A compendium of musical delights by Alan and Margaret Ashworth
This was written by Aaron Schroeder, Wally Gold and George Goehring (the first two were also responsible for Elvis Presley’s It’s Now or Never). Released in 1962, it reached No 12 … Continue readingGene Pitney: Half Heaven – Half Heartache
Four songs for the price of one today. This takes me back, as we lived in Southend in the eighties and nineties, although the pier then was nowhere near as … Continue readingDr Feelgood: Live in Southend
There is no satisfactory version of this but it’s a terrific song. It was written by Trevor Peacock, a noted 1960s songwriter now better known for playing Jim Trott in … Continue readingMrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter
He don’t get mad at me and throw a major fit When I say his sister is a bitch
Little Peggy March was 15 when this was released in 1963. It reached No 26 in America and No 29 in Britain.
Sweet track from 1971’s White Light album. A lot of Clark’s stuff sounds too busy and messy but when he hits the spot it really comes off.
This was the great Roy’s first big hit, reaching No 2 in the States in 1960 and No 1 in Britain. It was co-written by Orbison and Joe Melson, a … Continue readingRoy Orbison: Only the Lonely
This was composed by Manos Hadjidakis and originally recorded in Greek. It was released by Brenda Lee in 1962, reaching No 3 in the States and No 7 in Britain.
A live version of the great Bob Dylan song from his album New Morning. A pseud in the Sunday Times once claimed that this was Dylan’s best. Nowhere near, but … Continue readingMelanie: Sign on the Window
From her excellent 2003 album Troubled by the Fire.