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Chain Gang (song)
"Chain Gang" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released on July 26, 1960. Background This was Cooke's second-biggest American hit, his first hit single for RCA Victor after leaving Keen Records earlier in 1959, and was also his first top 10 hit since "You Send Me" from 1957, and his second-biggest pop single. The song was inspired after a chance meeting with an actual chain gang of prisoners on a highway, seen while Cooke was on tour. Cooke was reportedly unsatisfied with the initial recording sessions of this song at RCA Studios in Manhattan in January 1960, and came back three months later to redo some of the vocals to get the effect he wanted. Chart history The song became one of Cooke's most successful singles, peaking at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, behind both "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" by Connie Francis and "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne On the Hot R&B Sides chart, the song peaked at number two as well. Overseas, "Chain Gang" cha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Scott (musician)
Robert William Scott (January 29, 1937 – November 5, 1990) was an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. Biography Scott was born in Mount Pleasant, New York, United States, and became a pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, and could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet, and double bass. He studied under Edvard Moritz at the La Follette School of Music at the age of eight, and was working professionally at 11. In 1952, he began touring with Louis Prima, and also toured and performed with Gene Krupa, Lester Young, and Tony Scott in the 1950s. In 1956 he hit the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the song " Chain Gang", peaking at number 13. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Career and Grammy Award As a bandleader, he did sessions for Verve, ABC-Paramount, Bethlehem, and Musicmasters. As a songwriter, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for the song " A Taste of Honey". In addition to "A Taste of Honey", Scott al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Verne
Larry Vern Erickson (February 8, 1936 – October 8, 2013) was an American novelty song vocalist. Biography Verne recorded two U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart hit singles in 1960, "Mister Livingston" (No. 75) and "Mr. Custer" (No. 1, and No. 9 R&B). "Mr. Custer" was written by Fred Darian, Al De Lory, and Joe Van Winkle. The record sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. In the UK, "Mr. Custer" was successfully covered by Charlie Drake Charles Edward Springall (19 June 1925 – 23 December 2006), known professionally as Charlie Drake, was an English comedian, actor, writer and singer. With his small stature (5' 1"/155 cm tall), curly red hair and liking for slapstick, h .... "Mr. Custer" was featured on an album of novelty songs recorded by Verne called ''Mister Larry Verne'', which was released that same year. After growing tired of the music industry, Verne quit to become a successful builder of Hollywood film sets, which he did for 35 years befor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1960 Singles
Year 196 ( CXCVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Dexter and Messalla (or, less frequently, year 949 '' Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 196 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Emperor Septimius Severus attempts to assassinate Clodius Albinus but fails, causing Albinus to retaliate militarily. * Emperor Septimius Severus captures and sacks Byzantium; the city is rebuilt and regains its previous prosperity. * In order to assure the support of the Roman legion in Germany on his march to Rome, Clodius Albinus is declared Augustus by his army while crossing Gaul. * Hadrian's wall in Britain is partially destroyed. China * First year of the '' Jian'an era of the Chinese Han Dynasty. * Emperor Xian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Searchin'
"Searchin'" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller specifically for the Coasters. Atco Records released it as a single in March 1957, which topped the R&B Chart for twelve weeks. It also reached number three on the ''Billboard'' singles chart. Although the Coasters had previously done well on the R&B charts, it was "Searchin'" (along with " Young Blood" on the flip side) that sparked the group's rock and roll fame. Composition The lyrics, written by Leiber, use vernacular phrasing. The plot revolves around the singer's determination to find his love wherever she may be, even if he must resort to detective work. The song's gimmick was to cite law-enforcement figures from popular culture such as Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Joe Friday, Sam Spade, Boston Blackie, Bulldog Drummond, and the North-West Mounted Police (the Mounties). The vocals of the Coasters' lead singer Billy Guy are raw and insistent. Driving the song is a pounding piano rhythm of two bass notes alter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
He Will Break Your Heart
"He Will Break Your Heart", is a song originally performed and co-written by Jerry Butler, a top-ten hit in 1960. In 1975, Tony Orlando and Dawn released the song under the title "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)". Their version topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart on May 3, 1975 and the US adult contemporary chart. Origins "He Will Break Your Heart" was written by Jerry Butler, Calvin Carter, and Curtis Mayfield. The song was recorded by Butler and released as a single in 1960, where it peaked at No. 7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and No. 3 on the '' Cash Box'' Top 100. In addition, Butler's recording spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. R&B chart. Subsequent cover versions of "He Will Break Your Heart" were released by artists such as Margie Singleton and Lulu (both regendering the song to ''She Will Break Your Heart''), The Righteous Brothers and Freddie Scott. Chart history Tony Orlando and Dawn version When Orlando and the other members of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Workin' At The Car Wash Blues
"Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" is a 1974 single written and recorded by Jim Croce. It was the third single released from his album '' I Got a Name''. It reached a peak of #32 in July 1974, on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Croce's last Top 40 hit to date. It was also the fourth single released, including Christmas-themed release "It Doesn't Have To Be That Way", after Jim Croce's death in September 1973. Content Jim Croce described this song as having a "funky street feel". During a performance, he explained the song as "a story about a guy who thinks he thinks he should be ruling the universe somewhere, but he is really working at a car wash". Croce explained he came up with the idea for the song while in the military at Fort Jackson, running telephone cables on poles and thinking he should be doing something else. While on top of the pole, he thought about everyone in the same situation thinking they should be doing another "gig" and have a different job. In the song, a man has ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy West (producer)
Thomas Picardo Jr. (August 17, 1942 – May 2, 2021), known professionally as Tommy West, was an American record producer and singer-songwriter. Early career Thomas Picardo Jr. was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. West's career as a performing artist began in 1958 when he co-founded the doo-wop group The Criterions with Tim Hauser, a classmate of his at St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey. In 1959, the group hit the pop charts with "I Remain Truly Yours". West is a 1963 graduate of Villanova University. While attending Villanova, he became student conductor of the school's glee club, The Villanova Singers. West formed a sub-group of the Singers called The Villanova Spires, a 12-man group who performed folk songs with guitar accompaniment. Tim Hauser, also now a student at Villanova, joined the group. In 1961, West auditioned fellow student Jim Croce for The Spires and an enduring friendship was formed. After graduating in 1963, West became a radio announcer and music dir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry Cashman
Terry Cashman (born Dennis Minogue, July 5, 1941) is an American record producer and singer-songwriter, best known for his 1981 chart-topper, hit, "Talkin' Baseball". While the song is well recognized today and allowed Cashman the chance to meet the featured players, it was all but ignored by typical Top 40 radio during its chart life, making only the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Early life Cashman was born in New York City and grew up in northern Manhattan a fan of the History of the New York Giants (baseball), New York Giants (and subsequently the San Francisco Giants) until he became a New York Mets fan when Willie Mays was traded to them in 1972. Career Cashman was the lead singer for a band called The Chevrons (US band), The Chevrons, in the late 1950s through the early 1960s. He also played Minor League Baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization at around the same time. In 1967, Cashman teamed up with Gene Pistilli and Tommy West (producer), Tommy West to form the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Folk Rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers such as Bob Dylan and the Byrds—several of whose members had earlier played in folk ensembles—attempted to blend the sounds of rock with their pre-existing folk repertoire, adopting the use of electric instrumentation and drums in a way previously discouraged in the U.S. folk community. The term "folk rock" was initially used in the U.S. music press in June 1965 to describe the Byrds' music. The commercial success of the Byrds' cover version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and their debut album of the same name, along with Dylan's own recordings with rock instrumentation—on the albums ''Bringing It All Back Home'' (1965), ''Highway 61 Revisited'' (1965), and '' Blonde on Blonde'' (1966)—encouraged other folk acts, such as Simon & Ga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Down The Highway
''Down the Highway'' is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Jim Croce, released in 1980 on Lifesong Records as LS 8030. Track listing All tracks composed by Jim Croce; except where indicated #"I Got a Name" ( Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel) – 3:12 #"Mississippi Lady" – 3:59 #"New York's Not My Home" – 3:08 #" Chain Gang Medley: Chain Gang/He Don't Love You/Searchin'" (Sam Cooke; Jerry Butler, Calvin Carter, Curtis Mayfield; Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 4:32 #"You Don't Mess Around with Jim" – 3:03 #"Ol' Man River" ( Oscar Hammerstein, Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...) – 2:27 #"Which Way Are You Goin'?" – 2:19 #" Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" – 3:01 #"Walkin' Back to Georgia" – 2:50 #"Box #10" – 2:26 #"Speedball Tucker" – 2:26 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Croce
James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pay bills while he continued to write, record, and perform concerts. After he formed a partnership with songwriter and guitarist Maury Muehleisen, his fortunes turned in the early 1970s. His breakthrough came in 1972; his third album, ''You Don't Mess Around with Jim'', produced three charting singles, including "Time in a Bottle", which reached No. 1 after his death. The follow-up album, '' Life and Times'', included the song " Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", which was the only No. 1 hit he had during his lifetime. On September 20, 1973, at the height of his popularity and the day before the lead single to his fifth album ''I Got a Name'' was released, Croce and five others died in a plane crash. His music continued to chart throughout the 1970s fol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012. The chart is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, soul, and funk, it is today dominated by contemporary R&B and hip hop. Since its inception, the chart has changed its name many times in order to accurately reflect the industry at the time. History Beginning in 1942, ''Billboard'' published a chart of bestselling black music, first as the Harlem Hit Parade, then as Race Records. Then in 1949, ''Billboard'' began publishing a Rhythm and Blues chart, which entered "R&B" into mainstream lexicon. These three charts were consolid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
