Post by erik on Apr 29, 2023 19:20:17 GMT -5
The Lettermen are in the Pop Music Hits Spotlight this week with a huge hit single that combines two big 1960's pop classics into an enthusiastically received live performance.
GOIN’ OUT OF MY HEAD/CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU (The Lettermen; Capitol; 1967)—Though they were often dismissed for having a somewhat bland harmony vocal blend, The Lettermen were an important vocal group throughout much of the 1960’s, primarily through a lot of cover material. Formed in 1959, the group consisted of, among others, brothers Jim and Gary Pike and Bob Engemann. Signed to Capitol Records, they first hit the charts in 1961 with two songs from the Great American Songbook: “The Way You Look Tonight” (written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields originally for the 1936 film Swing Time), which hit #13 in late 1961; and “When I Fall In Love” (written by Victor Young and Edward Heyman for the 1952 film One Minute To Zero), which reached #7 in early 1962. Throughout the Beatle years, most of their action was on the Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening charts, though their vocal version of “Theme From A Summer Place” managed to get to #16 on the Hot 100 in July 1965. And then in late 1967, the #7 success they had had with “When I Fall In Love” was matched by their live recording of a medley consisting of “Goin’ Out Of My Head” (written by Terry Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, and a 1965 hit for Little Anthony and the Imperials), and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (a #2 hit in the summer of 1967 for Frankie Valli, written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio). While the Beatles onslaught was still going on, and even with the dominance of psychedelic music, the Letterman’s medley of those two songs managed to hit #7 on the Hot 100 in February 1968. Though they didn’t have that kind of success in the general pop field again, they were still able to hit #16 in the late summer of 1969 with another Little Anthony and the Imperials cover “Hurt So Bad”, as well as a minor winter 1969-70 medley of “Memories” (the Elvis classic) and “Traces” (the Classics IV hit).
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GOIN’ OUT OF MY HEAD/CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU (The Lettermen; Capitol; 1967)—Though they were often dismissed for having a somewhat bland harmony vocal blend, The Lettermen were an important vocal group throughout much of the 1960’s, primarily through a lot of cover material. Formed in 1959, the group consisted of, among others, brothers Jim and Gary Pike and Bob Engemann. Signed to Capitol Records, they first hit the charts in 1961 with two songs from the Great American Songbook: “The Way You Look Tonight” (written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields originally for the 1936 film Swing Time), which hit #13 in late 1961; and “When I Fall In Love” (written by Victor Young and Edward Heyman for the 1952 film One Minute To Zero), which reached #7 in early 1962. Throughout the Beatle years, most of their action was on the Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening charts, though their vocal version of “Theme From A Summer Place” managed to get to #16 on the Hot 100 in July 1965. And then in late 1967, the #7 success they had had with “When I Fall In Love” was matched by their live recording of a medley consisting of “Goin’ Out Of My Head” (written by Terry Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, and a 1965 hit for Little Anthony and the Imperials), and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (a #2 hit in the summer of 1967 for Frankie Valli, written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio). While the Beatles onslaught was still going on, and even with the dominance of psychedelic music, the Letterman’s medley of those two songs managed to hit #7 on the Hot 100 in February 1968. Though they didn’t have that kind of success in the general pop field again, they were still able to hit #16 in the late summer of 1969 with another Little Anthony and the Imperials cover “Hurt So Bad”, as well as a minor winter 1969-70 medley of “Memories” (the Elvis classic) and “Traces” (the Classics IV hit).
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