The Answer To Everything: Girl Answer Songs of the 60s

 

CD

 

"For every major hit that posed a lover’s question, or had you crying in your beer back in the 60s, there was the reassuring certainty of the ‘answer’song. Answer records were a prevailing American phenomenon. Usually rendered by female artists, they were an expedient way to hitch a ride on the coat tails of an existing hit. Deejays favoured them for their topical value and many answer records from the Golden Age made the charts in their own right.

Here are 28 of the best, all by female performers, save for one tune by ‘guest boy’ Bertelle Dache whose Not Just Tomorrow, But Always, a riposte to the Shirelles’ smash Will You Love Me Tomorrow, is among the sought-after highlights of the set. Others include Gerri Granger’s sinewy Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello, produced by Leiber and Stoller in the wake of Elvis’ Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello, Tracey Dey’s Jerry (I’m Your Sherry), which features a couple of the 4 Seasons on background vocals and Jody Miller’s Grammy award winning Queen Of The House, which became a smash to rival King Of The Road. Even wackier than the original is They Took You Away – I’m Glad, I’m Glad by Josephine, a timely ‘answer’ to They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa by Napoleon XIV. Regarded as the better of the two records, this suffered a radio ban and is extremely rare.

Many of the titles on this extremely potent and novel compilation appear on CD for the first time and all are sourced from the best available sources. It is the only comprehensive answer song compilation on the market and comes with a gorgeous booklet full to bursting with reviews, ads and label shots that evoke the phenomenon almost as much as the music itself".

 

Tracklisting

 

1  Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello - Granger, Gerri

2  I'm No Runaround - Davis, Ginger & The Snaps

3  Jerry (I'm Your Sherry) - Dey, Tracey

4  Queen Of The House - Miller, Jody

5  Sugar Shack Queen - Lynne, Georgia

6  Gary Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring - Hill, Wendy

7  You Should Know I'm Still Your Baby - Lynn, Sammi

8  I'll Believe It When I See It - Sierras, the

9  Yes I'm Lonesome Tonight - Stevens, Dodie

10  Not Just Tomorrow But Always - Dache, Bertell

11  I'll Be There - Damita Jo

12  Don't Let Him Shop Around - Dean, Debbie

13  Son In Law - Blossoms, the

14  He'll Have To Stay - Black, Jeanne

15  Duchess Of Earl - Pearlettes, the

16  Well I Told You - Chantels, the

17  When A Woman Loves A Man - Phillips, 'Little' Esther

18  Long As The Rose Is Red - Darlin, Florraine

19  Tell Tommy I Miss Him - Michaels, Marilyn

20  I Can't Help You I'm Falling Too - King, Carole

21  You Don't Have To Be A Tower Of Strength - Lynne, Gloria

22  I'll Bring It On Home To You - Thomas, Carla

23  I'll Just Walk On By - Singleton, Margie

24  Sound Of My Man - Kilgore, Theola

25  Sorry Daddy - Sweethearts, the

26  I Don't Like It Like That - Bobbettes, the

27  There Is Nothing On My Mind - Teen Queens

28  They Took You Away I'm Glad I'm Glad - Josephine