2020
Hans 2021 Song Draft: Round One-Pick Three-There Goes My Baby-Drifters (1950s)
Hanspostcard has a song draft challenge. This is my Round One pick. I will be posting these per decade. This will be my only submission for the 1950s.
Having grown up on the East Coast/Mid-Atlantic, one thing my state is known for is shagging (for the Brits, no, that is not what it means). While my grandparents did the Jitterbug as youths, my parents shagged (a descendant of the Jitterbug), as did my classmates and I. This song, in particular, was my favorite to shag to, though I enjoyed many beach music songs. ~Vic
Released either in May (per Rolling Stone Magazine) or April 24, 1959 (per Wikipedia), it was written by Benjamin Nelson (Ben E. King), Lover Patterson and George Treadwell. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the song hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B chart (July) and, #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 (August).
This is the second version of The Drifters under Treadwell’s management, crafted from the Five Crowns: Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Doc Green and Elsbeary Hobbs with James “Poppa” Clark being rejected for alcohol issues. With this line-up, There Goes My Baby was their first single and King’s debut as lead singer. It was unusual for its time, being the first commercial R&B/Soul recording with strings, arranged by Stan Applebaum, and a Brazilian Baiãon groove. Phil Spector studied the production style under Leiber & Stoller.
The song is ranked at #196 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Donna Summer did a version that was released in July 1984 and peaked at #21 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Additional:
Ben E. King and The Drifters (The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation/Inducted 2000)
John Gilliland’s Pop Chronicles (The Drifters & Ritchie Valens/Track 2/University of North Texas Digital Library)
There Goes My Baby (The Art of Rock Music Listening Guide/University of Albany/PDF)
Things You Didn’t Know About The Drifters (Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp/Joe Mirrione/April 10, 2020)
POTD: Lost Hat
I go out for an evening walk, I find things. I find things, I photograph things. I seem to have a never ending supply of curiosities. ~Vic
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POTD: Strawberry Full Moon
I’ve done previous Strawberry Moon posts, the first, of which, I did shortly after returning to blogging after a four year absence. I think I have covered all the data.
Full illumination occurred June 24 @ 2:39pm EDT. You can howl if you want to. Go ahead. ~Vic
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POTD: Smoke Break
08-30-2020
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I want Carrie’s boots…
POTD: Strange Fish
On an evening walk, I passed by our local Board of Elections. This was sitting at the corner of the steps. I wasn’t sure if I was going to laugh or run away. ~Vic
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POTD: Big Chair
I think it is this rocking chair.
I could only photograph from a distance.
10-21-2020
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POTD: Silk Tree
Fabaceae family, Mimosoideae clade, Albizia genus and Julibrissin species. It is commonly referred to as a Mimosa tree but, that isn’t quite right. It’s also called a Persian silk tree, a pink silk tree and a pink siris. North Carolina State University considers it to be invasive. It’s still pretty and it smells so good. ~Vic
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POTD: Don’t Laugh
This belonged to the gentleman that used to cut our grass. Unfortunately, he passed away a few months back. I miss him. ~Vic
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POTD: Glass Jar
Out on an evening walk, passing by a house with a stone wall, I saw this. I have no idea why it was there or what kind of liquid it holds. No, I didn’t taste it. ~Vic
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POTD: Lost Booties
[Update… blogger and skincare specialist Ruth has pointed out my terrible storytelling and possible crimes against proper sentence structure (I’m so laughing, Ruth…). No, I didn’t find these booties walking down the sidewalk all by themselves. I should have inserted “while I was” ahead of “walking”, hopefully indicating that *I* was doing the walking, not the empty booties. Thanks, Ruth. I really must behave myself in the future!]
Found these […] walking on the sidewalk. The stone on this wall is at the corner of the James Cheek house property (c. 1875). I guess they weren’t wanted anymore.
I am forever finding strange things in this town. ~Vic
08-16-2020
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POTD: Painted Bench
Small garden.
My evening walk.
08-09-2020
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POTD: Lost Shoe
At least it’s happy. ~Vic
08-01-2020
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