Oh, and the drummer was the lead singer of "Billy Don't Be A Hero".

I didn't know that!

Vanity Fare had a big US hit themselves with "Hitchin A Ride" some time around 1970 or 1971.

I liked Vanity Fare as a band, but I think in the US, it is Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods who usually get the credit for "Billy".

I have never seen an album, by Bo Donaldson etc, but I presume they had one (or more)? They had a few hits in the USA but meant nothing in Europe simply because their stuff didn't come out here at all.

Another US band I liked that meant nothing over here was Every Mother's Son. They had a few hits Stateside, but I managed to lay hands on an LP by them and I thought they had something going for them.

Anyway, today Amazon delivered a couple of Harpers Bizarre CDs and two CDs by John D Loudermilk.

I know, lots of people diss Harpers, but as I said before, I have no taste, and I love them.

Right now, "Me Japanese Boy" is playing - I think I remember that by Bobby Goldsboro?

John D Loudermilk has been one of my favourties since "Language Of Love" but although I had all his albums on vinyl, I could not get them on CD until now.

Really lovely simple stuff.

I carry only Bob Mathers around with me on my MP3 - some fascinating stuff on one of the shows I was listening to this morning about Robin Ward, who did "Wonderful Summer" which is one of my all-time favourites.

Bob mentioned that she was the female vocalist on Pat Boone's "Speedy Gonzales" - yet another fact I did not know.

Anybody remember Dale Ward? He had a US hit in 1063 with a song called "Letter To Sherry", on Dot Records.

On the label, it says that the female vocal is by Robin Ward.

I had always presumed they were (perhaps) brother and sister, but as she is from Nebraska, and Dale (I am told) is from California, that seems unlikely now.

Anybody know if there is a connection? The name coincidence seems too much.

I really must get out a bit more.

• RE: TRIVIA + Gerry & The Pacemakers - I'm The One - 1964 - John 02/22/2008 07:44:17 EST (1)