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THE PURPLE HEARTS
Of Hopes And Dreams And Tombstones (Joy Byers) Australia 1966 #21 Melbourne #5 Brisbane The Purple Hearts emerged in Brisbane 1963-64 and removed briefly to Sydney before becoming a popular live band in Melbourne from 1966. Founding members Mick Hadley and Bob Dames, recent arrivals from the UK, had first-hand experience of the London R&B scene, and the band was strongly influenced by the likes of John Mayall, Graham Bond, the early Rolling Stones and through them, authentic American blues. Essential to the Purple Hearts' image as an uncompromising R&B band were vocalist Hadley and lead guitarist Barry Lyde, later known as Lobby Loyde. This track seems to have acquired cult staus, if the Big Beat/Ace anthology CD that uses its title is any indication. See also Early In The Morning. References: 1. Ian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop (1999), pp. 500-501. 2. Purple Hearts history and discography at Milesago. 3. Purple Hearts history at Howlspace. Further reading: 1. Interview with Lobby Loyde at Wild About You. 2. Purple Hearts by Mick Hadley at AintGotNoFeelin.com. Thanks to Terry Stacey for starting this one off.
JIMMY FRASER
Of Hopes And Dreams And Tombstones (Joy Byers) USA 1965 Original version Single on Columbia, #43407. The unknown Jimmy Fraser's public service single,1 about going back to school and getting qualified, unaccountably became an R&B classic in Australia when it was covered by The Purple Hearts. Joy Byers wrote, for example, Eddie Cochran's C'mon Everybody (1958, #35 USA, #6 UK),2 Timi Yuro's What's A Matter Baby (1962, #12 USA) and several Elvis Presley songs.3 She also wrote with her husband, Bob Johnston, producer of (for example) Bob Dylan's Blonde On Blonde and Simon & Garfunkel's early albums. Johnston has claimed co-writer credit for many Joy Byers songs which he explains were credited solely to his wife for contractual reasons.4, 5 See also Sorry by The Groop.
(Above) Billboard, 30 October 1965 Footnotes: 1. Billboard, 30/10/65 (Google Books). 2. C'mon Everybody at Wikipedia. 3. Joy Byers filmography at IMDb (includes songs wrirtten for Elvis films). 4. On Johnston's contribution to songs by Joy Byers songs see, for example, this page at B-Dylan.com, although a search for "joy byers" + "bob johnson" will throw up the same story. 5. Bob Johnston article at Wikipedia includes section Elvis and Joy Byers.
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