I can only think of one Gene Pitney record that I own, a 45 of "Town Without Pity". A great song, kind of a downer with a noir feel to it. I never bothered going any further with him. I know he had other hits, I just can't remember any right at the moment. But I do remember that he wrote "Hello Mary Lou", a hit for Rickey Nelson, and "He's A Rebel", a hit for the Crystals (produced by Phil Spector). Both were favorites of mine long before I knew who Gene Pitney was.
Pitney's versions of "Hello Mary Lou" and "She's A Rebel" are below. They're interesting to hear but, man, they pale in comparison. Not even close. Poor ol' Pitney. I was hoping the songwriting credit for "Town Without Pity" would be his redemption. Not to be. Some other dude.
Listen:
Gene Pitney - Town Without Pity mp3 at Fimoculous
Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary Lou mp3 at Snuhthing Anything
Gene Pitney - Hello Mary Lou mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
The Crystals - He's A Rebel (streaming) at YouTube
Gene Pitney - She's A Rebel mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
2 comments:
Try She's A Heartbreaker, written and produced by Jerry Williams (you know, Swamp Dogg)
https://guessimdumb.tumblr.com/post/124835748894/gene-pitney-shes-a-heartbreaker-1968-i-found
You must have seen that television show; I think it played on A&E for years.
In it, it is discussed that the Rolling Stones in a New York City recording studio in 1964 are at loggerheads with each other. Nothing is being recorded. Time is expiring. The group is actually voicing giving it up there and then.
Andrew Loog Oldham delves into his personal Rolodex and procures the telephone number for Gene Pitney, with whom the Rolling Stones were friendly with when he toured England in 1963 on a package tour. He calls Gene and queries him if he has any demos of his songs, and can get to this studio quickly?
Gene rushes down to the studio. When he walks into the room, all the Rolling Stones' arguments cease. {It's Gene Pitney!} Mick and Keith ask him, "Do you have a song we can do?"
Gene has a song for them.
The recording session is revived. The group's spirit is restored. The Gene Pitney song they record does not become a hit, but they complete the recording session.
This is likely the closest the Rolling Stones ever came to breaking up. Think about this in 2021.
And for "She's A Heartbreaker" (of which I own the stereo LP), Musicor was so uncertain that the listening audience would accept this as by him, it sent out promo 7-inch records showing the artist name as "P G".
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