01. The Gypsy Cried (Mono)
02. Red Sails In The Sunset (Mono)
03. Two Faces Have I (Stereo)
04. All That Glitters Isn't Gold
(First-time Stereo)
05. Stay
(Stereo)
06. Tears On My Pillow
(Stereo)
07. Have I Sinned
(Stereo)
08. Summer Snow (Mono)
09. When You Dance
(Stereo)
10. Money (That's What I Want)
Previously Unreleased
(Stereo)
11. Tonight (I Fell In Love)
Stereo
12. To Be Loved (Forever)
Stereo
13. How Many Teardrops
(Stereo)
14. Mr. Tenor Man
(Stereo)
15. You And I
(Have A Right To Cry)
Stereo
16. Shy Boy (Mono)
17. It Can Happen (Mono)
Tracks 01-17
Arranged by Ty Lemley
18. There They Go
(First-time Stereo)
19. Maybe You'll Be There (Mono)
20. You May Be Holding My Baby
(First-time Stereo)
21. Outside the Gates Of Heaven
Mono Hit Version &
Alternate Stereo Version
MOJO #66, May 1999
LOU CHRISTIE
The Complete Co & Ce / Roulette Recordings
Taragon US Import
The cataclysmic falsetto of Lou Christie was responsible for some of the most wildly imaginative records of the '60s, as anyone who owns Sequel's Glory River comp will testify. Christie was a moody boy in a shiny shirt who co-wrote all his material with Twyla Herbert, a gypsy woman in her forties.
The sides on this CD cover his quintessential teen idol period (1962-'64): The Gypsy Cried, Two Faces Have I, Outside The Gates Of Heaven-- neo-doo wop with a mystical twist. The sound is Frankie Valli in a shed with chanting chicks, one of whom sounds like Christie doing an even higher harmony.
The later tracks, including a fistful produced by Bert Berns, suggest the sparkling work to come with Lightnin' Strikes, Jack Nitzsche and the Buddah years. No doubt there's a book to be written, but for now this'll do as Chapter One.
~ Bob Stanley
Goldmine #483
January 29, 1999
LOU CHRISTIE
The Complete Co & Ce /
Roulette Recordings
Taragon (TARCD-1042)
Not only did Lou Christie have Two Faces (or so he proudly proclaimed in his first Top Ten hit), he had two voices. In addition to his pleasing doo-wop-tinged tenor, Christie had full command of a shrieking falsetto that rendered his 1962-64 work for the Roulette and Pittsburgh-based Co & Ce labels unique.
Christie's entire output for those two firms is digitally gathered for this disc, including his three 1963 chart entries for Roulette, "The Gypsy Cried," "Two Faces Have I" (which peaked at #6 on Billboard's Pop charts), and "How Many Teardrops." The first two were co-written by the singer and longtime collaborator Twyla Herbert; the pair also brainstormed "Summer Snow," "All That Glitters Isn't Gold," "It Can Happen," and "Shy Boy."
Christie's early catalog encompassed a variety of R&B oldies. Covers of the Turbans' "When You Dance," Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs' "Stay," and fellow falsetto specialist Donnie Elbert's "Have I Sinned" were tailor-made to his soaring strengths.
A previously unissued reading of Barret Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" is a find, while "Mr. Tenor Man" was Christie's bouncy rebuttal to Johnny Cymbal's "Mr. Bass Man."
Bert Berns-- the mastermind behind Solomon Burke, Bang Records, and "Hang On Sloopy"-- co-produced a January 8, 1964, Christie session that resulted in the powerful "Outside The Gates Of Heaven" and "You May Be Holding My Baby" (the latter co-penned by Berns himself). Fans of the still-active singer will cherish this collection. (PO Box 765, Deer Park, NY 11729)
--Bill Dahl
Record Collector
December 1998
LOU CHRISTIE
The Complete Co & Ce /
Roulette Recordings
US Import: Taragon TARCD-1042 (53.15)
Few men ever mastered more vocal styles than Lou Christie. You probably know him for his wonderfully hysterical hits like "Lightnin' Strikes" and "I'm Gonna Make You Mine," ear-tingling falsetto to the fore. Or maybe for his 1971 art-pop concept LP, "Paint America Love."
This collection predates either of those identities, concentrating on his work between 1962 and 1964. Sometimes he out-falsettos Frankie Valli; sometimes he plays it low-down, deep and smoochy. "Outside the Gates Of Heaven" has the highest vocal line known to male-kind. There are doo-wop covers, pre-rock stardards, R&B, pure pop-- almost every track a mini-opera, dramatic and intense. Standard Lou christie, in other words. (PD)
Taragon are at P.O. Box 765, Deer Park, New York 11729-0765, USA
Hi-Fi News & Record Review
December 1998
LOU CHRISTIE
The Complete Co & Ce /
Roulette Recordings
Taragon TARCD-1042 (53m 13s)
Finally, a definitive set covering the 1962-4, pre-'Lightnin' Strikes' material.
Christie, like Frankie Valli, mastered the art of the falsetto, creating a steady stream of pop mini-masterpieces.
Among the 21 gems are 'The Gypsy Cried' and the peerless 'Two Faces Have I'.
~ Ken Kessler
A-B: 1-2
DisCoveries
November 1998
Lou Christie
The Complete Co & Ce / Roulette Recordings
Taragon 1042
Although he had made some good- and interesting- doo-wop records around his native Pittsburgh before these, this superlative 21-track collection is where the career of Lou Christie begins in earnest.
Still working out of Steeltown with his collaborator-mentor Twyla Herbert, the majority of these sides have a homegrown, small-label session feel to them, even if they were almost all simultaneously issued on the Roulette imprint for national consumption.
Lou's otherworldly falsetto wails (I've seen him do it real quiet, standing no more than a foot away from him; it's something to see and hear, believe me) on the two big hits here -"The Gypsy Cried" and "Two Faces Have I"- need no introduction, but his trademarked sound is equally at home and just as fine on B-sides and album cuts like "Red Sails In the Sunset," "Tears On My Pillow," "Tonight I Fell In Love" and "When You Dance."
The previously unreleased version of the rocker "Money" yields a left field take to the standard, but everything on here is vintage and prime Lou Christie, a true song stylist who just happened to also write a solid third of the material compiled here. An important -but often neglected- chapter in rock 'n' roll's history that deserves a wider hearing.
-- Cub Koda
Pittsburgh Magazine
March 1999, page 16
Two Albums Have I
Good news for Louheads: two new re-mastered, repackaged re-issues of Lou
Christie cuts on compact disc. The Complete Co & Ce / Roulette
Recordings (Taragon) contains a number of Christie classics, including
"The Gypsy Cried" and "Two Faces Have I," as well as the young Christie
tearing up on "Stay," "Tears On My Pillow" and the previously unreleased
"Money (That's What I Want)." All were recorded between October 1962 and
January 1964 (a month before the Beatles played Ed Sullivan and changed
the music world forever), a majority of them here in Pittsburgh. Fans of
the early Christie will not be disappointed with this 21 track treasure,
although I would recommend that the neophyte Louhead not attemptto listen
to the whole CD at once and risk "falsetto overloadus."
Actually, Christie has a beautiful tenor voice that shines on the
easygoing collection Beyond The Blue Horizon / Hey You Cajun (Varese
Vintage), a country-ish collection of tunes originally released in 1974.
These songs, written mostly by producer Tony Romeo, marked a departure for
Christie, whose brief foray into country even included anappearance at
the Grand Ole Opry. The album made little noise, although "Beyond The Blue
Horizon" did reach No. 12 on the Easy Listening charts and later found
new life when it was featured in the film Rain Man. This is not a
hard-core country album but more along the lines of Kenny Rogers or B.J.
Thomas. You can't go wrong with either CD. Advice for the Louhead: Get both.
--Philip Harris
Ice The CD News Authority
May, June & July 1998
Both Sides Now
The Story Of Stereo Rock And Roll
Issue #49
October-December, 1998
Page 657
Goldmine
September 11, 1998
Knoxville News-Sentinel
September 18, 1998
by Wayne Bledsoe
DisCoveries
May, July, October & November 1998
1. Registration Number: RE-573-040
Title: You may be holding my baby. w & m Bert Russell, Paul
Colby
Claimant: Sylvia Levine (E of Bert Russell), acPaul Colby
(A)
Effective Registration Date: 9Jan92
Original Registration Date: 21Apr64
Original Registration Number: EU821905
Original Class: E
2. Registration Number: RE-606-264
Title: You may be holding my baby. w & m Bert Russell a.k.a.
Bert Burns, & P. Colby.
Claimant: Ilene Berns (W), Brett Berns, Cassandra Berns &
Mark Berns (C)
Effective Registration Date: 15Jan93
Original Registration Date: 21Apr64
Original Registration Number: EU821905
Original Class: E
Miscellaneous: C.O. corres.
LOU CHRISTIE
January 8, 1964
Bell Sound NYC
Produced by Bert Berns and
Nick Cenci
Arranged by Teacho Wiltshire except
Outside The Gates Of Heaven
Arranged by Garry Sherman
17912
There They Go
(Jimmie Crane)
Roulette single R-4545 B
Billboard review March 14, 1964
Included on the albums Lou Christie Strikes Back (Co & Ce 1231, Record
World review March 26, 1966) and Lou Christie Strikes Again (Roulette
SR-25332, March 1966)
17913
Maybe You'll Be There
Roulette single R-4554 B
Released June 1964
Included on the albums Lou Christie Strikes Back and Lou Christie
Strikes Again
Roulette Master 17914
Co & Ce Master TM-1476
Outside The Gates Of Heaven
Co & Ce single C-235
Billboard review February 26, 1966
Included on the albums Lou Christie Strikes Back and Lou Christie
Strikes Again
17915
You May Be Holding My Baby
(Bert Russell-Paul Colby)
© April 21, 1964
Released on the albums Lou Christie Strikes Back (Co & Ce 1231, Record
World review March 26, 1966) and Lou Christie Strikes Again (Roulette
SR-25332, March 1966)
Solomon Burke
May 28, 1964
NYC
Produced by Bert Berns
Arranged by Phil Medley
7936 Lili Marlene UNRELEASED
w Hans Liep 22Dec54
m Norbert Schultze, w Hans Leip 31May57
7937 You May Be Holding My Baby UNRELEASED
(Bert Russell-Paul Colby)
© April 21, 1964
7938 Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
w & m Bert Berns- Solomon Burke-Jerry Wexler
© September 14, 1964
Atlantic single 45-2241
Billboard review July 11, 1964
Included on The Best Of Solomon Burke (Atlantic album SD-8109) 1965
The Pussycats
August 4, 1964
NYC
Produced by Bert Berns
Arranged by Teacho Wiltshire
8055 Come On And Ska
(Tommy Dowd)
© January 29, 1965
8056 You May Be Holding My Baby
(Bert Russell-Paul Colby)
© April 21, 1964
Keetch single 45-6003
Not reviewed in Billboard (?)
The Drifters
August 4, 1964
NYC
Produced by Bert Berns
Arranged by Teacho Wiltshire
8057 I’ve Got Sand In My Shoes
Atlantic single 45-2253
Billboard review September 19, 1964
8058 Saturday Night At The Movies
w & m Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil 6Nov64
Atlantic single 45-2260
Released November 1964
Doris Troy = Doris Payne
August 4, 1964
NYC
Produced by Bert Berns (?)
Arranged by Teacho Wiltshire
8059 Hurry
(Gregory Carroll-Doris Troy)
8060 He Don’t Belong To Me
(Gregory Carroll-Valerie Simpson-Josephine Armstead)
© 13Oct65
Atlantic single 45-2269
Billboard review January 23, 1965
Ty Lemley
~ TyMena Music
Herbert S. Cohen (d. 4 March 1985),
Nick P. Cenci, Jr. &
Bert BernsBillboard ad:
In Pittsburgh
Your Distributor Should Be
FENWAY
1601 Fifth Ave., Pitt., Pa
Phone: 391-3973
Herbert S. Cohen, President
Promotion:
Nick Cenci
Jack Hakim
Bill Roberts
(Ricky, C&C, Co&Ce, Bev-Mar labels manufactured by Chess)
The Knight Brothers:
Margaret
(Richard Dunbar - James Leon Diggs)
© 6 May 1963 /
Love (Can't You Hear Me)
(Richard Dunbar - James Leon Diggs)
© 6 May 1963
Checker single 1049
Produced by Herb Cohen
Directed by Bert Berns
The Knight Brothers:
I Really Love(d) You
(James Leon Diggs)
© 1 October 1963 /
Second Hand Lover
(additional title: Who Do You Love?)
(Richard Dunbar - James Leon Diggs)
© 1 October 1963
Checker single 1064
Produced by Herb Cohen
Directed by Bert Berns
The Fenways:
The Number One Song In The Country
© 9 October 1963 /
Nothing To Offer You
© 30 October 1963
Ricky "C" R-106
The Fenways:
Humpty Dumpty
© 16 March 1964 /
Nothing To Offer You
Bev-Mar BM-401 &
Chess 1901
The Fenways:
Be Careful Little Girl
© 19 August 1964 /
Be Careful Little Girl
Bev-Mar BM-402 &
Roulette R-4573
The Fenways:
Walk /
Whip & Jerk
© 14 December 1964 & 17 February 1965
Stone 4560 &
Imperial 66082
The Fenways:
Never Thought I'd See The Day /
Stone 48
The Fenways:
Hard Road Ahead /
The Fight
Blue Cat 116, BB rvw 22 May 1965
The Fenways:
Co & Ce #s 233, 237, 241, 243
Jimmy Beaumont:
I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love /
Tell Me
Bang 510
Ent BB Bubbling Under December 18, 1965 pk #123
Jimmy Beaumont:
I Never Loved Her Anyway
(Herbert S. Cohen-Nick P. Cenci, Jr.) /
You Got Too Much Going For You
Bang 525, [July] 1966
LOU CHRISTIE &
THE TAMMYS:
EGYPTIAN SHUMBA:
THE SINGLES AND
RARE RECORDINGS 1962-1964
RPM CD 330 (55:15)
Released January 28, 2002
LOU CHRISTIE
ORIGINAL SINNER:
THE VERY BEST OF
THE MGM RECORDINGS
(RPM 284)
