Dickie Podolor, "She's My Baby The One Over There" c/w "I Love You Girl (And I Need You So)," Radio 116 (rel. 8/1958)

Richard Podolor became a pro musician in his teens. He's heard on Northwestern country star Bonnie Guitar's hit Dot Records single "Dark Moon" and was a mainstay of Los Angeles studios and sessions, as musician, arranger, songwriter and producer, for decades. You'd be surprised by some of the bands and records he produced. 

We call on him at 18, when he made his second and final single for Malibu-based Radio Records. His first Radio 45 comprised a pair of guitar instrumentals-a forecast of things to come. For today's record, he sings two original pop-rockabilly songs with the fervor of a Buddy Holly. His more homely voice skews towards country; he sounds like a higher-voiced variant on Marvin Rainwater, whose M-G-M singles of the period are excellent.

"She's My Baby The One Over There," a song title in dire need of a comma, is a yearning, sweet item about a guy who's still lovestruck and proud that he's managed to win the heart of a lovely, kind girl. His doleful voice makes it not sound like a brag but a desperate plea for acceptance and coolness. Whoever's in the band behind him frames his performance just right. It's a winning record with all the good stuff you'd want in a pop-rocker of 1958.

Cash Box couldn't be bothered to review today's single, so Billboard, with their more detached approach, must suffice, Fair prospects; it can move.

"I Love You Girl (And I Need You So)" has the rough, exuberant feeling of Ritchie Valens' singles of the day. A soaring, happy melody gets the same rock-country treatment. Podolor's voice is higher and more appealing on this side, which gets a guitar solo-ette from the composer.

This is a perfect li'l mid-tempo bopper that any rockabilly would be proud to have in their q.v. This side is 100% endearing and lasts just long enough to make its point, charm the listener and come to an end. I have to listen to this side again after this post goes live. Sorry, by the way, for the delay. Oy, what a day this one started out to be! Things are much better now, and that's all that counts. Enjoy!

As Ritchie Allen, Podolor made several singles and a few albums for Imperial Records-all excellent surf-rock instrumentals. I once had one of his Imperial LPs, but it's long gone. 

Among the bands he produced were (deep breath): Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, The Dillards, Iron Butterfly, Alice Cooper, Blues Image, The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, Jellyroll, solo artists Dwight Twilley and Phil Seymour, 20/20, Alcatrazz and London. He passed on in 2022. Roots rocker Deke Dickerson wrote a moving memorial that you can find on his website; it's worth a look.

Tomorrow: more DIY teens with Black co-ed doowoppers The Quin-Tones in a rare 1958 Chess Records platter that I'm sure Frank Zappa loved.