Winning Hand Volume 4: The Deck is Stacked ...with (Count 'em) 4 Pairs Up Shady's Sleeve!

Welcome to Winning Hand:

FOUR PAIRS
UP SHADY'S SLEEVE!

In this edition of the series I have posted four pairs of songs.
Each pair contains the original and a cover. I am curious
to know which version or versions you prefer.

I might be a wild card and

a joker... but I'm no poker.

Therefore, without further delay, I will introduce
the kings and queens of song in today's post.

Remember, ladies and gentlemen...

This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.

 EDDIE COCHRAN 

Rock & roll and rockabilly star Eddie Cochran died young at the age of
21 on Easter Sunday, 1960, as a result of a car crash that occurred while
he was touring in the UK. "Sweetie Pie," a song Eddie co-wrote and
recorded in 1957, remained in the vault until the late summer of
1960 when it was released posthumously on a single as the
B side of "Lonely." Neither song charted in the U.S. but
in Britain "Lonely" grazed the top 40 and
"Sweetie Pie" peaked at #38.

"Sweetie Pie" - Eddie Cochran

(Sept./Oct. 1960, B side of "Lonely,"
highest chart pos. #38 UK)

 THE BLUEBELL SISTERS 

Now here's a delightful cover of Eddie Cochran's "Sweetie Pie" performed
by The Bluebell Sisters, a retro style girl group from Montreal, Canada,
that specializes in 1940s jump blues and 50s doo-wop and rockabilly.

"SweetiePie" 

Eddie Cochran cover by The Bluebell Sisters

(Mar. 2018)

 SARAH JANE 

This is my own video that I uploaded to YouTube after buying a various artists

CD of Brit girl pop and being blown away by mystery artist Sarah Jane. It is

the English sparrow's 1966 cover of "Listen People," a dramatic version of

the song that was a top 5 U.S. hit for Herman's Hermits that same year.

Sarah Jane has been compared to Marianne Faithfull because of her

hauntingly beautiful voice and style. Listen, people, to-- Sarah Jane!

"Listen People"
Herman's Hermits cover by Sarah Jane
(May 1966)

 HERMAN'S HERMITS 

Now listen to the original. Based on the church hymn "Jesus Let Us Come

To Know You" and featured in the 1965 Connie Francis movie musical

When the Boys Meet the Girls, Herman's Hermits do "Listen People."

"Listen People" - Herman's Hermits

(Feb./Mar. 1966, highest chart pos. #3 Hot 100 & Cash Box,

scene from Oct. 1965 film When the Boys Meet the Girls)

 AMY SLATTERY 

I am pleased to welcome back the delightful Amy Slattery, the English singer,

guitar player and multi-instrumentalist discovered by talent scout Chris Griffin

and introduced on the old blog Shady Dell Music & Memories. Amy specializes

in Beatles covers and here's one of her best-- The Ballad Of John And Yoko!"

"The Ballad Of John And Yoko" 
Beatles cover by Amy Slattery

(May 2018)

 THE BEATLES 

Now here is the nicely remastered mix of the original single released by

The Beatles in the spring of 1969. Written by John, the song about the

"Yoko effect" on the band, fans and the media, shot to #1 on the UK

chart, becoming the Beatles' 17th and last chart topping hit on that

survey. It is surprisingly to me that this Beatles classic didn't do

as well on the U.S. chart, halting in the lower part of the

top 10 on Billboard and Cash Box.

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" - The Beatles

(June/July 1969, highest chart pos. #1 UK/#8 Hot 100/#10 Cash Box)

 LITTLE PEGGY MARCH 

In 1963, diminutive singer Little Peggy March set a record (that still stands) as the

youngest female artist to achieve a number one hit single. Peggy was 14 when she

waxed "I Will Follow Him" and had just turned 15 when the record began its climb

to the top of the chart. Peggy's hit is actually a cover version of the song. In 1961

French composer, arranger and conductor Franck Pourcel was the first to record

the tune as an instrumental, followed by a French language version of the song

released by Pet Clark in 1962. Another instrumental version was recorded by

Percy Faith. Watch this cool hybrid YouTube video that combines footage

from two Peggy March television appearances, one on American TV and

the other on Japanese TV, as she performs her classic of the innocent

pre-Beatles teen pop era - "I Will Follow Him!"

"I Will Follow Him" - Little Peggy March

(Apr./May 1963, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

 RICK NELSON 

Later that same year, 1963, Rick Nelson released the studio album

For Your Sweet Love. One of the tracks on the album is an answer
to Peggy March's signature song. On an episode of his family TV
sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Rick sang his
version of the song entitled-- "I Will Follow You!"

"I Will Follow You" 
Little Peggy March cover by Rick Nelson

(from 1963 album For Your Sweet Love, perf. on

June 6, 1963 ep. of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet)

I think these musical
kings and queens are aces!

Do you agree? 

Have a Shady day!