"Lonely Avenue" is a popular song written by
Doc Pomus
Jerome Solon Felder (June 27, 1925 – March 14, 1991), known professionally as Doc Pomus, was an American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the co-writer of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall ...
that was a No. 6
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
hit for
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
in 1956.
Background
The song drew the attention of the music business to Doc Pomus, who had previously had little success as a songwriter.
Covers
*
The Animals
The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...
covered it on the 1977 reunion album ''
Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted
''Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted'' is a 1977 reunion album by the Animals. They are billed on the cover as the Original Animals.
History
The album marked a reunion of the five original Animals from the group's first incarnation — Eri ...
''.
*
The Blues Band
The Blues Band is a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and guitarist Tom McGuinness also of Manfred Mann and The Roosters. The band’s first line-up also included bass ...
covered the song on the album ''Ready'' in 1980.
*
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...
regularly performed the song during his live shows.
*
The Crickets
The Crickets were an American rock and roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer-songwriter Buddy Holly in January 1957. Their first hit record, "That'll Be the Day", released in May 1957, peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, ...
covered the song on the album ''
California Sun / She Loves You'' and on the Liberty Records single.
*
Lee Dorsey
Irving Lee Dorsey (December 24, 1924 – December 1, 1986) was an American pop and R&B singer during the 1960s. His biggest hits were "Ya Ya" (1961) and " Working in the Coal Mine" (1966). Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint, with ...
covers this song on his 1982 compilation album ''All Ways Funky''.
*
Les Double Six Les Double Six (also known as the Double Six of Paris) was a French vocal jazz group established in 1959 by Mimi Perrin. The group established an international reputation in the early 1960s. The name of the group was an allusion to the fact that the ...
recorded the song on their 1964 album, ''The Double Six of Paris Sing Ray Charles''.
*
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
covered the song on the album ''
Beat & Soul'' released in 1965.
*
Tav Falco's Panther Burns
Tav Falco's Panther Burns, sometimes shortened to (The) Panther Burns, is a rock band originally from Memphis, Tennessee, United States, led by Tav Falco. They are best known for having been part of a set of bands emerging in the late 1970s and ...
included a version of this song on their 1994 album, ''Deep in the Shadows''.
*
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice.
Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...
in Gillan & Glover covered the song on the album ''
Accidentally on Purpose'' in 1988. The track appeared on the soundtrack to the movie ''
Rain Man
''Rain Man'' is a 1988 American road movie, road Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass. It tells the story of abrasive, selfish young wikt:wheeler-dealer, wheeler-dealer C ...
''.
*
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
recorded a version in 1969 which was released in 2010 on the compilation ''
West Coast Seattle Boy''.
*
John Hermann
John "JoJo" Hermann is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known for his involvement in the band Widespread Panic.
Early life
He was born in New York City and attended Collegiate School, where he was a classmate of actor Billy W ...
of
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Duane Trucks, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guit ...
covered the song on his 2001 album ''
Smiling Assassin
''Smiling Assassin'' is the debut solo album by Widespread Panic keyboardist John Hermann, released in 2001. Other members of Widespread Panic as well as members of the North Mississippi All Stars and Blue Mountain also perform on the album.
T ...
''. The version features Widespread Panic front man
John Bell.
*
Colin James
Colin James (born Colin James Munn, August 17, 1964) is a Canadian rock and blues singer and songwriter.
Biography Early years
James was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His grandpa was Serbian. He got his break opening for Stevie Ray V ...
released the song on his album ''
Colin James & The Little Big Band 3
''Colin James & The Little Big Band 3'' is the tenth studio album by Canadian blues/ rock musician Colin James and the third ''Little Big Band'' album with its swing/jive themes. It was released in 2006 (see 2006 in music).
Track listing
# "R ...
''.
*
Booker T. & the M.G.'s included an instrumental cover of the song on the album ''
Green Onions
"Green Onions" is an instrumental composition recorded in 1962 by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Described as "one of the most popular instrumental rock and soul songs ever" and as one of "the most popular R&B instrumentals of its era", the tune is a ...
''.
*
Pete Kember
Peter Kember (born 19 November 1965), also known by his stage name Sonic Boom, is an English singer and record producer. He was a founding member, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist of alternative rock band Spacemen 3, lasting from 1982 until ...
covered the song on his 1990 debut solo LP ''Spectrum''.
*
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, '' Billboard'' maga ...
covered the song on the album ''
Glad Rag Doll
"Glad Rag Doll" is a 1928 song composed by Milton Ager and Dan Dougherty with lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was Ager and Yellen's first movie theme song, written for the motion picture of the same name (released in 1929) starring Dolores Costello.
...
'' in 2012.
* The
Ramsey Lewis Trio
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five gold records and three Grammy Awards in his career. His album '' The ...
recorded this song on 1963 album ''
Barefoot Sunday Blues''. The melody is performed using cello pizzicato and voice by
Eldee Young
Eldee Young (January 7, 1936 – February 12, 2007) was a jazz double-bass and cello player who performed in the cool jazz, post bop and rhythm and blues mediums.
Born in 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, Young started playing upright bass at the age of ...
.
*
Los Lobos
Los Lobos (, Spanish for "the Wolves") are an American rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional music such as cumbia, ...
covered it on ''
Till the Night is Gone: A Tribute to Doc Pomus'' released March 28, 1995. It is also included in the
Los Lobos
Los Lobos (, Spanish for "the Wolves") are an American rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional music such as cumbia, ...
box set ''
El Cancionero Mas y Mas
''El Cancionero: Mas y Mas'' is a four-CD box set by the American rock band Los Lobos, released in 2000. It contains album tracks, live recordings, rarities, and alternate versions, as well as tracks from solo and side projects, soundtracks, and ...
'' on Disc 3.
*
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
covered the song on the album ''
Phantom Blues
''Phantom Blues'' is a studio album by American blues artist Taj Mahal.
Track listing
# "Lovin' in My Baby's Eyes" (Taj Mahal)
# "Cheatin' On You" (Jon Cleary)
# "The Hustle Is On" (H.E. Owens)
# "Here in the Dark" (Bernard Anders)
# "Fanning t ...
'' in 1996.
*
Stephen Marley covered the song on his album ''Mind Control''.
*
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
covered this song on his 1993 album ''
Too Long in Exile'', and later included it in the double live album ''
A Night in San Francisco
''A Night in San Francisco'' is a live album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1994. Guest artists were Candy Dulfer, John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells and Jimmy Witherspoon as well as Morrison's daughter, Shana Morrison. ...
'' as the first song in a
medley that lasted just under 15 minutes. Biographer John Collis says: "The 15-minute sequence billed as 'Lonely Avenue/4 O'Clock in the Morning (Try for Sleep)', does indeed begin with the Pomus song and includes the Morrison blues in the title, but also wheels on
Jimmy Witherspoon
James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues singer.
Early life, family and education
Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, and his mot ...
for his own medley and also throws in passing quotes from '
Be Bop a Lula',
Sly Stone
Sylvester Stewart (born March 15, 1943), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer who is most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the ...
's '
Family Affair
''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...
' (with Jonn Savannah contributing a
falsetto
''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
) and
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
's 'Down the Line' among other references."
* Merl Saunders and Friends covered this song on the 1972 album ''
Fire Up Plus
''Fire Up Plus'' is an album by Merl Saunders and Friends. It contains most of the songs from two LPs from the early 1970s — ''Heavy Turbulence'', and ''Fire Up''. It was released on CD by Fantasy Records on July 9, 1992.
''Fire Up Plus'' ...
''.
*
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion dur ...
performed an instrumental version on his 1968 album ''
Common Touch''.
*
Roseanna Vitro
Roseanna Elizabeth Vitro (born February 28, 1951) is a jazz singer and teacher from Arkansas.
Biography
Born Roseanna Elizabeth VitroScott Fredrickson and Gary W. Kennedy.Vitro (Wickliffe), Roseanna" In ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2 ...
included this song in her 1997 CD, ''
Catchin’ Some Rays: The Music of Ray Charles''.
*
Kurt Elling
Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran chur ...
and his ensemble performed this song at Lincoln Center in New York in 2012.
Kurt Elling and ensemble at Lincoln Center
/ref>
* Edison Electric covered this song on ''Bless You Dr Woodward''.
*James Booker
James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was a New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Booker's unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Musician Dr. J ...
covered the song on his album ''Classified''.
* On April 18, 2011, musician Ben Waters released the album ''Boogie 4 Stu'', a tribute to the late Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart, including a version of "Lonely Avenue".
Notes
External links
Lonely Avenue: the Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus
{{authority control
Songs with lyrics by Doc Pomus
Ray Charles songs
Van Morrison songs
The Animals songs
Songs about roads
1956 singles
Song recordings produced by Jerry Wexler
Song recordings produced by Ahmet Ertegun
1956 songs
Atlantic Records singles
The Crickets songs