Author: Margaret Ashworth

This was the follow-up to Handy Man, which I have written about previously. It was written by Fred Tobias and Clint Ballard Jr, and released in April 1960. It topped … Continue readingJimmy Jones: Good Timin’

Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, there are two versions of this number. The first was recorded on September 2, 1963, and appeared on their fourth album Little Deuce Coupe, releasedon … Continue readingThe Beach Boys: Be True to Your School

Lewis wrote this song with Ron Hargrave as the title song of the 1958 movie. This is the single, which got to No 21 in the States and No 12 … Continue readingJerry Lee Lewis: High School Confidential

Written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White of The Miracles, this was released in December 1964. It was the Temptations’ first record to feature David Ruffin on lead vocals, and … Continue readingThe Temptations: My Girl

I think this is a sensational song. I spent a while trying to decide whether to headline the Everly Brothers or the Walker Brothers but I failed. It was written … Continue readingEverly Brothers/Walker Brothers: Love Her

This was written by Leonard Lee, half of Shirley (Goodman, later Pixley) and Lee. It was released in 1956 and went to No 20 in America. They re-recorded it at … Continue readingAmen Corner: Let the Good Times Roll and Feel So Good

This wonderful song was written by Jeff Lynne and features on the Everly Brothers’ 1984 album EB84. Here the brothers and the album producer Dave Edmunds talk about the track.

The group recorded two different songs called Everybody Knows; the first in 1964 was Everybody Knows (I Still Love You). It was written by Dave Clark and Lenny Davidson, and I thought … Continue readingDave Clark Five: Everybody Knows (You Said Goodbye)

This was written by Ben Raleigh and Artie Wayne and first recorded in 1962 as King For Tonight by Johnny Hallyday, I suspect as an album track rather than as a single. … Continue readingHelen Shapiro: Queen For Tonight