JOHNNY DEVLIN
Chi-Chico-Teek
(Jeff Barry - Wayne Rooks)
Australia 1963
#30 Sydney

Single on Leedon.

Johnny Devlin (b. 1938 in Raetihi) was a New Zealander who had been a pioneering rock'n'roll star in his home country. Devlin's New Zealand success was in covering American rock'n'roll, and his repertoire included a range of astutely chosen covers, many away from the mainstream. However, most of his charting Australian records were originals, usually written or co-written by himself.

Johnny Devlin had sixteen songs on the Sydney charts alone 1959-1965. His biggest hits were:

• Turn The Lights Out Johnny (1959, #3 Sydney, #27 Melbourne, #2 Adelaide), an original rocker by Devlin;
• the novelty Got A Zack In The Back Of My Pocket (1960, #7 Sydney, #19 Brisbane, #8 Adelaide), written by Nat Kipner, (a zack was a sixpenny piece); and
• Stomp The Tumbarumba (1963, #5 Sydney, #5 Brisbane), by Devlin, a surf craze song that seems to refer to an inland New South Wales town.

As a songwriter, Johnny Devlin's credits also include:

• Patsy Ann Noble - Good Looking Boy (1961, #16 Sydney #6 Melbourne #13 Brisbane #8 Adelaide);
• Digger Revell & The Denvermen - My Little Rocker's Turned Surfie (1964, #9 Sydney, #16 Brisbane); and
• Digger Revell's Denvermen - Surfside, written with Nat Kipner (1963, #1 Sydney, #6 Melbourne).

Johnny Devlin also produced The Cicadas - That's What I Want (1964).

Johnny Devlin's Devils also recorded in their own right: see their charting single Teen Beat. The French site Instromania has their lineup and a discography.

References: Howlspace's Johnny Devlin page; Gavin Ryan's charts; Soundscreen Australia's discographies; additional details from Tony Watson and Terry Stacey. For the full flavour of Johnny Devlin mania from a New Zealand perspective, Bruce Sergeant's account is indespensable. Jason Ankeny's article at All Music Guide also captures the essence of the Johnny Devlin phenomenon.