CONWAY TWITTY, "GO ON AND CRY" C/W "SHE LOVE ME (SHE DON'T LOVE YOU," ABC-PARAMOUNT 45-10507 (REL. 10/1963)

I have been in the throes of a stomach bug since Saturday morning. As it shows its willingness to concede defeat, I operate by the better-late-than-never policy. Your reward is a grade-A slice to red-hot rock 'n roll.

This is Conway Twitty's graduation thesis from the advanced studies program of The Institute Rock 'n' Roll. After an unfruitful audition for Sun Records, Harold Jenkins came up with a crazy-cool new handle and, after three no-go (chart-wise) blisterin' rockers for Mercury Records, out hero settled in with M-G-M for six years. Several big hits resulted, but by 1963, when Twitty made his final platter for the label, he was let go. He landed at ABC-Paramount in his last stand for first-level rock 'n' roll. This all-original single is his last stand as a composer-singer before he went country at Decca Records. These hard-hitting songs feature Conway with a femme chorus on the tough girl-group side and have a powerful sound.
"Go Ahead and Cry" opens with a shriek that James Brown might have, perhaps, admired. He pushes his voice into the sandpaper spectrum on this Isley Brothers-style kiss-off song. The chorus interacts with Twitty in an effective way. I imagine the Bear Family box-set details who these women were. I wonder if they made records on their own, or were just career background singers? This is one of the best rock and roll performances of 1963, and comes out of nowhere with its refreshing attitude and force.

Cash Box had faith in ol' Conway.

"She Loves Me (She Don't Love You)" approximates Arthur Alexander's sound, with a touch of countryfied piano for good measure. Conway's still doing his fine-grit sandpaper voice with mucho gusto, and the girl-group chorus is in fine form. So much energy contained here! These are New York recordings, which makes the slip-note piano surprising, but it adds something to this Latin-beat story song.  EDIT:  Correct song link fixed. Trying to do my best here, folks. It's been a rough weekend.

This one's been buried in Twitty's big catalog for decades; man, it's good. ABC-Paramount pressed this one on heavy vinyl, thank goodness. Styrene wouldn't do for the big, bold sound in these grooves. His last single for the label, released as Beatlemania took hold, paired two vintage Elvis covers. With that, Conway put his rock 'n' roll shoes in the closet. Nashville took him in, and with his first Decca Records sides of 1965, he found a new audience and major stardom. The world lost a great rocker, but country music gained an unforgettable hairstyle.

Tomorrow: fab rockin' vocal group The Lamplighters via a 1954 Federal Records 45.