Howdy Everyone!
This week I tried to do something a bit different. This is an overview of a song that was really big in 1960 but has a much bigger history. For example, I did not know that "Sparks of Rhythm" were the original group that sang the song. Feel free to stop listening to this one off early. It's a job to listen to. Note: this version is not in Bill's library! And I won't be putting it there! The "Jimmy Jones" version is in Bill's music as is the "James Taylor" version. I will be adding the Dell Shannon version when I next see Bill (hopefully in early May)
"Handy Man" is a rock and roll song credited to singer Jimmy Jones and songwriter Otis Blackwell. It was originally recorded by The Sparks Of Rhythm, a group Jones had been a member of when he wrote it, although he was not with them when they recorded it. In 1959, Jones recorded the song himself, in a version which had been reworked by Blackwell[1], who also produced the session. "Handy Man" went to number three on the R&B charts and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, becoming a million seller.[1] The song is noted for the "Come-uh come-uh come-uh come come,/Yeagh Yeagh Yeagh", heard in the introduction and the coda. The song was a hit again in 1964 for Del Shannon and again in 1977 for James Taylor. Measured in terms of peak position on any Billboard chart, Taylor's version of the song was the most successful, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult contemporary chart.[2] Taylor's version also earned him his second Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Taylor's version featured Leah Kunkel, the ex wife of Russ Kunkel, as backup singer.(thanks WIKI)
This week I tried to do something a bit different. This is an overview of a song that was really big in 1960 but has a much bigger history. For example, I did not know that "Sparks of Rhythm" were the original group that sang the song. Feel free to stop listening to this one off early. It's a job to listen to. Note: this version is not in Bill's library! And I won't be putting it there! The "Jimmy Jones" version is in Bill's music as is the "James Taylor" version. I will be adding the Dell Shannon version when I next see Bill (hopefully in early May)
"Handy Man" is a rock and roll song credited to singer Jimmy Jones and songwriter Otis Blackwell. It was originally recorded by The Sparks Of Rhythm, a group Jones had been a member of when he wrote it, although he was not with them when they recorded it. In 1959, Jones recorded the song himself, in a version which had been reworked by Blackwell[1], who also produced the session. "Handy Man" went to number three on the R&B charts and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, becoming a million seller.[1] The song is noted for the "Come-uh come-uh come-uh come come,/Yeagh Yeagh Yeagh", heard in the introduction and the coda. The song was a hit again in 1964 for Del Shannon and again in 1977 for James Taylor. Measured in terms of peak position on any Billboard chart, Taylor's version of the song was the most successful, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult contemporary chart.[2] Taylor's version also earned him his second Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Taylor's version featured Leah Kunkel, the ex wife of Russ Kunkel, as backup singer.(thanks WIKI)
We're never to old to learn are we! Remember Bill . . . . this is not High School . . . you must take notes!
Till next week
Harv
Till next week
Harv