[78-L] Dance with me Henry

David Lennick dlennick at sympatico.ca
Sun Jan 16 08:14:21 PST 2011


Adding some info.

And a reissue I have on Stardust URC 1196 lists the songwriters as (J. Rogers, 
P. Otis). Modern Music Pub. BMI, no orchestra credited. I've just gone through 
a few hundred 50s 45s and 78s and don't seem to have an original of that one.

Who the heckity heck are J. Rogers and P. Otis!? Nat Shapiro lists the credits 
as follows:

DANCE WITH ME HENRY, also known as THE WALLFLOWER
Words and music by Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard and Etta James
Modern Music Publishing Co./Lois Publishing Co.
Original rhythm and blues version, entitled "The Wallflower", introduced by 
Etta James (Modern). Best-selling record by Georgia Gibbs (Mercury).

How do Ballard and Lois fit in here? Back to 1954, for
WORK WITH ME, ANNIE
Words and music by Henry "Hank" Ballard
Lois Publishing Co.
Best-selling record by The Midnighters (Federal)

dl

On 1/16/2011 8:24 AM, Gary Herzenstiel wrote:
> Hi, Peter and 78-L fellows.
>
> Questions about Georgia Gibb's "Dance with me Henry" from 1955
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaIJvlHXEqU"
> Mercury 70616
> Wallflower (Dance with me Henry)
> Otis * Ballard * James
> BMI
> with orchestra conducted by Glenn Osser
>
> But my copy of the tune, Mercury 70572, shows:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoCgCZ8cF0o
> Mercury 70572
> Dance with me Henry (Wallflower)
> James Etta - P. Otis
> ASCAP
> with Hugo Peretti and his orchestra
>
> The recording is the same.  No, I did not mis-type "James Etta."  Who is Ballard?  Who's band is it and would someone pay ASCAP or BMI?  How messed up is that!
>
> As if that wasn't enough of a puzzle, most copies I've seen of 70572 are backed with "Ballin' The Jack."  I found a copy that was backed with "Every road must have a turning."  Orchestra credit on "Every" is Glenn Osser.  Was one of the pairings pulled?  The labels all have that mid-'50s Mercury half-n-half logo.
>
> Who knows the real stories here?
>
> Thanks.    Gary
> http://78rpmrecord.com
>
> P.S. I finally re-vamped the 78 label page so that it accepts labels from contributors.  Next to add is some security, unfortunately.  Please feel free to contribute nice quality scans.  Quite a few of my scans are old and need to be replaced (hint, hint.)  Hope you enjoy it.
> ______________________________________________


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