1940s, Pop

You’ll Never Walk Alone

December 22, 2014

First commercial recording by Frank Sinatra (US #9 1946).
Other hit versions by Roy Hamilton (R&B #1 1954), Gerry & the Pacemakers (US #48/UK #1 1963).

http://youtu.be/BYMm5q_tmpQ

From the wiki: “‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. Besides the recordings of the song on the Carousel cast albums and the film soundtrack, the song has been recorded by many artists, with notable hit versions by Frank Sinatra, Roy Hamilton (‘Unchained Melody‘), and Gerry & the Pacemakers (‘Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying‘).

Hello Little Girl

April 30, 2014

Written and first recorded by The Beatles (1962).
Hit version by The Fourmost (UK #9 1963).
Also recorded by Gerry & The Pacemakers (1963).

From the wiki: “‘Hello Little Girl’ was the first song ever written by John Lennon (but credited to Lennon-McCartney). According to Lennon, he drew ‘on an old ’30s or ’40s song’ that his mother sang to him. Written in 1957, ‘Hello Little Girl’ was used as one of the songs at the Beatles unsuccessful Decca audition in 1962.

“In 1963, the English Merseybeat band The Fourmost made a recording of the song (produced by George Martin) and released it as their debut single. Two weeks later, Gerry & The Pacemakers also recorded a version of the song. But the Fourmost recording was selected as the promotional single issue and reached #9 in the United Kingdom.”

Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying

September 19, 2013

First recorded and released by Louise Cordet (February 1964).
Hit version by Gerry & The Pacemakers (US #4/CAN #5/UK #6/AUS #26/NZ #6 April 1964).

From the wiki: “The song, written by Gerry Marsden, Freddie Marsden, Les Chadwick and Les Maguire, the members of British beat group Gerry & the Pacemakers, was given first to Louise Cordet, a singer who had previously toured with the group as well as with The Beatles. Her version was released on Decca Records in February 1964 with no apparent chart impact.

“Gerry & The Pacemakers then decided to produce their own version. It was released on EMI Records in the U.K. in April 1964 as the group’s fifth single in Britain, where it reached #6 in the UK Singles chart.

How Do You Do It

May 4, 2013

First recorded by The Beatles (1962).
Hit version by Gerry & The Pacemakers (US #9/UK #1 1963).

From the wiki: “The song was written by Mitch Murray. Adam Faith had been offered the song but turned it down and The Beatles recorded a version of it, which would not be released until it appeared on the group’s retrospective Anthology 1 album in 1995.

Tagged: Gerry & The Pacemakers