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THE CHANGING TIMES
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari] [attrib. to Ronnie Hawkins - Jacqueline Magill]) Australia 1965 #7 Melbourne One of two charting singles on RCA by popular Melbourne live band formed in 1965. References: Spencer et al, Who's Who in Australian Rock; Ian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop.
SONNY BURGESS
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari] [attrib. to Ronnie Hawkins - Jacqueline Magill]) USA 1965 Single on Arkansas label Razorback. See label shot at Rocking' Country Style, which also lists versions by The Twiliters (1964) and Bobby & The Temps (1963).
RONNIE HAWKINS & THE HAWKS
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari] [attrib. to Ronnie Hawkins - Jacqueline Magill]) USA 1959 Influential version #26 USA Single on Roulette by early rock'n'roller born in Arkansas. From the late 50s he started to work regularly in Canada, and Toronto became his home base. The Hawks, formed in 1958, parted with Hawkins in 1963. They eventually re-emerged as The Band and found fame as Bob Dylan's band and in their own right. The writer credits on this version were to Ronnie Hawkins with Jacqueline Magill who was (according to the Band website) the girlfriend of Roulette founder Morris Levy. Mary Lou was in fact written by Young Jessie and 'Sam Ling' (see below).
BUDDY KNOX
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari]) USA 1957 On 1957 album Buddy Knox on Roulette label.
YOUNG JESSIE
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari]) USA 1955 Original version Single on Modern label by Los Angeles R&B and jazz singer Obediah Jessie (b. 1936), whose long career began in The Flairs. He joined The Coasters for a time in 1957, and has continued to record and perform as Obie Jessie. 'Sam Ling' was one of several pseudonyms used by brothers Jules, Joe, Lester and Saul Bihari, founders of Modern Records and other labels. Saul Bihari is sometimes credited for Mary Lou under his own name. See also Cherry Pie. References: All Music Guide biography by Bill Dahl; Wikipedia entry for Young Jessie; Marv Goldberg's R&B notebooks (Sam Ling & the Biharis). Further reading: Dik de Heer's article on Jules Bihari and his brothers at BlackCatRockabillyEurope. Thanks to Terry Stacey for IDing this original.
TED DAIGLE
Mary Lou (Ted Daigle) Canada 1959 Red herring Same title but not the same song as 'Mary Lou' by The Changing Times. Single on Rodeo (Canada). See Rockin' Country Style for details, including audio clip and label shot.
RICKY NELSON
Hello Mary Lou (Gene Pitney) USA 1961 Red herring #9 USA #2 UK #2 Sydney #1 Melbourne #2 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #15 Perth Similar title but not the same song as 'Mary Lou' by The Changing Times. Hit version of a song composed by pop star Gene Pitney. For absolute original version, though, Ricky was pipped at the post by Country singer Johnny Duncan: see the song history at The Originals. Later versions:
THE STEVE MILLER BAND
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari]) USA 1973 Later version On 1973 album The Joker.
BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
Mary Lou (Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari]) USA 1976 Later version On 1976 album Night Moves.
FRANK ZAPPA
The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou (Donald & Doris Woods; Young Jessie - 'Sam Ling' [Saul Bihari]) USA 1983 Later version On 1983 album The Man From Utopia. The track is a medley of The Man From Utopia, a 1955 song by Donald Woods & The Vel-Aires, with Young Jessie's Mary Lou. Further reading: Album review at All Music Guide; album details and lyrics at www.Zappa.hu. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |
