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May 23, 2007 --
Once again, greetings and salutations. Well, this is it. Traditionally Memorial Day Weekend is not the official opening of summer, but it signals the beginning of fun in the sun. And we'll kick it off this weekend not only at Memories in Margate but Friday night at the Hilton Casino Hotel with our Rock & Roll Doo Wop Dance Party at 8 featuring the Duprees live. Then Saturday night it's Memories, and again at Memories Sunday night with Kenny Vance & the Planotones, as well as the start of our Sunday afternoon jams at La Costa in Sea Isle City. But now it's time to ask the Geator.
First off, heard from my friend Johnny Madara regarding the question in last week's column about the similarities between his and Dave White's song "1-2-3" and "Ask Any Girl" by the Supremes -- and we got the real deal straight from him.
He says: "Jerry, there was a lawsuit by Motown for an infringement on "Ask Any Girl" - not because of the chord changes [but] because of the melody in the beginning. But it was totally a coincidence -- we had NEVER heard 'Ask Any Girl' when we wrote '1-2-3,' and it was never our intention to copy it. After two years of battling with Motown and having all of our royalties held up, we made a 'settlement' where the writers on ANY recording you will see of '1-2-3' are listed as Madara/White/Barry/Holland, Dozier & Holland."
And of course, in addition to "1-2-3," John Madara and Dave White are the writers of such songs as "At the Hop," "Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay," and "You Don't Own Me," some of the biggest rock and roll songs of all time. They are still active in the business and as I've said before in this column, their contribution to rock and roll music is immeasurable.
Last year I went to La Costa Lounge in Sea Isle on a Sunday afternoon in mid-June. Will you be there this year? Thanks -- Ann in Delaware
Yep. As we said, we open up our Sunday afternoon jam sessions this weekend, May 27, at 4 p.m. commemorating Memorial Day, and we'll be there every Sunday throughout the summer from 4-8 p.m.
You talked about one of my favorite songs, "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)" by the Impalas. Did they ever record anything else? -- Niecy
The Impalas, one of the first racially integrated R&B groups, followed up "Sorry" with a minor hit, "Oh, What a Fool," but unfortunately had no other hits. They recorded for Cub Records, a subsidiary of MGM, and their one album, released in 1959, is now a collector's item.
Can you tell me about a song you play that I think is called "The Gong Song" by a black female soul singer? - Jacey N.
That song, from 1962, was "I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)" by the Ikettes, a vocal group created by Ike Turner to back up Tina. But their sound was so dominant and unique that Ike decided to go into the studio and record them as the Ikettes. And on this recording it's Dolores Johnson doing lead and Tina Turner singing background.
Got a question for Jerry? Send it to AskTheGeator@acweekly.com or Geator Gold Radio, 626 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. For more info on Jerry's appearances, go to geator.net -- and keep on rocking, 'cause you only rock once!
Copyright © 2007 Jerry Blavat
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