Gene Pitney: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 23:03, 15 May 2011

Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion. Pitney charted 16 Top 40 hits in the U.S., four in the Top 10. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the Top Ten. He also wrote the early 1960s hits "Rubber Ball" by Bobby Vee, "He's a Rebel" by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou" by Rick Nelson. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Early years

Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter, country-blues singer Moon Mullican and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket", and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit , DumbHead), and in 1959 recorded a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby", a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958 which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.

Career

Rise to fame (1961-1964)

Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, the self-penned "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away", on which he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. He followed that same year with his first Top 40 single, the title song from the film "Town Without Pity" starring Kirk Douglas. Written by Dmitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, the song won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney performed the song at the Oscars ceremony on 9 April 1962 (honoring the film year of 1961). The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River". "Town Without Pity" would be the last song Gene Pitney would sing in public, at a gig in south Wales (UK) before his untimely death at the age of 65.

Pitney is also remembered for Burt Bacharach-Hal David song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. 4 in 1962. Though it shares a title with a 1962 John Ford western with the same title, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, staring John Wayne, the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.

Meanwhile, Pitney wrote hits for others, including "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks; "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison; "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee; and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. In an ironic twist, when Pitney hit No. 2 in November 1962 with the Bacharach-David song "Only Love Can Break a Heart", he was kept from the top spot by The Crystals' version of "He's a Rebel". "Only Love Can Break a Heart" would be Pitney's highest-charting single in the U.S.

Pitney's 1963 hit "Mecca" can be regarded as a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Arabian music several years before The Beatles began experimenting with exotic sounds. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", ukuleles in "Hawaii", and a gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".

His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the breakthrough success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa", a Bacharach and David song, which peaked at No.5 in Britain at the start of 1964 ("Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa" was only Pitney's third single release in the UK to reach the singles chart and the first to break the Top Twenty there). "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa" was also a hit in the U.S, peaking at No.17 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Involvement with The Rolling Stones (1964)

Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album;^[1] he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.

The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones to become a Top 10 hit in the UK.^[2] In the U.S. the single stalled at No. 49, ending a run of seven Top 40 singles for Pitney as a performer.

Maintaining popularity

After another low-charting single, 1964's "Yesterday's Hero", Pitney rebounded with another string of hits in the mid-1960s, including the 1964 singles "It Hurts To Be in Love" and "I'm Gonna Be Strong", which reached No. 7 and No. 9, respectively, in the U.S., and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at No. 2 in the UK. ("I'm Gonna Be Strong" also reached No. 2 on the UK charts.) "It Hurts To Be in Love" had been planned for and recorded by Neil Sedaka, but RCA refused to release it because Sedaka had recorded the song outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's.

In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with country singer George Jones. They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in Italy's annual Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare".

UK, Australian and European stardom (1966-1970s)

Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of Top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the Top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and placed several singles in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.

Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to Top 40 in 1974, as both Blue Angel (No. 2) and Trans-Canada Highway (No. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976, including the hit "Down This Road", written and produced by distant relation Edward Pitney. They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer".

In the early 70s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.

Later career

Pitney's last hit on the UK charts came in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, when he and Soft Cell singer Marc Almond recorded a duet version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The song had been a UK No. 5 for Pitney in 1967. The duet brought him his first UK No. 1, in late January 1989. The single remained at the top for four weeks, and also went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. Pitney and Almond appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. But it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.

On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Death

Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 66. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour.^[3] His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He was survived by his wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris and David.^[4]

Posthumous tributes

Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album "Stardom Road".

On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The event was emceed by nationally known oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville. In 2009 Gene Pitney was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Discography

Singles

Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.

Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia

Year	Month	Title	Chart positions
Year	Month	Title	AUS	CAN	UK Singles Chart^[5]	U.S Hot 100	U.S. C&W
1959		Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell): "Snuggle Up Baby"
1959		Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell): "Classical Rock And Roll"
1960		as Billy Bryan: "Cradle of My Arms"
		"Going Back To My Love"
		as Gene Pitney: "I'll Find You"
		"Please Come Back"
1961	January	"(I Wanna) Love My Life Away"	29	23	26	39
	April	"Louisiana Mama"
	July	"Every Breath I Take"				42
	October	"Town Without Pity"	31	10	32	13
1962	April	"(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance"	3	2		4
	August	"Only Love Can Break a Heart" (A-Side)	4	11		2
	August	"If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox)" (B-Side)	4	42		58
	December	"Half Heaven - Half Heartache"	11	4		12
1963	March	"Mecca" (A-Side)	7	2		12
	March	"Teardrop by Teardrop "(B-Side)				130
	June	"True Love Never Runs Smooth"	18	17		21
	October	"Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa"	3	6	5	17
1964	January	"That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" (A-Side)	9	41	7	49
	January	"Who Needs It" (B-Side)	9	41		131
	April	"Yesterday's Hero" (A-Side)	18	36		64
	April	"Cornflower Blue" (B-Side)	18
	July	"It Hurts to Be In Love"	6	2	36	7
	July	"Lips Are Redder on You" Australian release only	83
	October	"I'm Gonna Be Strong"	5	3	2	9
1965	February	"I Must Be Seeing Things" (A-Side)	12	6	6	31
	February	"Marianne" (B-Side)	12
	April	George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney): "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night"	65			99	16
	May	"Last Chance to Turn Around"	13	4		13
	June	George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney): "Louisiana Man" (A-Side)					25
	June	George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney): "I'm a Fool to Care" (B-Side)				115
	July	"Looking Thru the Eyes of Love"	34	3	3	28
	November	"Princess In Rags"	13	2	9	37
	November	George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney): "Big Job"					50
1966	January	Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery: "Baby Ain't That Fine"					15
	March	"Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidcare"	30			115
	April	"Backstage"	29	2	4	25
	May	George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney): "That's All It Took"					47
	June	"Nobody Needs Your Love" European release only			2
	July?	Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery: "Being Together"
	September	"(In the) Cold Light of Day" (A-Side)	19		38	115
	September	"The Boss's Daughter" (B-Side)	19
	December	"Just One Smile" (A-Side)	55		8	64
	December	"Innamorata" (B-Side)	55
1967	March	"I'm Gonna Listen to Me"
	March	"Animal Crackers (In Cellophane Boxes)"	87			106
	April	"Tremblin'"
	September	"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart"	69		5	130
1968	March	"The More I Saw of Her"
	March	"Somewhere in the Country" European release only			19
	April	"She's a Heartbreaker"	39	13		16
	October	"Billy, You're My Friend"	31	92		92
	November	"Yours Until Tomorrow" European release only			34
1969	March	"Maria Elena" European release only			25
	August	"Playing Games of Love" Australian release only	85
	December	"She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning)"		88		89
1970	March	"A Street Called Hope"			37
1970	October	"Shady Lady"			29
1971		"Higher and Higher"
1971		"Gene Are You There?"
1972		"I Just Can't Help Myself"
1972		"Summertime Dreamin'"
1973	April	"24 Sycamore" European release only			34
1974	October	"Blue Angel" European/Australian release only	2		39
1975	March	"Trans-Canada Highway" European/Australian release only	14
1977		"It's Over, It's Over"
1977		"Dedication"
1989	January	Marc Almond & Gene Pitney: "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" European release only	24		1

References

^ Zentgraf, Nico. "The Complete Works of the Rolling Stones 1962-2008". Retrieved 2008-02-23.
^ Elliott, Martin (2002). The Rolling Stones: Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002. Cherry Red Books. p. 16. ISBN 1-901447-04-9.
^ Singer Gene Pitney dies in Wales after acclaimed performance Retrieved February 23, 2008^{[dead link‍]}
^ http://www.classicbands.com/pitney.html
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 428. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

Template:Persondata

[nzentgraf-1] Zentgraf, Nico. "The Complete Works of the Rolling Stones 1962-2008". Retrieved 2008-02-23.

[elliottp16-2] Elliott, Martin (2002). The Rolling Stones: Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2002. Cherry Red Books. p. 16. ISBN 1-901447-04-9.

[3] Singer Gene Pitney dies in Wales after acclaimed performance Retrieved February 23, 2008^{[dead link‍]}

[4] ttp://www.classicbands.com/pitney.html

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-5] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 428. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, the self-penned "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away", on which he played several instruments and [[Multitrack recording|multi-tracked]] the vocals. He followed that same year with his first Top 40 single, the title song from the film "[[Town Without Pity]]" starring [[Kirk Douglas]]. Written by Dmitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, the song won a [[Golden Globe Award]] and was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Song]]. Pitney performed the song at the Oscars ceremony on 9 April 1962 (honoring the film year of 1961). The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River". "Town Without Pity" would be the last song Gene Pitney would sing in public, at a gig in south Wales (UK) before his untimely death at the age of 65.
-Pitney is also remembered for Burt Bacharach-Hal David song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. 4 in 1962. Though it shares a title with a 1962 [[John Ford]] western with the same title ''[[The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]]'', staring {(John Wayne)} the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and [[Paramount Pictures]].
+Pitney is also remembered for Burt Bacharach-Hal David song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. 4 in 1962. Though it shares a title with a 1962 [[John Ford]] western with the same title, ''[[The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance]]'', staring [[John Wayne]], the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and [[Paramount Pictures]].
 Meanwhile, Pitney wrote hits for others, including "[[He's a Rebel]]" for [[The Crystals]], [[Vikki Carr]], and [[Elkie Brooks]]; "Today's Teardrops" for [[Roy Orbison]]; "Rubber Ball" for [[Bobby Vee]]; and "[[Hello Mary Lou]]" for [[Ricky Nelson]].  In an ironic twist, when Pitney hit No. 2 in November 1962 with the Bacharach-David song "[[Only Love Can Break a Heart]]", he was kept from the top spot by The Crystals' version of "He's a Rebel". "Only Love Can Break a Heart" would be Pitney's highest-charting single in the U.S.