including
Prepared by:
Paul W. Urbahns
February 2008
The beginning of Giant
Records sound-a-likes appears to be the same session
as Hit Records held about November 1961
at which the first four sound-a-likes were recorded.
6000 TUFF
In The Style Of: Ace Cannon
Credited To: Leroy Jones and
his Band
Issued
On: Giant 1001.
6001 TWIST, THE
In The Style Of Chubby Checker (Nov. 1961)
Credited To: Herbert Hunter
Lead Vocal: Herbert Hunter
Issued On: Spar 715, Hit 1
6002 TWISTIN'
USA
In The Style Of: Chubby Checker
Credited To: Johnny Keaton and the Twisters
Lead Vocal: Herbert Hunter
Issued On: Spar 715
6003 PEPPERMINT TWIST
In The Style Of: Joey Dee and The Starliters
CreditedTo: Leroy Jones and
his Band
Lead Vocal: Herbert Hunter
Issued On: Giant 1001
Master numbers Masters
6000 thru 6003 seem to have been a test to
see if 4
releasable sound-a-like masters could be recorded in a single
three hour
session. Two of these songs appeared
on the first Giant single, 1001.
Two were issued
on a Spar single, while only one of these recordings actually
appeared on Hit
label The first regular sound-a-like sessions would be held in
the early part of
1962. In this discography, if the song is a sound-a-like you will
see, In The
Style Of followed by the original artist.
The Giant label
releases do not designate A or B sides so that is a judgment
call on my
part. In the earlier releases the
highest matrix number is generally
considered the A
side as that recording is generally the newest at time of issue.
When all matrix
numbers start being issued they are listed in numerical order.
Giant 1000 series
RELEASE
NUMBER SONG TITLE
1001A PEPPERMINT TWIST
(6003) In The Style
Of: Joey Dee and The Starliters (Dec 1961)
CreditedTo: Leroy
Jones and his Band
1001B TUFF
(6000) In The Style
Of: Ace Cannon (Jan 1962)
Credited To: Leroy
Jones and his Band
1002A
CHECK MR. POPEYE
(6004) In
The Style Of: Eddie Bo
Credited To: Leroy
Jones and his Band
1002B
NOW LET'S POPEYE
(6005)
In The Style Of: Eddie Bo
Credited To: Leroy Jones and his Band
Note: Eddie Bo wrote the Crescent City classic "Check Mr. Popeye," reportedly after
being told he walked like the
famous cartoon character. The song is
built on a rather infectious, piano riff, with the lyrics present instructions
on
the proper technique for dancing the
Popeye.
I will quote:
Then
you put your left hand on your forehead and your right behind your back,
Slide a-one and a-two with that loose sacroiliac.
Then you put both hands behind your back makin' the very same steps,
Slide a-one and a-two to the right and to the left.
Then, uh, both hands together behind your head.
Early Giant releases featured a label format in the same style
as Spar Records.
1003A I BELIEVE IN THE MAN IN THE SKY
(6014) Credited
To: Jeery Hiett & The Sons of the South Quartet
1003B: WASTED YEARS
(6012) Credited
To: Jeery Hiett & The Sons of the South Quartet
Note:
At the same session, another version of Wasted Years (6013) was recorded credited to Jeb
Butler.
This
second version was issued on Spar and Caravelle labels. The Spar B side to Wasted Years
was titled, Baby
Lay Your Love On Me.
1004A TWISTIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY
(6018) In
The Style Of: Sam Cooke (Jan 1962)
Credited To: Leroy
Jones and Band
1004B SLOW TWISTIN’
(6017) In The Style Of: Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp (Feb 1962)
Credited To: Leroy
Jones and Band
1005A
WHAT’D I SAY
(6025)
In The Style Of:
Bobby Darin (Mar 1962)
Credited To: Tommy Fuller
1005B SOUL TWIST
(6030) In The Style Of: King Curtis (Feb 1962)
Credited To: Tommy Fuller
1006A LOVER PLEASE
(6028) In
The Style Of:
Credited To: Leroy Jones
1006B YOUNG WORLD
(6024) In
The Style Of: Ricky Nelson (Feb 1962)
Credited To: Jackie Norris
1007A
MASHED POTATO TIME
(6010) In
The Style Of: Dee Dee Sharp
Credited To: June Richards
1007B
SHE CRIED
(6009) In The Style Of: Jay
& The Americans (Feb 1962)
Credited To: Bill Bailey
1008A
SHOUT! SHOUT! (KNOCK YOURSELF OUT)
(6038)
In The Style Of: Ernie Maresca (Mar 1962)
Credited To: Joe Cash
1008B
OLD RIVERS
(6037) In
The Style Of: Walter Brennan (April 1962)
Credited To: Fred Brown
1009A
FOLLOW THAT DREAM
(6039) In
The Style Of Elvis Presley (May 1962)
Credited To: Johnny Holiday
1009B
SECOND HAND LOVE
(6044) In
The Style Of: Connie Francis (Apr 1962)
Credited To: Kay Cotton
1010A MOON RIVER
(6041) Written by Mancini and Mercer
Credited To: The
Merits
Note: This appears to
be an instrumental version of the Jerry Butler record. Probably intended as an
original production.
The Jerry Butler vocal
version entered the national Top 40 charts in October 1961. The Mancini version
entered the
following month,
November 1961. This issue date on this version March or April 1962 seems a
little late for a sound-a-like.
This is an excellent small
combo style instrumental, it was used on numerous albums over the years.
1010B
I SOLD MY HEART TO THE JUNKMAN
(6042) In
The Style Of: The Bluebells (Apr 1962)
Credited To: Peggy
Thompson
Basic Giant label design remained the
same, however typeface and label color varied.
1011A THE
STRIPPER
(6056) In
The Style Of: David Rose Orchestra (Apr 1962)
Credited To: Billy Sherrill Orchestra
Note: Billy Sherrill was the recording engineer
on many of the Giant record releases
during this period. Sherrill was also a
musician and because of the need for extra saxes
and such to create a “big
band” sound, he may have participated as a musician in this
particular session. That might account for
this one time label credit.
Sherrill went to to became a major country
songwriter and producer
for Columbia Records during the late 60s
and 70s.
1011B ROSES ARE
RED
(6055) In The Style Of: Bobby Vinton (May 1962)
Credited To: Cecil Bright Lead
Vocal: Bobby Russell
1012 A SPEEDY GONZALES
(6057) In The Style Of: Pat Boone (Jun 1962)
Lead Vocal: Tom Walls
with Ray Stevens (as the voice of “Speedy”)
1012B GRAVY
(6054) In The Style Of: Dee Dee Sharp (Jun 1962)
Lead Vocal: Peggy
Gaines
1013A BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
(6059) In The Style Of: Neil Sedaka (Jun 1962)
Credited To:
1013B DANCIN' PARTY
(6060) In The Style Of: Chubby Checker (Jun 1962)
Credited To:
During
the Summer of 1962, the Giant label appears to have
been
discontinued for reasons unknown.
One of the other labels
produced
by the same company was
to
have been created to issue original material, based on the first release,
The
Big Split Twist. Lyrics include references to Kenilworth.
The
B side is a Herbert Hunter voiced
sound-a-like of the Joey Dee
and
The Starliters song, Hey, Let’s Twist.
The
other two Herbert Hunter songs produced at the same 4 song session,
Twistin’
The Night Away and Dr Feelgood were issued on Giant and Spar respectively.
When
the Giant Record series was revived with a new distinctive logo,
releases
were strictly sound-a-likes of top
10 hits of the day. It appears
the
This
would explain why the first known Giant 9000 release is number 9005.
For
completeness sake, here are the 5 known releases on the Kenilworth label.
9000A THE
BIG SPLIT TWIST
(6019) Written
By: Ted Jarrett
Credited To: Marty and The Merits
9000B HEY LET'S TWIST
(6020) In The Style
Of: Joey Dee & The Starliters (Mar 1962)
Credited To: Marty and The Merits
9001A TWIST TWIST SENORA
(6027) In The Style Of: Gary US Bonds (Apr
1962)
Credited To: Marty and The Merits
Lead Vocal: Herbert Hunter
9001B
STRANGER ON THE SHORE
(6029) In the Style Of: Mr Aker Bilk (Apr
1962)
Credited To: Marty and The Merits
Comment: Same pairing as issued on Hit
Records 8
9002A GOOD LUCK CHARM
(6023) In The Style Of: Elvis Presley (Mar 1962)
Credited To: Bill
Allison
9002B
SHOUT
(6026) In
The Style Of:Joey Dee & The Starliters (Mar 1962)
Credited To: Bill Allison
9003A LOVERS WHO WANDER
(6040) In The Style Of: Dion (Apr 1962)
Credited To: Joe Cash
9003B I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
(6043) In The Style Of: Ray Charles (May 1962)
Credited To: Johnny
Keaton
9004A SEALED WITH A KISS
(6058) In The Style Of: Brian Hyland (June 1962)
Credited To:
9004B AHAB THE ARAB
(6061) In The Style Of: Ray Stevens (Jun 1962)
Credited To: Fred X
Brown
A new series
of Giant releases was begun in the Spring of 1963,
apparently
picking up the
9000
series
9005A
AIN'T THAT A SHAME
(6146) In
The Style Of: Four Seasons (Apr 1963)
Credited To: The
Belles
9005B IF YOU WANNA BE HAPPY
(6147) In The Style Of: Jimmy Soul (Mar 1963)
9006A
REVEREND MR BLACK
(6144) In The Style Of:
Credited To: Johnny Ralls
9006A
LITTLE BAND OF GOLD
(6145) In The Style Of: James Gilreath (1963)
Credited To: Johnny Ralls
9007 UNKNOWN
9008A
FOOLISH LITTLE GIRL
(6148)
In The Style Of: The
Shirelles (Mar 1963)
Credited To: The Kittens
9008B
STILL
(6150) In The Style Of: Bill Anderson (Feb 1963)
Credited To: Dave Howell
9009A
DA DOO RON RON
(6149) In The Style Of: The
Credited To: The
Carrolls
9009B
LOSING YOU
(6151) In The Style Of: Brenda Lee (Apr 1963)
Credited To: Betty Ware
9010 UNKNOWN
9011A ANOTHER
SATURDAY NIGHT
(6158) In The Style Of: Sam Cooke (Apr 1963)
Credited To:
9011B
18 YELLOW ROSES
(6159) In The Style Of: Bobby Darin (May 1963)
Credited To:
9012 UNKNOWN
9013A
HELLO STRANGER
(6170) in The Style Of: Barbara Lewis (May 1963)
Credited To: Sylvia Richards
9013B
SUKIYAKI
(6171) In The Style Of: Kyu Sakamoto (May 1963)
Credited to The
9014A EASIER
SAID THAN DONE
6172 In The Style Of:
Credited To:
9014B
SURF CITY
6173 In The Style Of: Jan
And Dean (Jun 1963)
Credited To:
9015A
TIE ME KANGAROO DOWN SPORT
(6174) In The Style Of: Rolf Harris (May 1963)
Credited To:
9015B
MEMPHIS
(6175) In The Style Of: Lonnie Mack (Jun 1963)
Instrumental
Credited To:
9016A SO MUCH IN LOVE
(6180) In The Style Of: Tymes (May 1963)
Credited To:
9016B NO ONE
(6181) In
The Style Of: Ray Charles (Jun 1963)
Credited To:
9017A RING OF FIRE