US V UK 6

[royclough]

Dion and The Belmonts took this to number 5 in US charts and did get to number 28 in UK. However sing was actualy covered by two UK acts Marty Wilde and Craig Douglas, Marty went to number 2 and Craig number 13.

Marty is still giggin 51 years on and puts on a great show even Dion and Craig Douglas still play odd gig too.

Those from UK may spot that the guy on drums on MW clip was 3 years away from fame and fortune when he became one of The Shadows (Brian Bennett)

So who gets your vote this time, thanks for playing along.

[admin]

A great song that expressed the angst of relationships in the teenage years in the late 1950s that still pulls at the heart-strings today. The technology may have changed but the emotional torch of surviving first relationships has been passed by this song to two generations since.

Marty Wilde's voice is ahead of the game when it comes to tone and it would seem that he has modeled himself after Elvis and to a lesser extent Cliff Richard. The backing band is the beginning of what would become the "Shadows" look. The band remains in the background with the front man getting the glory.

Dion's presentation is a ringer for Bobby Darin complete with the moves and finger snapping passed on from the Jazz days. The backing singers add to the song nicely with their vocals and "choreography." Quite a different approach with support musicians getting in on the credit.

While I am more familiar with Dion, I give the nod to Marty Wilde on this one. It is interesting that he would take it higher in the UK charts than Dion did in the US.

[longhouse]

Close match, this!

I'm giving the edge to Dion & the Belmonts for vocal superiority. Dion's delivery is just less derivative to my ears (especially when you listen a clean studio take instead of the American Bandstand clip). But hey, Marty's pipes are superb. Wonder what ever became of his career. Toward the end of the song he begins doing a pretty good Elvis.

[royclough]

Marty's pipes are superb. Wonder what ever became of his career.

still playing gigs at 70 years old and pretty good too. His chart career in UK, like so many, ended with the onslaught of beat groups.

[its-sylviab]

Marty's pipes are superb. Wonder what ever became of his career.

still playing gigs at 70 years old and pretty good too. His chart career in UK, like so many, ended with the onslaught of beat groups.

Yes.... where have you been? Marty has been touring for ages.... I've seen him three times in recent years, each time his amazingly talented Wild Cats have done the first half as they are individually excellent and who do a great variety of 60s songs and Marty does the second half!!

I have always liked Marty Wilde from when I was about 10-years old, when my mum bought his records and having seen him three times in recent years, I have to say that he still has that voice I remember from when he first sang Teenager in Love and although I was also a Craig Douglas fan and like Dion's version, I have to choose Marty Wilde as my favourite version!


Marty Wilde's 2010 tour dates as part of a package tour with Eden Kane, Jet Harris and Marty's talented daughter Roxanne:

JUNE 2010
Fri 25 SOUTHEND The Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351135

JULY 2010
Thurs 1 BIRMINGHAM Arden Hall 0121 7495089
Sat 3 LOWESTOFT Pontins Pakefield 07976 964086
Sat 31 BOURNEMOUTH Bournemouth Pier 01202 309126

AUGUST 2010
Sun 1 HUNSTANTON Princess Theatre 01485 532252
Sat 7 CLACTON-ON-SEA The West Cliff Theatre 01255 474000

SEPTEMBER 2010
Sat 4 BIRMINGHAM The Spa Theatre 01262 678258
Sun 5 WHITLEY BAY Whitley Bay Playhouse 0191 252350
Fri 10 LITCHFIELD The Garrick Theatre 01543 412121
Sat 25 CROMER Cromer Pavilion 01263 512281
Tue 28 STEVENAGE The Gordon Craig 01438 363200

OCTOBER 2010
Sat 2 MAIDSTONE Hazilett Theatre 01622 758611
Thu 7 SOUTHSEA Kings Theatre * 02392 828282
Fri 8 DARTFORD The Orchard * 01322 220000
Sat 9 ST ALBANS The The Alban Arena * 01727 844488
Sun 10 CROYDON Fairfield Halls * 020 86889291
Tue 12 NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate * 01604 624811
Wed 13 CHATHAM Central Theatre * 01634 338338
Thu 14 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Assembly Hall * 01892 530613
Fri 15 HORSHAM The Capitol 01403 750220
Sat 16 SALISBURY City Hall * 01722 434434
Sun 17 GREAT YARMOUTH Vauxhall Caravan Park 01493 857231
Mon 18 SKEGNESS Butlins 0845 0704750
Tue 19 GATESHEAD The Sage * 0191 4434661
Wed 20 DUNFERMLINE Alhambra Theatre * 01383 740384
Thu 21 GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall * 0141 3538000
Sat 23 WORTHING Pavilion Theatre * 01903 206206
Tue 26 SOUTHPORT Southport Theatre * 0844 8472380
Wed 27 MANCHESTER Palace Theatre * 0844 8472275
Thu 28 TORQUAY Princess Theatre * 0844 8472315
Fri 29 BARNSTAPLE Queens Theatre * 01271 324242

NOVEMBER 2010
Wed 3 HALIFAX Victoria Theatre * 01422 351158
Thu 4 CHELTENHAM Town Hall * 01242 227479
Fri 5 WESTON SUPER Playhouse * 01434 645544
Sat 6 SWANSEA Grand Theatre * 01792 457715
Sun 7 READING Hexagon Theatre * 0118 9606060
Tue 9 BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre * 01253 290190
Wed 10 BIRMINGHAM Alexandra Theatre * 0844 8472294
Thu 11 NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall * 0115 9895555
Fri 12 LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru * 01492 812000
Sat 13 GRIMSBY Grimsby Auditorium * 0844 8472426
Tue 16 EASTBOURNE Congress Theatre * 01323 412000
Thu 18 FOLKESTONE Leas Cliff Hall * 0844 8471776
Fri 19 WIMBORNE The Tivoli Theatre 01202 885566
Sat 20 BASINGSTOKE The Anvil Trust * 01256 844244

FEBUARY 2011
Sat 12 ISLE OF WIGHT Bembridge 0115 9328615

[sue139uk]

Marty Wilde for me. Though I liked the atmosphere in Dion and the Belmonts clip.

[kenposurf]

Marty sounds great..actually a lot like Rick Nelson but I have to give the nod to Dion

[kiramdear]

The doo-wop backing vocals edge the Belmonts slightly ahead of the Brit version. Otherwise, Marty and Dion are both well qualified to make this song a hit.

[royclough]

Thanks to all for support.

Welcome Sue first post of many I hope

Sylvia Noel(longhouse) lives in Kentucky so I doubt he will have even heard of Marty Wilde who meant nothing in USA.

I think on this one there will be a clear US/UK divide with odd exception but it is a bit of fun I hope that brightens up the day.

[JeffZ]

I was suprised to find myself liking the Marty Wilde version more, as Dion has been a personal favorite of mine for a long time. Marty didn't do much on this side of the pond but all the records of his that I've heard have all been very good.

[harley]

In both cases, I think the song is the star. It is strong enough that a lot of artists could do it well. That being said, I prefer the Marty WIlde version because of the instrumentation (I'm a sucker for thumpy little bass lines).

I'm not familiar enough with early Cliff Richard to tell if there was any similarity between him and Marty Wilde but I didn't hear Elvis at all. I was reminded of Ricky Nelson more than anyone.

[admin]

but I didn't hear Elvis at all.

Excellent comments Harley. I too can hear the influence of Ricky Nelson.I guess we all hear different things in a performance. The part that I find very similar to Elvis is from 0:55 to 1:05.

By way of example I feel that the vocal phrasing is similar to the following song 1:15 to 1:21.

[kenposurf]

but I didn't hear Elvis at all.

Excellent comments Harley. I too can hear the influence of Ricky Nelson.I guess we all hear different things in a performance. The part that I find very similar to Elvis is from 0:55 to 1:05.

By way of example I feel that the vocal phrasing is similar to the following song 1:15 to 1:21.

He stands like Elvis..sounds more like Ricky ...

[nick_allen]

I have a feeling that this particular clip is rather unfair to Dion - although they're obviously miming (as is Marty) the sound of the Dion recording seems to have all the bass turned off - it's not at all how I remember the record, which is more like this:
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- and on that basis, I'll vote for Dion, although Marty's version is better than I expected/remembered. (I wouldn't have recognised Brian Bennet, by the way - any idea who the other band members are? one appears to have a Gibson Les Paul, which was very unusual for the period, in the UK).

[chriscurtisfan]

What a great classic! I am accustomed to Dion & The Belmonts, and the vid posted by Nick is great quality!! Stereo on my computer! However, in listening to the MW version, he has a very smooth, easy to take voice, reminiscent of Ricky Nelson…too bad he morphed into Elvis section starting at :55 - 1:38! Don’t throw rocks at me – but I’m not an Elvis Fan! I could have forgiven him had he sounded more like Cliff -- but I'm not hearing Cliff. That would mean my vote goes to D&B.