Sandy Linzer (born 1941) is an American
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
, lyricist, and
record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
, who is best known for his songwriting collaborations with
Denny Randell
Denny Randell (born 1941) is an American songwriter and record producer, who is best known for his songwriting collaborations with Sandy Linzer and Bob Crewe in the 1960s and 1970s. He co-wrote hits including "A Lover's Concerto", "Let's Hang O ...
and
Bob Crewe
Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Season ...
in the 1960s and 1970s. He co-wrote hits including "
A Lover's Concerto
"A Lover's Concerto" is a pop song written by American songwriters Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, based on the 18th century composition by Christian Petzold, " Minuet in G major", and recorded in 1965 by the Toys. "A Lover's Concerto" sold ...
", "
Let's Hang On!
"Let's Hang On!" is a song composed by Bob Crewe, Sandy Linzer, and Denny Randell that was popularized by The Four Seasons in 1965. The single reached the No. 3 position in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, the group's highest placemen ...
", "
Working My Way Back to You
"Working My Way Back to You" is a song made popular by The Four Seasons in 1966 and The Spinners in 1980.
Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, reaching No. 9 on the U.S. ''B ...
", "
Breakin' Down the Walls of Heartache", "
Native New Yorker", and "
Use It Up and Wear It Out". He was nominated with Randell for induction into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...
(SHOF) in 2012.
Life and career
In the early 1960s,
Al Kasha
Alfred Kasha (January 22, 1937 – September 14, 2020) was an American songwriter, whose songs include " The Morning After" from '' The Poseidon Adventure''.
Life
Kasha started songwriting and producing at a young age and was hired as a producer ...
, an associate of singer, songwriter and record producer
Bob Gaudio
Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...
, introduced Linzer to Randell. They began writing together in 1963, initially for The Rag Dolls and
Barbara Lewis
Barbara Ann Lewis (born February 9, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues.
Career
Lewis was born in Salem, Michigan, United States.
She was writing and recording by her teens with record ...
.
[ The pair wrote several Top 10 songs for ]Frankie Valli
Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice.
...
and The Four Seasons, including "Working My Way Back to You" (also a hit for The Spinners in 1979, and in Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
for Boyzone
Boyzone were an Irish boy band, created in 1993 by talent manager Louis Walsh. Before even recording any material, Boyzone made an appearance on RTÉ's '' The Late Late Show''. Their most successful line-up was composed of Keith Duffy, Steph ...
in 1994), " Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)", and, with Bob Crewe, "Let's Hang On!". Linzer also co-wrote the group's song "Dawn (Go Away)
"Dawn (Go Away)" is a song written by Bob Gaudio and Sandy Linzer and recorded by The Four Seasons in November 1963.
The song hit No. 3 in the early part of 1964. According to '' Billboard'', it was the 25th biggest hit single of the year, p ...
".
In 1965, Randell and Linzer wrote and produced most of the songs for the R&B girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
The Toys
The Toys were an American pop girl group from Jamaica, New York, which was formed in 1961 and disbanded in 1968. Their most successful recording was "A Lover's Concerto" (1965), which sold more than two million copies and reached the number-tw ...
, including their singles "A Lover's Concerto" (adapted from '' Minuet in G major'', once attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
but now to Christian Petzold) and "Attack!".[ Sandy Linzer at Feenotes.com]
Retrieved 15 January 2013 Another Toys recording written by the duo, "Can't Get Enough Of You Baby
The English modal verbs are a subset of the English auxiliary verbs used mostly to express modality (properties such as possibility, obligation, etc.). They can be distinguished from other verbs by their defectiveness (they do not have participle ...
", was later covered by the garage band ? and the Mysterians and, in 1998, was a #14 hit when covered by Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell (lead vocals), Kevin Coleman (drums), Greg Camp (guitar), and Paul De Lisle (bass). With Harwell's depar ...
. They also had a hit with Jay and the Techniques
Jay & the Techniques was an American pop group formed in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the mid-1960s. Their song " Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie", released in 1967 on the Smash label, reached the Top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Biogra ...
' "Keep the Ball Rollin'
"Keep The Ball Rollin'" is a song written by Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer was recorded by Jay & the Techniques.
Chart performance
"Keep The Ball Rollin" reached NO. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1967.
Other recordings ...
".
Linzer and Randell established their own record label, Oliver, in 1966.[ They wrote two songs recorded by ]The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...
, "I'll Be Back Up On My Feet
"I'll Be Back Up on My Feet" is a song by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, which was recorded by The Monkees during the 1960s.
The first Monkees version of the song was recorded on October 26, 1966, during the period when the band did not have con ...
" and "The Day We Fall in Love", and "Penny Arcade" by The Cyrkle
The Cyrkle was an American rock band active in the early and mid-1960s. The group charted two Top 40 hits, "Red Rubber Ball" and " Turn-Down Day".
Career
The band was formed by guitarists and lead singers Don Dannemann and Tom Dawes (who also p ...
. They later wrote "Native New Yorker", performed by Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...
on the soundtrack of the film ''Eyes of Laura Mars
''Eyes of Laura Mars'' is a 1978 American neo noir mystery-thriller film starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones and directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay was adapted (in collaboration with David Zelag Goodman) from a spec script titled '' ...
''; it was later featured in the film ''The Nanny Diaries
''The Nanny Diaries'' is a 2002 novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, both of whom are former nannies. The book satirizes upper-class Manhattan society as seen through the eyes of their children's caregivers.
Writing
The writers were studen ...
'' and the final year of HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
’s ''Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City (newspaper column), newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the ...
''. Other co-writes and co-productions include " Breakin' Down the Walls of Heartache", a major UK hit in 1968 for Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon
Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon were an American vocal soul group, prominent in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Career
Originally known simply as The Bandwagon, they were formed in 1967 and featured Artie Fullilove, Billy Bradley, Terry Lewis and ...
, and Samantha Sang
Cheryl Lau Sang (born 5 August 1951), known professionally as Samantha Sang, is an Australian singer. She had an earlier career as a teenage singer under the stage name Cheryl Gray, before adopting the stage name she is more widely known as in 1 ...
's 1978 chart hit "You Keep Me Dancin'". He also co-produced "You Can Do Magic", a 1973 UK top ten and US Hot 100 hit for Limmie and the Family Cookin'
Limmie & Family Cookin' was an American family soul and pop group from Canton, Ohio, Canton, Ohio.
History
Although Limmie Snell was born in Dalton, Alabama, his family moved to Canton when he was very young. He recorded with Columbia Records f ...
. He produced the eponymous 1976 album by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, including the hit single "Cherchez La Femme
''Cherchez la femme'' () is a French phrase which literally means 'look for the woman'. It is a cliche in detective fiction, used to suggest that a mystery can be resolved by identifying a femme fatale or female love interest.
Origin of the p ...
", as well as band leader Cory Daye's first solo album.[
In 1980, he returned to working with Odyssey, co-writing (with L. Russell Brown) and producing the no. 1 UK hit " Use It Up and Wear It Out". He later co-wrote, with David Wolfert, "]I Believe in You and Me
"I Believe in You and Me" is a song written by Sandy Linzer and David Wolfert in 1982. The song was first recorded and released by the R&B group The Four Tops, who released it as a single from their album '' One More Mountain'' (1982). While it fa ...
", originally recorded in 1982 by The Four Tops
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. The song was covered by Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
for the soundtrack of the 1996 film ''The Preacher's Wife
''The Preacher's Wife'' is a 1996 American comedy-drama film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance. It is a remake of the 1947 film ''The Bishop's Wife'', which in turn was based on the 1 ...
'' and became a no. 4 hit single. Linzer also teamed up with Kool & The Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...
on ''Fresh
Fresh or FRESH may refer to:
People
*DJ Fresh (born 1977), UK-based drum and bass artist
*DJ Fresh (producer), US-based R&B producer born Marqus Brown
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Fresh'' (1994 film), a crime film
* ''Fresh'' (200 ...
'', which was a worldwide hit in 1985.
Linzer also wrote the lyrics for the song "Spanish Eyes", recorded by the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.
The gr ...
on their 1999 album ''Millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
''. In 2001 he produced and co-wrote the songs on Billy Gilman
William Wendell Gilman III (born May 24, 1988) is an American singer. Starting as a young country artist, he is known for his debut single " One Voice", a top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and a top 20 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country ...
's self-titled album. By 2007, he was working on joint projects with Charlie Calello
Charles Calello (born August 24, 1938) is an American arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey. Calello attended Newark Arts High School and the Manhattan School of Music, in New York City. His track ...
on TV show proposals, and creating musical greetings cards.[
]
Copyright lawsuit
A copyright lawsuit against Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco- pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Gramm ...
by songwriters L. Russell Brown and Linzer "claimed that '' Levitating'' infringed on their 1979 disco song '' Wiggle and Giggle All Night''".
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Linzer, Sandy
1941 births
Living people
American male songwriters
American record producers