United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
-based
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the pr ...
, founded in 1957 and based in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records.
History
Swan Records had enjoyed chart success with several U.S. artists but came into the spotlight after EMI, a prestigious British music company headquartered in London, leased
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' recording of " She Loves You" backed with " I'll Get You" and, as catalogue number Swan 4152, it became an American number 1 hit on March 21, 1964. This followed the decision made by EMI's American subsidiary
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
not to exercise its option to release the Beatles singles in the U.S.
Swan also assumed the rights to the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
version of "She Loves You", "Sie Liebt Dich" which peaked at #97 in 1964.
The success of the "She Loves You" single kept Swan going while other small record labels were snowed under by the
British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" o ...
, but it finally closed filing bankruptcy in
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
.
The company was initially built on the strength of staff producer/writers Bob Crewe and Frank Slay.
Outside of "She Loves You", Swan's most remembered hit was " Palisades Park" in 1962, written by
Chuck Barris
Charles Hirsch Barris (June 3, 1929 – March 21, 2017) was an American game show creator, producer, and host. Barris was known for hosting '' The Gong Show'' and creating '' The Dating Game'' and '' The Newlywed Game''. He was also a songwr ...
, and performed by the most successful artist on the label,
Freddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. (born December 4, 1936), better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", " Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and " ...
, who also scored hits with "
Tallahassee Lassie
"Tallahassee Lassie" is a song written by Bob Crewe, Frank Slay, and Frederick Picariello and performed by Freddy Cannon (Picariello's stage name).
The song was featured on his 1960 album '' The Explosive! Freddy Cannon''. The song was produced ...
Wild Weekend
"Wild Weekend" is an instrumental written by Phil Todaro and Tom Shannon and performed by The Rockin' Rebels. It reached #8 on the U.S. pop chart and #28 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1963. The song was originally recorded as the theme for Shanno ...
" (which in fact was written as a radio jingle for a Buffalo disc jockey). Originally released on the Masters Releasing label Mar-Lee in 1960. Link Wray, best remembered for his classic 1958 instrumental "Rumble", had a modest hit at Swan with "Jack The Ripper".
Swan was co-owned by Bernie Binnick and Tony Mammarella, with
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...
reported to having a financial investment in it. When the payola scandals of the early 1960s broke, Clark divested himself of all of his outside interests to avoid conflict of interest. The label was distributed by fellow Philadelphian record company
Cameo-Parkway Records
Cameo-Parkway Records was the parent company of Cameo Records and Parkway Records, which were major American Philadelphia-based record labels from 1956 (for Cameo) and 1958 (for Parkway) to 1967. Among the types of music released were doo-wop ...
, which at the time was the hottest label for teenage dance crazes ("The Twist", "Limbo Rock", "(Do) The Bird", "Wah-Watusi", "Mashed Potato Time", "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)", "Hully Gully Baby", "Bristol Stomp", "(Do the) New Continental").
The first hit for the Swan label was "Click Clack" by Dickie Doo and the Don'ts, a studio recording produced by Gerry Granahan under the pseudonym that was actually the nickname Dick Clark called his infant son, Dick Clark, Jr.
In 1958, Mary Swan recorded "
My Heart Belongs to Only You
"My Heart Belongs to Only You" is a song written by Frank Daniels & Dorothy Daniels. Bette McLaurin and June Christy both released versions of the song in 1952.
In 1953, the song reached No. 27 on ''Cash Box''s chart of "The Nation's Top 50 Best ...
" #S4016B, and in 1959, she had a moderate hit with "Prisoner of Love", Swan #4028.
The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees is an American female vocal group formed circa 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although 16 women have been members over the years, the group has always been a trio. The current line-up consists of Helen Scott, Valerie Holi ...
had a moderate hit with a cover version of
the Five Keys
The Five Keys were an American rhythm and blues vocal group who were instrumental in shaping this genre in the 1950s.
They were formed with the original name of Sentimental Four in Newport News, Virginia, US, in the late 1940s, and initially co ...
Roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...
with their remake of the Chantel's "Maybe" and "When Will I See You Again" on Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's
Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records (PIR) was an American record label based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1971 by songwriting and production duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff along with their longtime collaborator Thom Bell. ...
.
In 1973 Masters Releasing, Inc. (Corsican, Mar-Lee, Thunderbird, Sahara record labels) purchased from the bankruptcy Trustee all the sound recording rights of Swan including the master tapes. Masters Releasing was owned at the time by record executives Steve Brodie and Leonard "Lenny" Silver, who later formed Amherst Records. In addition, Freddy Cannon currently has complete control and ownership of his Swan recordings from Masters Releasing, as well as those released by Warner Bros. Records. In the 80's Freddy Cannon release a single on Amherst Records.
The Swan label bears the message "Don't drop out" on many releases to encourage kids to stay in school.
In 2007,
Bruce Spizer
David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is a tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books, and is frequently quoted as an authority on the history of the band a ...
released the book ''The Beatles Swan Song: 'She Loves You' & Other Records''.Bruce Spizer, ''The Beatles Swan Song: "She Loves You" & Other Records'' (2007), It contains a detailed account of the records of The Beatles on the Swan label, as well as United Artists, Decca, Atco, MGM and Polydor, plus a section about the Capitol releases from the 70s and 80s.
Swan Records artists
*
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
Billy & Lillie Billy & Lillie were an American pop vocal duo, composed of Billy Ford (William T. Ford, March 9, 1919 or 1925 – March 1983) and Lillie Bryant (born February 14, 1940, Newburgh, New York).Joel Whitburn, ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits''. 7th e ...
Freddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. (born December 4, 1936), better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", " Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and " ...
*
Mary Swan
Mary Swan is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is also a trained librarian with a keen eye for history. Her novel ''The Boys in the Trees'', a shortlisted nominee for the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize.The Cobras
* Wayne Crawn
*
Danny & The Juniors
Danny & the Juniors are an American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally consisting of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova. Formed in 1955, they are most widely recognized for the ...
The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees is an American female vocal group formed circa 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although 16 women have been members over the years, the group has always been a trio. The current line-up consists of Helen Scott, Valerie Holi ...
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr. (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist who became popular in the late 1950s.
''Rolling Stone'' placed Wray at No. 45 of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. In 2013 ...
List of record labels
File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg
File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
File:Bingola1011b.jpg
Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ...