released a year earlier. Quite surprisingly, both tunes were b-sides. I reckon you'll enjoy the organ and guitar breaks on this one.

You better wake up

Sugarpie DeSanto - The One Who Really Loves You

Did you know that Sugarpie DeSanto and Etta James are cousins? I only just found out. Makes sense though, since they sang together on the cracking tune In The Basement and, yeah, they have similar voices. From 1968, here's DeSanto with a tough version of I'm The One Who Really Loves You, a song that Mary Wells released on Motown six years earlier, written by Smokey Robinson.

I'm going back to New Orleans

Duane Eddy - House Of The Rising Sun

Speaking of Duane Eddy, and New Orleans, could there be a more appropriate song to post than his 1965 version of House Of The Rising Sun? Although it came off a record entitled Duane Does Dylan, Eddy's instrumental version owes more to The Animals' monster interpretation released just a year prior than it does to the one on Bob Dylan's debut album. Although there are a few different theories, no one really knows who originally wrote this great song; it's a traditional.

LDN-NOLA-NYC-LDN 2010

Dale Hawkins - Susie Q

Five years ago I had the privilege to visit New Orleans. It was about six months before the levees broke and my purpose there was to see live music; and that I surely did. My long term memory's a bit rubbish but thankfully, in a blog post, I recorded a list of some of the artists I saw during my eight day stay -- Link Wray, Betty Harris, BB King, Ike Turner, Robert Lockwood Jr, Isaac Hayes, Barbara Lynn, Archie Bell, Eddie Bo, Dr John, George Clinton, Dr Lonnie Smith, Dale Hawkins, Blowfly, Nathaniel Mayer, Little Freddie King, Lady Bo, and Zigaboo Modeliste from The Meters.

Many, too many, of those mentioned above are no longer of this earth. One who left us earlier this year was Dale Hawkins and I've chosen to feature his best known tune with today's post. The distinctive Susie Q guitar riff was composed by James Burton, aged just 15, while Hawkins, only one year older, came up with the lyrics. It's a well known song and well covered so there's not really much more to say about it other than that, over 50 years after it was originally released, it still sounds exciting.

The festival I saw Hawkins and many of the others play at was called the Ponderosa Stomp. It was held between the Jazz Fest weekends at an awesome mid-sized venue called the Rock'n'Bowl -- bowling to the live rumbles of Link Wray is something I won't forget. The Ponderosa Stomp is still going, it's no longer at the Rock'n'Bowl and this year is also moving to the last weekend in September. Volcano ash permitting, just like the Four Tops sang, I'll be there. I'm already keenly anticipating the live show of perennial Diddy Wah presence, Duane Eddy, who, I imagine, will be bringing His Twangy Guitar with him.

After visiting NOLA, I'll be heading to NYC for a week. Some local knowledge is a great thing when you're travelling, so if you live in the the Big Easy or the Big Apple and enjoy drinking and seeing live music, or perhaps you've even got plans to go to the Ponderosa Stomp yourself, then get in touch. That's my email address up there on the right, just below the little picture of me.

Every Time

The Human Beinz - Every Time Woman

Here's an awesome fuzzy rock number from 1968. It always kind of reminds me of the Stones but it's The Human Beinz, a group from Ohio who are best known for their classic frat rock cover of the Isleys' Nobody But Me. This tune is a favourite spin of fellow vinyl addict, and one of the hardest working DJs in London, Gary The Tall. Incidentally, I was going be playing records with Gary this Friday at a pub in Islington, but now I'm not.

I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow

Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him

Little Peggy March was only fifteen when I Will Follow Him climbed to the very top of the US charts, still the youngest female ever to achieve that feat -- Little Stevie Wonder achieved the same, aged just thirteen. I must have heard this song at various times throughout my life. After all it was a huge hit in 1963 (before my time, but whatever) and featured in the film Sister Act (not exactly an all time fave, but whatever). It's just that when I stumbled across it a few weeks ago it felt like I was hearing it for the first time -- what an amazing tune. Produced by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore, this is an instant Diddy Wah party favourite.

Chillin'

Allen Wayne - Chills & Fever

This is the third version of this song that I've posted since Diddy Wah began to primarily feature mp3 rips of vinyl 45s late last September, and it's my personal favourite. Hailing from Louisiana, Allen Wayne was signed to Crusader Records in Hollywood when he recorded Chills & Fever in 1964 but it was released on a subsidiary label, Try Records. If you're wondering why it's my favourite, just have a listen to those drums.

Take me back to Trinidad

Mona Baptiste - Rumbango

Mona Baptiste was born in Trinidad but sailed to Europe just after the Second World War to continue pursuing a career as a singer. A little while after landing in Britain, Baptiste moved to Germany where she recorded for Polydor and acted in a number of films. In 1956, backed by Werner Müller and the RIAS dance orchestra, Baptiste recorded a song called Rumbango -- which may or may not be a dance hybrid of the rumba and the tango. It seems to have been also released, or at least promoted, stateside as the version I have is a Decca US sample copy.