THE DELLTONES
Come A Little Bit Closer
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller)
Australia 1963
#3 Sydney #2 Melbourne #5 Brisbane #6 Adelaide #4 Perth

Sydney vocal group The Delltones, featuring the bass of the ironically nicknamed 'Pee Wee' Wilson, were a fixture of the Australian rock'n'roll scene from their formation in 1959. Their official site is at www.delltones.com.

Writers of this song, Leiber & Stoller, produced another song called Come A Little Bit Closer for Jay & the Americans, but it was a different song, written by Boyce, Farrell and Hart.

THE FOUR COINS
Come A Little Bit Closer
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller)
USA 1962

Single on Jubilee.

In the early 50s, vocal group The Four Coins had been horn players in the band of the young Bobby Vinton who, like them, was from the Pittsburgh suburb of Canonsburg. They charted Top 40 in the US five times 1955-1958. Their biggest hit, and the song they are most remembered for, was Shangri-la (1957, #11).

Reference, further reading: Four Coins at Pittsburg Music History.

SUE THOMPSON & HANK PENNY
Come A Little Bit Closer
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller)
USA 1954

Cover version on Decca by singer Sue Thompson and her then husband, the hillbilly artist Hank Penny.

Sue Thompson was later successful as a solo pop singer on the Hickory label, notably with the John D. Loudermilk songs Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) (1961, #5 USA) and Norman (1962, #3). Her last charting single was with Loudermilk's Paper Tiger in 1965 (#23 USA).

Further reading: 1. For more on Sue Thompson's career, see under Donna Gaye's Australian variation on Norman. 2. Hank Penny article at Wikipedia.
WILLY AND RUTH
Come A Little Bit Closer
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller)
USA 1954
Original version

Single on Leiber & Stoller's own Spark label, #101, the label's first release. Willy & Ruth were members of The Honeybears, a gospel group also signed to Spark.

 
JAY AND THE AMERICANS
Come A Little Bit Closer
(Boyce - Farrell - Hart)
USA 1964
Red herring
#3 USA #1 Sydney #10 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #56 Adelaide #1 Perth

Same title but not the same song as 'Come A Little Bit Closer' by The Delltones.

Produced but not written by Leiber and Stoller, writers of the Delltones song Come A Little Bit Closer.

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