Author: Margaret Ashworth

THIS was written by group members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with their manager Stig Anderson and released in 1973, before the group’s success with Waterloo at Eurovision the following year. It … Continue readingAbba: Ring Ring

Written by Jerry Lordan, it was first recorded by Bert Weedon in 1960 on the Top Rank label, which everyone knew was the home of terrible numbers, and this didn’t … Continue readingThe Shadows: Apache

This is a preliminary list of performers that I will never include in my pop selections, though many of them had big hits in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I … Continue readingThe Blacklist

This was written by Peter DeRose and published in 1933 as a piano number. Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1938. Larry Clinton and His Orchestra with Bea Wain had a … Continue readingNino Tempo and April Stevens: Deep Purple

Written by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco, this was released in June 1956 by the incomparable Little Richard. It reached No 17 in America and No 30 in the UK. … Continue readingLittle Richard: Rip It Up

The first release was in February 1968 by the Bystanders, whose manager Ronnie Scott co-wrote the song with Marty Wilde, using the pseudonyms Jack Gellar and Frere Manston. At that … Continue readingThe Casuals: Jesamine

One of my objections to the Kinks was that Ray Davies couldn’t sing, and this proves my point. It was written by Davies and released as a single on June … Continue readingThe Kinks: Sunny Afternoon

According to Wikipedia, this was composed in 1963 by Brian Wilson, Artie Kornfeld, Roger Christian and Jan Berry at Wilson’s mother’s house in Santa Monica. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man%27s_Curve_(song) It was recorded on November … Continue readingJan and Dean: Dead Man’s Curve

This was written by Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch and Peter Chester, an old friend who had been with Welch and Hank Marvin in a band called The Five Chesternuts. Welch … Continue readingCliff Richard and the Shadows: Please Don’t Tease