Alley Oop

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Alley Oop (song)

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"Alley Oop"
Single by The Hollywood Argyles
B-side "Sho Know a Lot About Love"
Released 1960
Recorded 1960
Length 2:56
Label Lute 5905
Writer(s) Dallas Frazier
Producer Gary S. Paxton
Kim Fowley
The Hollywood Argyles singles chronology
"Alley Oop"
(1960)
"Gun Totin' Critter Named Jack"
(1960)
"Alley Oop"
Song by The Beach Boys from the album Beach Boys' Party!
Released November 8, 1965
Recorded September 16, 1965
Western Studios
Genre Rock and roll
Length 2:56
Label Capitol
Composer Dallas Frazier
Producer Brian Wilson
Beach Boys' Party! track listing

"Alley Oop" is a song written by Dallas Frazier. The song, heavily inspired by the V. T. Hamlin-created comic strip of the same name, was first recorded by Frazier as a country tune in 1957.

Contents

The Hollywood Argyles

The Hollywood Argyles recorded the song in 1960 and hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the on the US R&B chart.[1] It also went to #24 on the UK chart. It was produced by Gary S. Paxton. The lead vocalist on the track was Norm Davis. He was paid a one-time fee of $25 for his work on the single. He is currently a poet and poetry teacher in Rochester, New York.

This version of the story is contested by Gary Paxton. Paxton writes:

There were NO Hollywood Argyles at the very beginning. I [Paxton] was the only lead singer. Kim Fowley helped me produce it, because we were partners in Maverick Music International/BMI at the time... The drummer was Ronnie Silico (Lloyd Price's road drummer). The piano player was Gaynel Hodge of the Penguins. The bass player was Harper Cosby, a jazz bassist in L.A. Sandy Nelson (of "Teenbeat" fame) played the garbage can and screamed on the record. The background singers were: Dallas Frazier...Buddy Mize, Scotty Turner, Diane ?? (A friend I knew), and [myself]. It was recorded at American Recorders, next door to Lawrence Welk's Palladium, and across from the Moulin Rouge on Sunset Blvd. near Sunset and Vine Street. A little bitty street (Argyle Street) was next door to the studio, so I said, 'Let's call ourselves The Hollywood Argyles!'[2]

Other versions

Also in 1960, The Dyno-Sores released a version that went to #59 on the Hot 100 chart and Dante & The Evergreens released a version that went to #15 on the Hot 100 chart.[3] Both Dante & The Evergreens' and the Argyles' versions were credited as number ones in Cashbox magazine's singles chart.

The Beach Boys recorded and released their version on their 1965 album Beach Boys' Party!. The British satirical art rock/pop group, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, recorded a version of "Alley Oop", which was released as their second single in October 1966. It was also performed by Dave Van Ronk and the Hudson Dusters on their self-titled album, released in 1967.

Actress-singer Darlene Love recorded a version of the song for the 1984 film Bachelor Party. George Thorogood also did a version of this song and it was on his live album that was released on February 15, 1989. Ray Stevens' version was on his album, Gitarzan.

See also

References


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Mentioned in

The Hollywood Argyles (2002 Album by The Hollywood Argyles Featuring Gary Paxton)
Alley Oop (1960 Album by Hollywood Argyles)
The Dyna-Sores (Rock Band)