Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps, "My Heart" c/w "I've Got To Get You Yet," Capitol UK CL-15115 (rel. 2/1960)
Today's single qualifies for Saturday Club status: it's an anomaly in the discography of an important rock 'n' roll performer. By the start of 1960, Vincent's star had faded on his home turf. He continued to make excellent records, but with his break from The Blue Caps as a solo performer, he was encouraged by his label, Capitol, to go into a more pop direction.
His albums are full of worthy songs that never were heard by radio audiences. On his late 1959 LP Sounds Like..., fellow rockabilly legend Johnny Burnette penned two solid songs. Nowadays, this match-up would be entertainment news. One big star gives original material to another. The Instagram spin on this might be fierce! But the songs were just album filler to Capitol; nothing more.
In England, Vincent was a major rock 'n' roll star. His brooding persona and unpolished Southern roots inspired every British rock 'n' roller you can think of. His survival from a car wreck that killed his friend and fellow founding rocker Eddie Cochran left him injured; he limped in a manner that one critic likened to Iago from Shakespeare's Othello.
Someone in Capitol's London office noticed the obvious potential of these two LP tracks and coupled them on a single that went Top 20 in Britain in the spring of 1960. Back in the States, US Capitol let 10 months pass without a new single from Gene Vincent. Thus, zero US hits to England's two Top 20s. The other was a revival of the proto-rock 'n' roll song "Pistol Packin' Mama."
This is one of several UK-only couplings of material overlooked by Vincent's US caretakers. I recently became aware of its existence, to my delight; these are favorite tracks, "My Heart" in particular, and to learn they did exist on a 45 was good news.
"My Heart" has a hint of tropical rhythm, and swims in the atmosphere of Capitol's Hollywood studios. It and the flip were recorded with The Blue Caps in an October 1958 session that also yielded my top fave by Vincent, the sublime "The Night is So Lonely," which has been played here in the past. Johnny Meeks' lead guitar, Clifton Simmons' piano and Clyde Pennington's drums provide a sublime backdrop for Gene's sincere vocal on this beguiling declaration of love that's riveting from the git-go.
While not a real rocker, its supple sound is mighty pleasing, and the vocal backing of the Blue Caps helps it along. This might have caught American ears on the radio, but pop disc jockeys seldom played album tracks in 1960. It's reminiscent of Buddy Holly's sound without being an imitation. Thus, it's a track well-loved by British fans but unknown to most of us stuck in this infernal country.
His albums are full of worthy songs that never were heard by radio audiences. On his late 1959 LP Sounds Like..., fellow rockabilly legend Johnny Burnette penned two solid songs. Nowadays, this match-up would be entertainment news. One big star gives original material to another. The Instagram spin on this might be fierce! But the songs were just album filler to Capitol; nothing more.
In England, Vincent was a major rock 'n' roll star. His brooding persona and unpolished Southern roots inspired every British rock 'n' roller you can think of. His survival from a car wreck that killed his friend and fellow founding rocker Eddie Cochran left him injured; he limped in a manner that one critic likened to Iago from Shakespeare's Othello.
Someone in Capitol's London office noticed the obvious potential of these two LP tracks and coupled them on a single that went Top 20 in Britain in the spring of 1960. Back in the States, US Capitol let 10 months pass without a new single from Gene Vincent. Thus, zero US hits to England's two Top 20s. The other was a revival of the proto-rock 'n' roll song "Pistol Packin' Mama."
This is one of several UK-only couplings of material overlooked by Vincent's US caretakers. I recently became aware of its existence, to my delight; these are favorite tracks, "My Heart" in particular, and to learn they did exist on a 45 was good news.
"My Heart" has a hint of tropical rhythm, and swims in the atmosphere of Capitol's Hollywood studios. It and the flip were recorded with The Blue Caps in an October 1958 session that also yielded my top fave by Vincent, the sublime "The Night is So Lonely," which has been played here in the past. Johnny Meeks' lead guitar, Clifton Simmons' piano and Clyde Pennington's drums provide a sublime backdrop for Gene's sincere vocal on this beguiling declaration of love that's riveting from the git-go.
While not a real rocker, its supple sound is mighty pleasing, and the vocal backing of the Blue Caps helps it along. This might have caught American ears on the radio, but pop disc jockeys seldom played album tracks in 1960. It's reminiscent of Buddy Holly's sound without being an imitation. Thus, it's a track well-loved by British fans but unknown to most of us stuck in this infernal country.
"I Got To Get To You Yet" is more the rocker, as Gene's on the make for a luscious car-hop who's got him steamed under the collar. Guitarist Meeks gets in another nice solo and Capitol's reverb chamber does its duty on this melodic li'l mover. Another obvious radio-friendly item, it too was unheard by most music-loving Americans when new. Our loss!
This one's a quickie, as I've got a protest to attend. I hope you will show up at your local No Kings rally. No matter how big or small, it's a vital event to attend. We need to show up in numbers, all over the nation, to show Diaper Donnie and his Dick Tracy Rogue's Gallery of a cabinet that enough is f-----g enough!
Even if you only attend for 30 minutes, your presence and voice counts. We need to be loud and clear: this corruption and imbecility cannot continue.
Even if you only attend for 30 minutes, your presence and voice counts. We need to be loud and clear: this corruption and imbecility cannot continue.
Tomorrow: the delightful bayou sounds of Wee Willie Walker, via a beautiful 1955 Imperial Records 45. Down-home, easy-going happy blues for your Sunday joy. Dr. John covered one side of this single.
Seems like "My Heart" would have filled a musical gap after Holly died in early '59 and made Capitol some coin. A perfect song with the hiccuping Holly sound but still a Gene Vincent song. You're so right—"I've Got To Get To You Yet" is a radio-friendly rocker. Wonder how that album sold in 1959.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff and never heard either before--thanks, Frank!
ReplyDelete