Dave's Song of the Day
Love is Strange – Mickey and Sylvia
Thursday song of the day: Today’s song is credited to the actual writer’s wife.
Yesterday, I mentioned that The Sugarhill Gang was put together by record executive Sylvia Robinson. Before she was a record executive, Sylvia was a recording artist, best known as part of Mickey and Sylvia, who had a hit in the 1950s with Love is Strange.
The song was written by Bo Diddley, who was also the first to record it. When he wrote the song, he was in the midst of a legal battle with his record company, so instead of crediting himself as the songwriter, he used the name of his wife at the time, Ethel Smith. Diddley recorded his version in May 1956, but the recording was not released until it was included in a box set in 2007.
Although Bo Diddley didn’t release his version of Love is Strange, he did perform the song in live shows. The duo of Mickey Baker and Sylvia Vanderpool (who later became Sylvia Robinson) happened to attend one of his shows and liked the song. As Mickey and Sylvia, they recorded a version in October 1956. The Mickey and Sylvia version of Love is Strange famously featured the addition of a spoken word section before the song starts, with the two holding a silly conversation before entering into the song. Their record was released in November 1956 and climbed to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart, as well as #11 on the overall Hot 100. In 1987 it was prominently featured in the film Dirty Dancing, and in 2004 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The singing team of Mickey and Sylvia disbanded in 1958, although they reunited a few times in the early 60s. Sylvia went on to a solo career, with a #3 hit in 1973 with Pillow Talk, and of course after that had a second career running record labels.
Mickey and Sylvia, 1956
View: https://youtu.be/5mvN05MSa48
Bo Diddley, 1956 (not released until 2007)
View: https://youtu.be/VS_f3s5VZeg
Tomorrow: Up your house and gone again
Love is Strange – Mickey and Sylvia
Thursday song of the day: Today’s song is credited to the actual writer’s wife.
Yesterday, I mentioned that The Sugarhill Gang was put together by record executive Sylvia Robinson. Before she was a record executive, Sylvia was a recording artist, best known as part of Mickey and Sylvia, who had a hit in the 1950s with Love is Strange.
The song was written by Bo Diddley, who was also the first to record it. When he wrote the song, he was in the midst of a legal battle with his record company, so instead of crediting himself as the songwriter, he used the name of his wife at the time, Ethel Smith. Diddley recorded his version in May 1956, but the recording was not released until it was included in a box set in 2007.
Although Bo Diddley didn’t release his version of Love is Strange, he did perform the song in live shows. The duo of Mickey Baker and Sylvia Vanderpool (who later became Sylvia Robinson) happened to attend one of his shows and liked the song. As Mickey and Sylvia, they recorded a version in October 1956. The Mickey and Sylvia version of Love is Strange famously featured the addition of a spoken word section before the song starts, with the two holding a silly conversation before entering into the song. Their record was released in November 1956 and climbed to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart, as well as #11 on the overall Hot 100. In 1987 it was prominently featured in the film Dirty Dancing, and in 2004 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The singing team of Mickey and Sylvia disbanded in 1958, although they reunited a few times in the early 60s. Sylvia went on to a solo career, with a #3 hit in 1973 with Pillow Talk, and of course after that had a second career running record labels.
Mickey and Sylvia, 1956
View: https://youtu.be/5mvN05MSa48
Bo Diddley, 1956 (not released until 2007)
View: https://youtu.be/VS_f3s5VZeg
Tomorrow: Up your house and gone again