Search among John Twang's articles

Peter McCann wrote "Right Time of the Night" (McCann) in 1976 for his self-titled album. This was the B side of his top ten hit "Do You Wanna Make Love". In 1977 Grammy winner Jennifer Warnes hit the top ten and the top of the Easy Listening chart for

Delta blues musician Big Jim Williams wrote "Baby, Please Don't Go" as a 78 rpm release in 1935. He has recorded many versions since. The song has roots dating back more than a century to a tune called "Long John". Them (Van Morrison, Billy Harrison,

In 1961 Japan's Kyu Sakamoto recorded "Ue o Muite Aruko" (I Look Up As I Walk) (Ei - Nakamura). Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen recorded an instrumental version and used the title "Sukiyaki" because they thought the original title too difficult for their

Dario Moreno (David Arugete) sang "Pour Toi" (For You) (Gaste - Simonin - Bourquin) in the 1957 French motion picture "Le Feu Aux Poudres". Louis Gaste wrote the melody. In 1974 Brazil's Morris Albert (Mauricio Alberto Kaisermann) recorded the top ten

Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty" (Van Zandt) comes from the Jack Clement produced 1972 album "The Late Great Townes Van Zandt". He died on New Years Day, 1997 at the age of 52. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard hit with "Pancho and Lefty" in 1983 from

Gordon Lightfoot (Junior) composed "Ribbon of Darkness" and it was issued as a single in 1965 then showed up on his first album. "Lightfoot" was not released until 1966. The man is considered a Canadian treasure for many reasons including becoming an

Composer Jim Steinman is rightly associated with the career of Meat Loaf (Bat Out of Hell album, etc.) but he is also responsible for hits by others including Barry Manilow (Read'Em and Weep), Celine Dion (It's All Coming Back to Me Now), Air Supply

The 1960 British motion picture "Circus of Horrors" is responsible for our first exposure to England's Garry Mills signing "Look For a Star" (Mark Anthony). The composer was really Tony Hatch who wrote most of the Petula Clark hits along with Bobby

This is the original score from the 1968 motion picture "Hang 'em High" (Domenic Frontiere) starring Clint Eastwood. Among his co-stars were Ed Begley, Inger Stevens, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper, James MacArthur and Bob Steele! Composer,

In 1952 Nat "King" Cole issued the single "That's All" (Alan Brandt - Bob Haymes) arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle. The next year it appeared on the album "This is Nat King Cole". Ricky Nelson's cover reached the top fifty as the B side of "I'm

Even though he didn't have a recording contract at the time "I Drove All Night" (Steinberg - Kelly) was written for Roy Orbison and recorded in 1987 as a two take demo. E.L.O. and Traveling Wilbury member Jeff Lynne remixed the tune for the

According to Wikipedia "Puppy Love" was written in 1960 by Paul Anka specifically for Annette Funicello. Paul's version peaked at number two. Brother to Marie and others, Donny Osmond's cover produced by Mike Curb and Don Costa made it to number three on

In 1976 Boz (William Royce) Scaggs composed "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle" and "We're All Alone" for the "Silk Degrees" album. He used session musicians who would later form "Toto". The A side of the album's first single was "Lido Shuffle" and "We're All

The original Les Baxter version of "Quiet Village" (Baxter) seems to flow quiet well and naturally on the 1952 album "Ritual of the Savage". Les was a noted singer, pianist, orchestra leader, composer, musical director and sax player. The "father of

Wayne Shankin wrote and recorded "Jezebel" in 1951. Wayne is also the composer of "Chanson D'Amour" for Art and Dottie Todd, "The Big Hurt" and "West of the Wall" for Toni Fisher along with "Primrose lane" for Jerry Wallace. Frankie Laine, the Norman

The 1961 tune won the San Remo Song Festival and was Italy's entrant into the European Song contest "Al-Di-La" (Donida - Mogol). It was originally sung by Italian Betty Curtis (Roberta Corti). Carlo Donida also wrote the music for "I (Who Have Nothing)".

In 1959 a Brooklyn doo-wop group called The Laurels (Tommy Duffy, Harry Boyle, Tom Morrissey, Sam Capano and Willie Bender) recorded this demo of "Baby Blue" (Sam Guilino - Val Lagueux). Two years later three members: Tommy Duffy, Harry Boyle and Tom

Folklorist and member of the Grand Ole Opry, Jimmie Driftwood (Morris) wrote "The Tennessee Stud", just one of the more than six thousand songs he has been credited for composing. In 1959 Eddy Arnold recorded the album "Thereby Hangs a Tale`` and the

Brian Poole and the Tremeloes (Brian Poole Rick West, Alan Blakley, Dave Munden and Allan Howard) was the group that Decca Records chose instead of the Beatles. Following considerable group success Brian Poole tried a solo career while the four member

Samantha (Cheryl) Sang recorded the original "Change of Heart" (Carmen) single contained in her March 1978 album "Emotion". In September of 1978 came former lead singer for the Raspberries, Eric Carmen's album "Change of Heart" containing the single

"(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me" (Hal David - Burt Bacharach) was first recorded by Lou Johnson in 1964 even though the demo was done by Dionne Warwick in 1963. Background vocals were provided by Doris Troy, Dee Dee Warwick, and Cissy

The 1975 album "A Rumor In His Own Time" contains the original "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again" by composer/singer Jeffrey Comanor. Neither the single nor the album charted. Texans' England Dan (Seals) and John Ford Coley (Colley) topped the Adult

Joe South (Souter) was a well-known session man who played on Tommy Roe's "Sheila" and Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools" and he was an accomplished writer who composed "Birds of a Feather" and recorded it twice, once in 1968 as a single and again in 1969

In 1966 The Fireballs (George Tomsco, Jimmy Gilmer, Stan Lark and Doug Roberts) single "Say I Am" (George Tomsco) was released with some saying the tune was co-written by George's wife Barbara. It didn't matter much at the time because it was issued as a

Kenny Loggins released the 1978 album "Nightwatch" and the first version of "What a Fool Believes" (Loggins - McDonald). "Whenever I Call You Friend" is also on this album. The Michael McDonald incarnation of the Doobie Brothers (Michael McDonald,

Brenda Holloway and her sister Patrice had a little help with the composition when the tune "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (B. Holloway - P. Holloway - F. Wilson - B. Gordy) was issued as a single in 1967. The original charted top forty on both the pop

Hank (Hankins) Locklin first recorded "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On" in 1949 but there was no chart action. In 1957 it was recorded again for the album "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" and the single made it to number five on the Country chart

Supercharge (various members) was a British group with sometime vocalist and producer Robert "Mutt" Lange. This band was known for their live sets which resulted in them being signed by Richard Branson and Virgin records. "We Both Believe In Love" was

The six members of Milwaukee group The Corporation's (Kenneth Berdoll, John Kondos, Nick Kondos, Patrick McCarthy, Daniel Vincent Peil and Gerard Jon Smith) "Candida" (Levine - Wine) was based on a demo by composer Toni Wine. This was the first

In 1967 Jimmy Payne recorded "Woman, Woman" (Glaser - Payne) with legendary producer Billy Sherrill. The version here is actually from a live television show. The Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (Kerry Chater, Gary Withem, Dwight Bement and Paul

Band leader and pianist Gus Arnheim and his Orchestra with the vocal styling of Jimmy Farrell were the first to release the record "So Rare" (Sharpe - Herst) in 1937. A few members of his orchestra in the early thirties include Buddy Clark, Fred McMurray,

John D. Loudermilk is one of many composers that I have a great respect for and "Tobacco Road" is just one reason why this is so. He recorded the original in 1960. Mickie Most produced The Nashville Teens (Art Sharp, Ray Phillips, John Hawken, Terry

"Danke Shoen" was originally recorded by the multi-talented orchestra leader, composer, arranger and producer Bert Kaempfert (Kampfert) in 1962 as "Candelight Cafe" (Kaempfert - Schwabach). Bert was the man to hire The Beatles as backup for Tony Sheridan

Once upon a time there was a Los Angeles teen club called "The Cinnamon Cinder". Located in Studio City it was started by a local DJ from KRLA, Bob Eubanks. Bob went on to host "The Newlywed Game" while the club went on to become a small chain. This

Note the fact that there are now two posts for this song. Conflicting information exists and I am not certain which is correct so I leave that to the reader. The Peerless Quartet (John H. Meyer, Henry Burr, Frank Croxton and Albert Campbell) were first

Ray Stevens (Ragsdale) was first to record "Sunday Morning Coming Down" in 1969. This Monument single hit with small impact on both the country and pop charts. In chatting with Monument label owner Fred Foster, Fred was upset that Ray recorded this before

Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, Golden Globe and Grammy winner Liza Minnelli sang "Theme From New York, New York" (Kander - Ebb) from the Martin Scorsese film "New York, New York" in 1977. Frank Sinatra owned the song when he recorded it in 1979 on the Sonny

Frank Sinatra introduced "Time After Time" (Sammy Cahn - Jule Styne) with Kathryn Grayson (who sang it too, later in the film) in the movie "It Happened In Brooklyn" starring himself along with Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford and Jimmy Durante. This is how

Fritz Schulz-Reichel recorded the original Crazy Otto Medley in 1953. The opening tune is "Ivory Rag", "In der Nacht ist der Mensch nicht gern alleine", "Das machen nur die Beine von Dolores", "Was macht der alte Seemann" and the closing tune is Irving

The Mills Brothers "You Always Hurt the One You Love" (Allan Roberts - Doris Fisher) first reaching the top of the chart in 1944. Details on the group are elsewhere on this site. Accomplished pianist and trombonist, Clarence "Frogman" Henry's "You Always

Trumpeter and big band leader Charlie Spivak recorded "Mona Lisa" (Ray Evans - Jay Livingston) for the 1950 motion picture "Captain Carey, U.S.A." starring Alan Ladd. The movie was based on the novel "No Surrender" and filmed using the title "O.S.S." and

Founding member of the Ink Spots, Deek Watson and His Brown Dots (Joe King, Jimmy Gordon and Pat Best) recorded "Sentimental Reasons" (Watson - Best) in 1945. One of the smoothest voices ever, Nat "King" Cole recorded "(I Love You) For Sentimental

In 1948 Jacques Helian and his orchestra were first to record "C'est Si Bon" (Betti - Hornez) with vocalist Jean Marco. Yves Montand turned down the song. Louis Armstrong heard the song performed by Suzy Delair at the Nice Music Festival. In 1950 he and

Paul "The King of Jazz'" Whiteman's Concert Orchestra with Dana Suesse on piano recorded "Deep Purple" (Peter De Rose) in 1934. Peter De Rose also composed "Wagon Wheels", "Somebody Loves You", "Buena Sera" and "Have You Ever Been Lonely". This initial

"El Condor Pasa" (Robles) first appeared on record when issued by Orquesta del Zoológico in 1917. This is from an original 78 rpm release. The tune is based on traditional Andean folk songs and is considered a national treasure in Peru. Simon and

Kevin Johnson hit the top ten in his native Australia with "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" in 1973. It went to the top seventy in the U.S. The album of the same name was released in 1974. Terry Jacks issued "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave

"Marie" was featured in the 1928 motion picture "The Awakening" when it was sung off screen by an unnamed female vocalist. Singer, bandleader, musician, crooner, actor and one of the original teen idols, Rudy (Hubert) Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees

From the 1969 album "The Sonny Curtis Style" the opening track is "The Straight Life" (Curtis). Sonny was a member of the famous Crickets. If and when you get to Nashville look at the outside wall of the Country Music Hall of Fame and his name is proudly

In his relatively short life the driven Bert Russell (Berns) wrote and produced a ton of tunes including "Tell Her" in 1962 as recorded by Gil Hamilton aka Johnny Thunder. Please read Joel Selvin's "Here Comes the Night: The Dark Soul of Bert Berns and

This is the demo for Lynyrd Skynyrd's (Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Ed King, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington) "Freebird" (Collins - Van Zant) from the Muscle Shoals tapes before Billy Powell joined the group from roadie to keyboardist. This power ballad

From the 1967 album "The Magic Garden" comes The Fifth Dimension (Billy Davis Jr, Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore and Ron Townson) track "The Worst That Could Ever Happen" (J. Webb). Billy Davis Jr. takes the lead vocal as composer Jimmy

Johnny Valentine was first to record "Sandy" (Terry Fell) in 1958. If you have any information on "Johnny Valentine", please let me know. Peaking at fifteen in 1959 was Larry Hall and his one hit, "Sandy". Posted by Sandra Estlow: "My sister dated Larry

The gifted Don Gibson nicknamed "The Sad Poet" wrote and recorded "I Can't Stop Loving You" in 1957 and it peaked the next year in the country top ten while it entered the Billboard top one hundred. It was released as the B side of "Oh, Lonesome Me"

Don Gibson's career often crossed over from country to pop and "Sweet Dreams" is just one example. This is the first MGM recording from 1955 which hit the top ten on the country chart. In 1956 "The young sheriff and his country deputies", Faron Young