Kokomo-Asia Minor

     鋼琴手、編曲、作曲人、製作人Jimmy Wisner三月13日去世(86歲)，他改編自葛里格a小調鋼琴協奏曲的"Asia Minor"，1961年曾經用 Kokomo之名推出，獲得熱門排行榜第8名。

  Jimmy Wisner 1931年出生於費城，他寫的"Don't Throw Your Love Away"是英國 搖滾樂團the Searchers的一首暢銷曲，1964年獲得過第16名。

    而身為製作人，Jimmy Wisner曾經和Tommy James、 Bobby Rydell 、 Neil Sedaka、 Freddy Cannon、Len Barry、Spanky & Our Gang 及 Carly Simon等圈內知名歌手合作過。

   來自英國利物浦的搖滾樂團the Searchers 以1964年的Needles And Pins（#13）成名，他們在排行榜上名次最好的歌是同年底獲得2週第3名的Love Potion Number 9。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IS3YnvAkDw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSCbiK2Cfb0

DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY

The Searchers

(Jackson / Wisner)

- lyrics as recorded by The Searchers

Don't throw your love away, no, no, no, no

Don't throw your love away

For you might need it someday

Don't throw your dreams away, no, no, no, no

Keep them another day

For you might need them someday

Lovers of today just throw their dreams away

And play at love

They give their love away

To anyone who'll say "I love you"

Don't throw your love away, no, no, no, no

Don't throw your love away

For you might need it someday

Lovers of today just throw their dreams away

And play at love

They give their love away

To anyone who'll say "I love you"

Go out and have your fun

You better have your fun with anyone

But don't throw your love away

Don't throw your love away, no, no, no, no

Don't throw your love away

For you might need it someday

Don't throw your love away, no, no, no, no

Don't throw your love away, yeah

The Vogues -Turn Around, Look At Me

The Vogues 合唱團的主唱、中音歌手Bill Burkette ，3月1日不幸因淋巴癌於賓州 Murrsyville住家附近的照護中心去世（75歲 ），Bill Burkette曾經在The Vogues 合唱團的暢銷曲"You're The One" (#4-1965)、"Turn Around, Look At Me" (#7-1968) 及 "Five O'Clock World" (#4-1966)演唱。

Bill Burkette 出生於賓州 Turtle Creek，在讀Turtle Creek中學的時候組了一個 Val-Ares 合唱團，他們曾參加DJ Porky Chedwick在匹茲堡的歌唱比賽獲得冠軍，但因服兵役的關係，他們沒法進一步發展。

退伍後她們又回到匹茲堡上廣播節目，節目指導John Rook推薦他們給Co & Ce唱片公司並改名the Vogues，他們共有8首 top 40的暢銷曲，但4首歌是後來在Reprise唱片推出的。

Bill Burkette於1983年離團回故鄉，他去當一家裝修用品店銷售經理，The Vogues因而失去了靈魂人物，剩下的夥伴們只允許在賓州部分地區以The Vogues之名繼續演出，雖然Bill Burkette 於2008年曾復出加入過全國性合唱團，但也僅是很短一段時間。

The Vogues 合唱團於2001被選入演唱團體名人堂。

1968年得到第7名的"Turn Around, Look At Me"是一首動聽的情歌。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2K_0lsb4zU

"Turn Around, Look At Me"

There is someone walking behind you

Turn around, look at me

There is someone watching your footsteps

Turn around, look at me

There is someone who really needs you

Here's my heart in my hand

Turn around

(Turn around)

Look at me

(Look at me)

Understand, understand

That there's someone who'll stand beside you

Turn around, look at me

And there's someone to love and guide you

Turn around, look at me

Oh, I've waited, but I'll wait forever

For you to come to me

Look at someone

(Look at someone)

Who really loves you

(Yeah, really loves you)

Turn around, look at me

Connie Francis-Everybody's Somebody's Fool

   到今年8月4日Billboard Hot 100排行榜就要慶祝六十年了， Hot 100 排行榜第一首冠軍曲是Ricky Nelson的"Poor Little Fool"，第一首合唱團演唱的冠軍曲是The Elegants的 "Little Star"，這一首歌也是 "Poor Little Fool"及 Domenico Modugno的 "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volaré)"之後Hot 100 排行榜的第三首冠軍曲。

而Billboard Hot 100排行榜的第一首由女聲演唱的冠軍曲是哪一位女歌星唱的呢?

那是1960年6月27日由 Connie Francis所唱的 "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" 。

Connie Francis  1938年出生於美國紐澤西州紐瓦克，本名Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero，1955年在MGM公司錄了第一張唱片，1961-1965年開始在Where The Boys Are、Follow The Boys等電影演出，1974年8月他因不幸遭到強暴而停止了演藝事業，直到1978年他才在Dick Clark的「週三夜電視秀」復出。

Connie Francis是1950年代後期至1960年代中期最受歡迎的女歌星，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第26名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvZnM9qcCXc

Everybody's Somebody's Fool

Artist: Connie Francis (peak Billboard position # 1 in 1960)

Words and Music by Howie Greenfield and Jack Keller

The tears I cried for you could fill an ocean

But you don't care how many tears I cry

And though you only lead me on and hurt me

I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye

CHORUS

Cuz everybody's somebody's fool

Everybody's somebody's plaything

And there are no exceptions to the ru-u-ule

Yes, everybody's somebody's fool

I told myself it's best that I forget you

Though I'm a fool at least I know the score

Yet darlin' I'd be twice as blue without you

It hurts but I'd come runnin' back for more

CHORUS

Someday you'll find someone you really care for

And if her love should prove to be untrue

You'll know how much this heart of mine is breakin'

You'll cry for her the way I cry for you

Yes, everybody's somebody's fool

Everybody's somebody's plaything

And there are no exceptions to the ru-u-ule

Yes, everybody's somebody's fool

Vic Damone-An Affair To Remember

在湯姆漢克與梅格萊恩主演的老片「西雅圖夜未眠」Sleepless in Seattle (1993)裡，曾提及更老的電影「金玉盟」An Affair To Remember (1957)的故事，這一部由卡萊格倫及黛伯拉寇兒主演的經典老片裡，有一首動聽的同名插曲，在電影裡由老奶奶彈奏的片段很是感人，後來由Vic Damone演唱在熱門排行榜得過第16名。

Vic Damone (nee Vito Farinola)已於二月11日病逝於邁阿密（89歲），在去世前幾天，Vic還接到他一位老朋友的電話，這位朋友就是美國總統川普。

出生於紐約布魯克林區的Vic Damone是一位很受同期歌王Frank Sinatra推崇的歌謠演唱者，1947-1953年曾有32首暢銷曲進入熱門排行榜，其中包括1949年的冠軍曲"You're Breaking My Heart" 及"On The Street Where You Live" (#4-1956) 與"An Affair To Remember" (#16-1957)，他曾經 客串演過幾部電影，也主持過電視節目。

Vic Damone 結過五次婚，他的自傳"Singing Was The Easy Part"於2009年出版。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssFotIANHQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NexkYhw4Hxc

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (Our Love Affair)

- words by Harold Adamson and Leo McCarey, music by Harry Warren

Our love affair is a wondrous thing

That we'll rejoice in remembering

Our love was born with our first embrace

And a page was torn out of time and space

Our love affair, may it always be

A flame to burn through eternity

So take my hand with a fervent prayer

That we may live and we may share

A love affair to remember

Tommy Roe-Dizzy

在Elton John 與Paul Simon宣告他們的告別演唱會後，另一位1960年代的知名歌手Tommy Roe也於二月8日宣佈退休。

現年75歲的Tommy Roe 1942年出生於美國喬治亞州亞特蘭大，是一位流行搖滾歌手、吉它手及作曲人，中學時代他即組過樂團，1950年代後期曾在當地俱樂部演出，樂團亦曾於Judd唱片公司錄過唱片，1960年代中期他轉往英國發展，1969年才回美國。

Tommy Roe於1962年以Sheila獲得二週冠軍而走紅，但是他1966年的Sweet Pea（#8）及Hooray For Hazel （#6）都比較偏Bubblegum Sound「泡泡糖搖滾」，製作人Steve Barri（Eve of Destruction 的製作人及作曲）希望Tommy Roe的新歌能回到Sheila那種Buddy Holly的老搖滾樂風，Barri幫Tommy Roe製作了三張單曲，前二首歌有Sheila的感覺，而第三首歌Dizzy則比較「泡泡糖搖滾」，Tommy Roe說Steve Barri喜歡Dizzy小部份，他喜歡大部份。

Freddy Weller是Tommy Roe同鄉，曾是Paul Revere 的Raiders合唱團一員，他倆一同完成Dizzy這一首歌。

Dizzy 在混音的時候 ，Steve Barri覺得少了點甚麼，他要編曲Jimmie Haskell加弦樂進去，這在當時是一個創舉 ，他回想： Dizzy的成功弦樂是主要的因素。

儘管Dizzy是一首「泡泡糖搖滾」，但成了Tommy Roe最暢銷的歌，Dizzy於1969年二月1日推出獲得第86名，但六週後爬上了熱門排行榜冠軍，而且持續四週之久。

Tommy Roe表示：我從此退出舞台上的聚光燈和訪問，再次感謝你們的支持，我愛你們，願神保佑你。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s_DKiTUty0

DIZZY

Tommy Roe

(Roe/Weller)

  Dizzy

  I'm so dizzy, my head is spinnin'

  Like a whirlpool, it never ends

  And it's you, girl, makin' it spin

  You're makin' me dizzy

First time that I saw you, girl, I knew that I just had to make you mine

But it's so hard to talk to you with fellas hangin' round you all the time

I want you for my sweet pet

But you keep playin' hard to get

Goin' around in circles all the time

  Dizzy

  I'm so dizzy, my head is spinnin'

  Like a whirlpool, it never ends

  And it's you, girl, makin' it spin

  You're makin' me dizzy

I finally got to talk to you and I told you just exactly how I felt

Then I held you close to me and kissed you and my heart began to melt

Girl, you've got control of me

'Cause I'm so dizzy I can't see

I need to call a doctor for some help

  Dizzy

  I'm so dizzy, my head is spinnin'

  Like a whirlpool, it never ends

  And it's you, girl, makin' it spin

  You're makin' me dizzy

  My head is spinnin'

  Like a whirlpool, it never ends

  And it's you, girl, makin' it spin

  You're makin' me dizzy

  Oh, I'm so dizzy

  You're makin' me dizzy

  Yeah, I'm so dizzy

The Temptations-I Can't Get Next To You

The Temptations合唱團後期的團員Dennis Edwards二月2日不幸去世，出生於美國阿拉巴馬州Fairfield的他才剛過75歲生日。

Dennis Edwards曾經在Temptations合唱團的暢銷曲"Ball Of Confusion", "I Can't Get Next To You", "Cloud Nine" 及 "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"中與其它團員合唱。

Dennis Edwards 10歲時全家搬到底特律，當時就開始在the Mighty Clouds of Joy合唱團演唱福音歌曲，1961年他錄過一張單曲，是一首非宗教的歌，但因為去當兵而暫停他剛起步的歌唱事業。

1966年，Dennis Edwards被Motown唱片公司選上，他先被安排與the Contours合唱團一起唱了很短的一段時間，後來轉與The Temptations合唱團搭檔，他取代了因走紅而目空一切被開除的團員David Ruffin，但是1977年Dennis Edwards曾自己離團而去，過了三年才回團。

近年來Dennis Edwards以"Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards"之名巡迴演唱，只算是從原始Temptations合唱團分離出來的團，他曾與the Pointer Sisters合唱團的Ruth Pointer結過婚，但在一起時間很短。

1989年，Dennis Edwards與the Temptations一起進入搖滾樂名人堂。

The Temptations合唱團是歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團第21名的超級合唱團，1962-2000年的演唱事業成績優異，曾經被譽為美國最佳R&B合唱團。

"I Can't Get Next To You"是The Temptations合唱團1969年獲得二周冠軍的歌。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RfGe6MvY84

I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU

The Temptations

(Whitfield/Strong)

I can turn your gray sky blue

I could make it rain whenever I wanted to

I can build a castle from a single grain of sand

I can make a ship sail on dry land

But my life is incomplete and I'm so blue

'Cause I can't get next to you

Next to you, I just can't get next to you

I can fly like a bird in the sky

Hey, and I can buy anything that money can buy

I can turn a river into a raging fire

I could live forever if I so desired

Unimportant are all these things I can do

'Cause I can't get next to you

No matter what I do

I can turn back the hands of time

You'd better believe I can

I can make the seasons change

Just by a wave of my hand

I can change anything from old to new

The thing I want to do the most I'm unable to do

Unhappy am I with all the powers I possess

'Cause girl, you're the key to my happiness

And I, wo, I can't get next to you

(fade):

Girl, you're blowin' my mind 'cause I can't get (next to you)

Can't you see these tears I'm cryin'?  I can't get (next to you)

Girl, it's you that I need; I gotta get (next to you)

---

 [u1]

Buzz Clifford-Baby Sittin' Boogie

1961年以一首風格很特殊的歌"Baby Sittin' Boogie" (#6)成名而令人懷念的Reese "Buzz" Clifford（本名Reese Francis Clifford III），元月26日因流感併發症去世（75歲）。

Buzz Clifford出生於美國伊里諾州Berwyn，他原先想把"Baby Sittin' Boogie"放在"Driftwood" 45轉單曲小唱片的B面，但因為他們把製作人及作曲Johnny Parker兒子和女兒的童音錄在歌裡，而產生了很好的效果，反而得到很好的成績，但是接著推出"Three Little Fishes"就不行了，只得到102名。

當年屬於Teen pop-novelty singer的"Buzz" Clifford，後來一直待在流行音樂圈，他大多時間在作曲，但也曾經跟一位演員Gary Busey的樂隊一起唱過歌。

"Baby Sittin' Boogie"經後人剪了很有趣的video，讓人回憶起50與60年代那些以青少年為對象，有創意的Teen pop-novelty singers歌手。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HYh2k3bTmM

Baby Sittin' Boogie

(gggggggggggggggg da da da-da-da-da!)

My girl baby sister saw it on her block

Then I come up to join her and we start to rock

The baby hears the beat and man it is a shock

When he goes (ggggggggggggg ggggggg)

A rockin type a boogie is the kind a song

That makes this little baby wanna sing along

And though he maybe gets the tune alittle wrong

He still goes (boogie-on-na-day)

He isn't too young to really feel the beat

He rocks back and forth in his little seat

He claps both his hands and he taps his feet

And he sings (doo-doo-da-da-da-da-da)

He is a hully-gully-bouncin-baby-boy

You know the record player is his favorite toy

And dont forget hes eveybodys pride and joy

When he goes (ooo-ah-ge-he)

(Yo-a-ah-ah)

(Ladaladalada)

I know there isnt anyone to take a bet

But surely hes the youngest teenager yet

And probably the hippest of the diaper set

Cause he goes (go man, I like that!)

He strolls in his stroller with the radio on

He doesn't go to sleep until the musics gone

He imitates the singer in the group

With a low down voice (dug-a-dug-a)

And when its time to tuck him in his little bed

With all that music runnin through his sleepy head

The little fella doesnt say goodnight

Instead, but he says (boog-ooo, boog-ooo, boog-ooo

Aaaaaaaaaaallllllllllll gone!)