KENNY LYNCH w/ The Laurie Jay Combo-Shake And Scream/Harlem Library HMV POP 1260 1964
Kenny Lynch (O.B.E.) needs no introduction. Most of us here are familiar with his "hit" "My Own Two Feet" and his co-authoring numbers recorded by The Small Faces and The Game (as well as producing the first two singles by the latter). Most of his records are decidedly "square" because he came from an era that owed more to Matt Monroe than to Cliff and The Shadows. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones pretty much laid waste to "entertainers" like him and this 45 was no doubt a vain attempt by him to score some sort of "credibility" with "the kids".
"Shake And Scream" (complete with fake audience sounds dubbed in) is Kenny's cash in on Merseybeat. It sounds a tad similar to the beat group fave "Twist And Shout", not in the tune itself but how it's structured. "Harlem Library" is clearly influenced by The Rolling Stone's interpretation's of Chuck Berry and American rock n' roll. The lyrics are fairly ludicrous:
"I said no smokin' you're on private property..... you're not at a party Mister you're in Harlem library.."
What makes it exciting is the musical Rolling Stone's aping and the truly rocking groove that the 45 cuts!
"Harlem Library" has been reissued on the excellent EMI licensed Zonophone CD compilation "Take My Tip: 25 British Mod Artifacts From The EMI Vaults".
Hear "Harlem Library":
1 comment:
Great number! Can't believe nobody else seems to have recorded it.
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