Billy The Kid [pseud. of David Hill], "I Hardly Know Me" c/w "Apron Strings," Kapp K-261X (rel. 2/1959)
David Hill's songs have been recorded by hundreds of artists. Sir Paul McCartney did an affectionate version of his "I Got Stung," first waxed by Elvis Presley, on his 1999 album Run Devil Run; soloists and groups around the world have covered the dreadful novelty "Speedy Gonzalez," first waxed by Pat Boone. In-between are many intriguing-to-decent pop and rock items. Hill, born David Alexander Hess, never managed a hit single as a performer, but his many successful songs kept him afloat and he had the thrill of major stars choosing his material.
Under his own name, Hill recorded the first version of Otis Blackwell's classic "All Shook Up," which became a chart-topper for Elvis in 1957, and "Wild Child," an atmospheric r&b cover that is a cult favorite of collectors and DJs, in 1958. A year later, under a Western nom de plume, he cut today's single, which features a pair of songs by his frequent collaborators George Weiss and Aaron Schroeder. Why he chose the stage name is lost to time; Kapp released two LPs on Hill as himself. Both are folk-oriented pop albums.
Here, Hill is in Elvis territory; both songs sound like material Th' King might have recorded at the time. Presley's versions would have included The Jordanaires mooing and moaning in the background. Hill's versions are stark, in contrast, to their added appeal. This single is coveted by record collectors. I had no idea of its backstory when I stumbled upon a copy at a recent record show. It seemed a likely item for a blind buy.
"I Hardly Know Me" would have been a fine outing for Elvis, but Hill-Billy is no slouch. To a relaxed beat with stinging guitar in his corner, Hill croons this moody item about how being in love changes a fella with authority. That guitarist, who might be Mickey Baker, is in fine form, and their interjections add to this atmospheric, likeable song that might have been a demo recording. Would-be try-outs turned into commercial releases if someone in charge got an earful and deemed the results chart-worthy.
It's a haunting li'l affair, in part for its easy-going performance of a well-crafted song. Hill is in fine voice here and the studio reverb suits him well.
Under his own name, Hill recorded the first version of Otis Blackwell's classic "All Shook Up," which became a chart-topper for Elvis in 1957, and "Wild Child," an atmospheric r&b cover that is a cult favorite of collectors and DJs, in 1958. A year later, under a Western nom de plume, he cut today's single, which features a pair of songs by his frequent collaborators George Weiss and Aaron Schroeder. Why he chose the stage name is lost to time; Kapp released two LPs on Hill as himself. Both are folk-oriented pop albums.
Here, Hill is in Elvis territory; both songs sound like material Th' King might have recorded at the time. Presley's versions would have included The Jordanaires mooing and moaning in the background. Hill's versions are stark, in contrast, to their added appeal. This single is coveted by record collectors. I had no idea of its backstory when I stumbled upon a copy at a recent record show. It seemed a likely item for a blind buy.
"I Hardly Know Me" would have been a fine outing for Elvis, but Hill-Billy is no slouch. To a relaxed beat with stinging guitar in his corner, Hill croons this moody item about how being in love changes a fella with authority. That guitarist, who might be Mickey Baker, is in fine form, and their interjections add to this atmospheric, likeable song that might have been a demo recording. Would-be try-outs turned into commercial releases if someone in charge got an earful and deemed the results chart-worthy.
It's a haunting li'l affair, in part for its easy-going performance of a well-crafted song. Hill is in fine voice here and the studio reverb suits him well.
"Apron Strings" would be a UK hit for recent Jukebox visitors Cliff Richard and The Shadows. David Hill would return the favor in a surprise move later in 1959.
"Apron Strings" is full-on pre-Army Elvis, minus the Dread Chorus. This song sounds tailor-made for Presley; it has the beat he preferred--simmering but not hard-hitting, with ample room for vocalizing. Hill summons his best rock 'n' roll stutter on this appealing male declaration of sexual freedom.
The combo of this song and Hill's brooding good looks ought've summoned a pop hit, but it didn't happen for him. In England, Cliff Richard covered the song with success on his fifth single in the spring of '59. (At the time, The Shadows called themselves The Drifters, unaware of the American r&b group who already used that name.) Find their version on YouTube, if you're willing, and compare these two versions.
The combo of this song and Hill's brooding good looks ought've summoned a pop hit, but it didn't happen for him. In England, Cliff Richard covered the song with success on his fifth single in the spring of '59. (At the time, The Shadows called themselves The Drifters, unaware of the American r&b group who already used that name.) Find their version on YouTube, if you're willing, and compare these two versions.
In an unusual move, David Hill covered the A-side of Cliff's single, "Living Doll" (penned by Oliver songwriter Lionel Bart) when the UK record got a US release on ABC-Paramount. Hill's version went Top 20 in some American markets, including my former town, Seattle, Washington, and topped the Vancouver, BC pop charts. This didn't translate into a big national hit; the single stalled at #92.
Hill seldom recorded his own material afterwards. He did his own version of "Speedy Gonzalez" for RCA-Victor; no need to hear that. His final single, produced by David Gates, was issued on a small LA label in 1964. "The Only Boy on the Beach" has a certain charm, but was out of sync with the current pop sounds.
Hill, under his birth name, had memorable turns in two horror films directed by Wes Craven: The Last House on the Left (1972) and Swamp Thing (1982). He passed on in 2011; I'm sure royalty checks for "Speedy Gonzalez" were in his daily mail on that sad day.
Hill, under his birth name, had memorable turns in two horror films directed by Wes Craven: The Last House on the Left (1972) and Swamp Thing (1982). He passed on in 2011; I'm sure royalty checks for "Speedy Gonzalez" were in his daily mail on that sad day.
Tomorrow: The Del-Vikings return with a token hit (we do play those on occasion) from 1957. Because why not?
Fun lyrics! 'Such a lucky devil to find an angel like you' and "Walk like I was 10 feet high/Talk to birdies in the sky'—what's not to like. Delivery with Elvis-esque intonations? Check that box!
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