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Ask "Mr. Music"
February 8, 2010
Answer songs
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Let's continue our feature here at DigitalDreamDoor: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 25th year of syndication (1986-2011), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on.
Be sure to stop by Jerry's site www.jerryosborne.com for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
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Ask "Mr. Music"
"Jerry Osborne"
February 8, 2010 - Answer songs
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DEAR JERRY:
In the early '60s, when answer songs were very popular, it seemed like nearly every big hit was answered by someone.
What are some notable ones from that period?
- Jamie Kendell, Sandusky, Ohio
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Tell Laura I Love Her
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DEAR JAMIE:
First, be assured we will not confuse answer songs with sequels (e.g., "It's My Party" / "Judy's Turn to Cry" [Lesley Gore]); response songs (e.g., "Southern Man" [Neil Young]) / "Sweet Home Alabama" [Lynyrd Skynyrd]; or parodies (e.g., "Downtown" [Petula Clark] / "Crazy Downtown" [Allan Sherman]); all of which are often lumped in with answer songs.
A true answer song needs to respond directly to the matters set forth in the tuneful object of its inspiration. Usually this is best accomplished by a singer of the opposite gender. They should also be released as soon as possible after the one they are answering.
For just the first half of the 1960s, I chose some first-rate examples of answer songs, each inspired by an all-time Top 40 classic:
1960: "Tell Laura I Love Her" (Ray Peterson) / "Tell Tommy I Miss Him" (Marilyn Michaels)
1960: "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (Hank Locklin) / "(I Can't Help You) I'm Falling, Too" (Skeeter Davis)
1960: "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Drifters) / "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" (Damita Jo)
1960: "Are You Lonesome To-night?" (Elvis Presley) / "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight" (Dodie Stevens)
1960: "Chain Gang" (Sam Cooke) / "The Sound of My Man (On the Chain Gang)" (Theola Kilgore)
1960: "He'll Have to Go" (Jim Reeves) / "He'll Have to Stay" (Jeanne Black)
1960: "There's Something on Your Mind" (Bobby Marchan) / "There's Nothing on My Mind" (Teen Queens)
1960: "Shop Around" (Miracles) / "Don't Let Him Shop Around" (Debbie Dean)
1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (Shirelles) / "Yes I Will Love You Tomorrow" (Jon E. Holiday) and "Not Just Tomorrow, But Always" (Bertell Dache)
1961: "Daddy's Home" (Shep and the Limelites) / "Sorry, Daddy" (Sweethearts)
1961: "Mother-in-Law" (Ernie K. Doe) / "Son-in-Law" (Blossoms)
1961: "Tower of Strength" (Gene McDaniels) / "You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength" (Gloria Lynne)
1961: "Wooden Heart" (Joe Dowell) / "Your Heart's Not Made of Wood" (Terri Dean)
1961: "Take Good Care of My Baby" (Bobby Vee) / "You Should Know I'm Still Your Baby" (Sammi Lynn)
1961: "Hit the Road Jack" (Ray Charles) / "Well, I Told You" [to hit the road Jack] (Chantels)
1961: "Runaround Sue" (Dion) / "I'm No Run Around" (Ginger Davis and the Snaps)
1961: "Stand By Me" (Ben E. King) / "I'll Be There" (Damita Jo)
1961: "I Like It Like That" (Chris Kenner) / "I Don't Like It Like That" (Bobbettes)
1961: "Walk on By" (Leroy Van d**e) / "I'll Just Walk on By" (Margie Singleton)
1961: "Hello Walls" (Faron Young) / "Hello Fool" (Ralph Emery)
1961: "Big Bad John" (Jimmy Dean) / "Small Sad Sam" (Phil McLean)
1962: "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" (Elvis Presley) / "Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello" (Gerri Granger)
1962: "Roses Are Red (My Love)" (Bobby Vinton) / "Long as the Rose Is Red" (Florraine Darlin)
1962: "Bring It on Home to Me" (Sam Cooke) / "I'll Bring It on Home to You" (Carla Thomas)
1962: "Sherry" (4 Seasons) / "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)" (Tracey Dey)
1962: "Duke of Earl" (Gene Chandler) / "Duchess of Earl" (Pearlettes)
1962: "Wolverton Mountain" (Claude King) / "I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain" (Jo Ann Campbell)
1962: "You Beat Me to the Punch" (Mary Wells) / "You Threw a Lucky Punch" (Gene Chandler)
1963: "Easier Said Than Done" (Essex) / "I'll Believe It When I See It" (Sierras)
1963: "Sugar Shack" (Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) / "Sugar Shack Queen" (Georgia Lynn)
1965: "King of the Road" (Roger Miller) / "Queen of the House" (Jody Miller)
1965: "This Diamond Ring" (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / "Gary, Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring" (Wendy Hill)
1965: "Eve of Destruction" (Barry McGuire) / "Dawn of Correction" (Spokesmen)
IZ ZAT SO?
The highest ranking answer song is "He'll Have to Stay," by Jeanne Black, which peaked at No. 4 nationally. "He'll Have to Go" did slightly better, reaching No. 2.
Five others did make the Top 40: Jody Miller's "Queen of the House"; "I'll Be There" and "I'll Save the Last Dance for You," both by Damita Jo; "Dawn of Correction," by the Spokesmen; and Jo Ann Campbell's "I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain."
The Spokesmen; Jon E. Holiday; Gene Chandler; and Bertell Dasch (a.k.a., Tony Orlando) are the only males on our answer song list.
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Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.
Jerry's Question page: Ask your question here.
Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368
E-mail: jpo@olympus.net
Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com.
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
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