Web Page No 890

Top Picture: Dee Dee Sharp as she was in 1960

Bottom Picture: The Four Jewels,

( you will not believe the title of their song! Just scroll down and see.)

Firstly

a new member today someone I have been looking for, for years an old mate Peter Westcott, welcome to the fold Peter.

Secondly

I cannot believe that, by looking at the counter on the blog there are over 500 people a week reading the site!

Odd Girl Groups

The girl groups of the 60’s were an individual music genre all of their own and the range and subjects of their songs was also very strange and diverse. Most of the singers and groups were American but I suppose that really goes without saying!!!!

For a time there was a selection of songs which featured food and drink. Here are just a few, although I have to say that I do not remember any of the song titles or the groups except just two of them, how about you?
Here they are:-

Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes) by Dee Dee Sharp,
Peanut Duck by Marsha Gee,
I Love Onions by Susan Christie
Buttered Popcorn by the Supremes ( I have heard of them!)
Chicken Chicken Cranny Crow by the Jaynetts
Bubblegummer by the Teardrops
I Wish I Was the Bottle by Connie Hall
Snowman Snowman Sweet Potato Nose by the Jaynetts
Chicken Back by Sally and the Roses
Slop Time by the Sherrys
Swamp Water by the Chantels( I have heard of them too!)

As always LOVE and romance was a leading contender for the subject of a pop song for most of the time. But how about these strange titles?

Funnel Of Love by Wanda Jackson
I'm in Love with the Ticket Taker at the Bijou Movie Theater
by Donna Loren
The Way I Love My Baby (Milk is Milk)
by the Smith Girls

Then of course there was always the complete opposite HATRED.
Remember these?

I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy by the What Fours
Sticking Pins in a Dolly by Marlene Willis

BOYS were always a popular topic for the girl groups to sing about and again I can only remember one of the groups listed below and definitely none of the songs. Quite frankly I find the meaning of some of the titles very puzzling indeed.
There were:-

The Naked Boy by Estelle (Bennett)
Wee Willie Water Dilly by the Keefer Sisters
He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss) by the Crystals ( I remember them)
You Can't Take My Boyfriend's Woody by the Powder Puffs
Frankie's Out on Parole by the La Dell Sisters
Hey Mr. Scientist by Jennie Lee Lambert
Wooden Head Willie by the Knight Sisters.

And naturally there were lots of songs about ME, for example

Please Hurt Me by Carole King
I'm Me by Priscilla Paris
Dumbhead by Ginny Arnell
Big Honky Baby by Kellie Douglas Don't Dig Twiggy by Barbara Windsor
I'm Blue (the Gong Gong Song) by the Ikettes

Now this last list of titles really do defy all attempts to either describe them or understand them.

So, Do the Zonk by Donna Loren
When My Pimples Turned to Dimples by Jeanne Hayes
Iko Iko by Dixie Cups (didn’t they do ‘Going’ to the Chapel?)
The Hucklebuck '65 by the Birdies
The Car Hop with the Hard Top by Marcy Jo (with Eddie Rambeau)
Special Agent 34-24-38 by Mamie Galore (Mamie Davis)

Tar and Cement by Verdelle Smith
Shake Me, I Rattle by Marion Worth
Waddle Waddle by the Bracelets
The Sentence by Miriam Grate and the Dovers
I'm Gonna Pick Up My Toys by the Devonnes
Whoopee by Mimi Allen
Inside O' Me by Honey and the Bees
Funky Wunky Piano by the Castanets
Shoo Fly by Barbara English
Jerk It by the Gypsies
Winky Dinky by the Jaynetts
Hot Spot by the Bronzettes
Two Way Poc-A-Way by the Dixie Cups
The Screw by the Crystals
Walkin' Through a Cemetery by Claudine Clark
Condition Red by the Goodees
That's What They Put Erasers on Pencils For by the Four Jewels
Makin' With the Magilla by Little Eva
Save a Little Monkey by Mary Sue Wellington.

Well there you go a really weird selection BUT if we are lucky we may never, ever have to hear them again if we all make a pact that none of us will ever, ever, contact Brian Matthews and ask him to play any of these records on his Saturday Morning Programme. It’s a deal!!!!!!!


Keep in touch

Peter
DUSTYKEAT@aol.com
Pj.keat@ntlworld.co.uk

You Write:

Griff Writes:

Whilst going through some long forgotten documents recently that had been packed away for nearly 50 years in my Mum's attic I came across this newspaper cutting regarding Bert Ray leaving Manor Court. The strange and very odd thing is that this particular newspaper cutting was not cut out for this reason by my Mum but she had cut out something else she wanted to keep and Bert's school leaving just happened to be above the article she had cut out.
I think I am right in saying that Bert Ray did not live for that long after leaving Manor Court but Pete will probably know the answer to that question I think?

Article from The Portsmouth Evening News: (no date)

Mr B. Ray, Science Teacher of Manor Court School, Drayton is leaving the school to take up a post for coloured boys in Bermuda.
Born in the Isle of Wight Mr Ray has taught at Manor Court, and it's forerunner Court Lane School since leaving Bognor Regis Training College in 1949.
" I have enjoyed every minute of my years at the school but felt it was time for wider experience" he said. " With my Wife and my 5 year old daughter, Ann, I shall be leaving England in the next few weeks".

Mr Ray, who lives at Oakwood, Bedhampton attends St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Havant and is a former member of Portsmouth and Southsea Angling Club.

I reply:-

Great clip I think Bert did 5 years in Bermuda then came home and died very soon after.

News and Views:

Gerry Rafferty collapsed and was admitted to a hospital in Bournemouth on Friday November 5 and placed on life support with liver failure. Doctors hope to be able to transfer him to a London hospital, though his overall prognosis is poor. Gerry left a London hospital where he was being treated for liver failure last year and was not seen publicly for six months before lawyers issued a statement in February that he was "extremely well" and writing songs in Italy.

On this day 28th November 1960-1965.

On 28/11/1960 the number one single was It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 28/11/1961 the number one single was Little Sister/His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Ipswich Town. The top rated TV show was "Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25.The big news story of the day was Sunday Night at the London Palladium

On 28/11/1962 the number one single was Lovesick Blues - Frank Ifield and the number one album was Out of the Shadows - Shadows. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 28/11/1963 the number one single was She Loves You - The Beatles and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Cape Canaveral renamed Cape Kennedy.

On 28/11/1964 the number one single was Baby Love - Supremes and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 28/11/1965 the number one single was The Carnival is Over - Seekers and the number one album was The Sound of Music Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Take Your Pick (AR) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.