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The Vibrations had the original take; the McCoys would change two words of the title and make it a monster hit two years later; right in between a kid named Jeff Beck was playing some lickety-splits throughout the Yardbirds' version . . .
YouTube - Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford - Generally speaking attributed to Merle Travis first, but George S. Davis claimed Travis based it on a song of his. Everyone agrees this rendition is a cover.
Susan, mother of John and Charles Wesley---that is all i want to know. I happen to know a bit more--is it true or did a piece of information become distorted --that has always happened.
My grandmother's name--she was a strong, good woman. born in the South. after the War. not an easy life--worked hard--any man that cannot sing 'Oh Susannah' the right way--get out of my face--that is all I know. 'dixie'--a few things went right there, fwiw.
"The Locomotion" apparently is a can't-miss song, as it's charted for Little Eva, Grand Funk Railroad and Kylie Minogue and has been covered by other artists, including Carole King. My favorite is this...
"Deep Purple" was the biggest hit written by pianist Peter DeRose, who broadcast with May Singhi as "The Sweethearts of the Air" from 1923 to 1939 on the radio. "Deep Purple" was published in 1933 as a piano composition. The following year, Paul Whiteman had it scored for his Big Band orchestra... "Deep Purple" became so popular in sheet music sales that Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1938. Larry Clinton & His Orchestra recorded one of the most popular versions, featuring vocalist Bea Wain. Released in January 1939 on Victor Records, the recording was No. 1 on the U.S. popular music charts for nine consecutive weeks in 1939. The next most popular version was made by Artie Shaw with vocalist Helen Forrest. ... The song remained a traditional pop favorite, recast in 1957 as a doo wop classic by The Dominoes. Screamin' Jay Hawkins released his version of "Deep Purple" on his 1958 album, At Home with Screamin' Jay.
Saxophone player Earl Bostic had an instrumental hit circa 1951, along with his biggest hit "Flamingo". Joe Loss & His Orchestra recorded it in 1956. Pop/jazz recording artist Joni James covered "Deep Purple" for her 1956 album "In the Still of the Night". The song was released by Ralph Marterie on his 1959 album. The second most popular version, which hit No. 1 on the U.S. pop charts (the 100th song to do so) in November 1963 and also won that year's Grammy Award for Best Rock and Roll Record, was recorded by Nino Tempo & April Stevens (who were brother and sister). ... This version is notable for April's speaking the lyrics in a low and sweet voice during the second half of the song while her brother sings. According to Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, when the duo first recorded the song as a demo, Tempo forgot the words, and Stevens spoke the lyrics to the song to remind him. The record's producers thought Stevens' spoken interludes were "cute" and should be included on the finished product, but, according to Stevens, her brother was not as easily convinced: "He didn't want anyone talking while he was singing!" ... This version was intended to be the flipside of a song titled "I've Been Carrying A Torch For You So Long That It Burned A Great Big Hole In My Heart". However, radio stations preferred "Deep Purple". Al Hirt released a version on his 1965 album "They're Playing Our Song".
Another brother-and-sister team, Donny & Marie Osmond, revived "Deep Purple" in March 1976 and took it into the Top 20, peaking at No. 14 on Billboard Hot 100, with Marie intoning the lyrics during the break. As an interesting aside, the song that succeeded the Tempo/Stevens version of "Deep Purple" at number one on the Billboard chart, "I'm Leaving It Up To You" by Dale & Grace, was also a hit over a decade later in a cover version by Donny & Marie (in 1974).
In 1978 The Beach Boys recorded a version for their (still unreleased) album "Adult Child". This recording, along with the rest of the album, has been circulating amongst collectors for many years.
Eileen Brennan and Peter Falk sing it in duet in the film "The Cheap Detective" (1978).
A recording by Vic Damone featured in the film "Donnie Brasco" (1997). PLUS: Somewhere in there, Jackie Gleason AND Mantovani released instrumental versions!
NOTE: The British rock band Deep Purple got their name from Pete De Rose's hit after guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's grandmother repeatedly asked if they would be performing the song, her personal favorite.
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