JOHNNY O'KEEFE
Move Baby Move
(Matt Maurer - Wes Farrell)
Australia 1963
#1 Sydney #1 Melbourne #7 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #1 Perth

Single on Leedon by Johnny O'Keefe (1935-1978), Australia's biggest star of the rock'n'roll era, known as The Wild One, The King of Rock'n'Roll or just J. O'K.

In Adelaide and Sydney, this was a double-sided hit with the
B-side, You'll Never Cherish A Love So True (Until You Lose It).

Further reading: 1. Damian Johnstone's definitive J.O'K. biography The Wild One, 2001 (Google Books).

FRANKIE BRUNSON
Move Baby Move
(Matt Maurer - Wes Farrell)
USA 1963

Move & Groove with an updated title.

Single on Fairmount by R&B-gospel-pop singer and keyboardist (1929-2007). He was also known as Little Frankie Brunson, and he released some records as Big Daddy in the late 50s.

Frankie Brunson sang with jazz group The Lynn Hope Quintet in the early 50s, and was a member of The Fashions1 in the late 50s into the 60s. With some former members of The Fashions he later formed the funk-disco band People's Choice (I Likes To Do It, 1971, #38 USA and Do It Any Way You Wanna, 1975, #11 USA).

Footnote: 1. Not Frankie and the Fashions, led by Frankie Lafaro.

References: 1. Audio at Soul-Source.co.uk. 2. Frankie Brunson tribute at Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. 3. Frankie Brunson discography at SoulfulKindaMusic.net. 4. People's Choice and Frankie Brunson biographies at All Music Guide.

Thanks to mp3z2cd.
GIL HAMILTON
Move & Groove
(Matt Maurer - Wes Farrell)
USA 1962
Original version

The Vee Jay single shows Move & Groove (with the ampersand) but the song is also known as Move In The Groove, Move 'N' Groove or Move Baby Move. Reviewed in Billboard 15 December 1962 (see below).

Gil Hamilton (b.1941) became better known as Johnny Thunder, the name on his #4 USA hit Loop De Loop (1963). As Gil Hamilton, he recorded Tell Her (1962), the original version of Tell Him, a hit for The Exciters (1962, #4 USA).

Matt Maurer & Wes Farrell collaborated on a number of songs. The B-side of Move & Groove is a Maurer-Farrell composition with Gil Hamilton, When Are You Coming Home.

Wes Farrell (1939-1996) was a producer, arranger, publisher and label owner who also released some records in his own name in the 60s. Songs he co-wrote include Boys (Shirelles, Beatles); Come A Little Bit Closer (Jay & The Americans); Come On Down To My Boat (Every Mother's Son); Hang On Sloopy (McCoys); Baby Let Me Take You Home (Animals).

Further reading: 1. Johnny Thunder (Gil Hamilton) biography at All Music Guide. 2. Wes Farrell at Wikipedia. 3. Interview with Wes Farrell at CmonGetHappy.com, a Partridge Family fansite: Farrell produced the show's music.

Thanks to mp3z2cd.
BILLY 'THE KID' EMERSON
Move Baby Move
(William Emerson)
USA 1955
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Move Baby Move' by Johnny O'Keefe.

Single on Sun, a song in the vein of Shake, Rattle And Roll by versatile singer-songwriter-keyboardist who was signed to Sun after working with Ike Turner.

Further reading: Billy Emerson biography at all Music Guide.
DICK PENNER
Move Baby Move
(Dick Penner)
USA 1957
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Move Baby Move' by Johnny O'Keefe.

Unreleased Sun recording. (Audio sample at RCS).
AL & NETTIE
Move Baby Move
USA 1958
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Move Baby Move' by Johnny O'Keefe.

Single on Christy that pre-dates the copyright registration of Maurer & Farrell's Move And Groove at US Copyright Office.

Al seems to have been blues singer Al King, real name Alvin K. Smith (1923-1999).

As Eugene Chadbourne points out at AMG, Telling these guys named Al King apart is like looking for a specific dune in the desert. Other sources (including AMG) will tell you that that Al King/Alvin K. Smith was born in 1926 and ended up with a biography that merely intersects at some points with that of Al King/Alvin K. Smith (1923-1999). I'll go with the reference below, which at least mentions Nettie in passing.

Reference: Edward M. Komara, Encyclopedia of the Blues, 2006 (Google Books)
LARRY HARRISON
Move Baby Move
(Clyde Otis - Kelly Owens)
USA 1962
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Move Baby Move' by Johnny O'Keefe.

Single on Savoy.

Larry Harrison is better known as a songwriter, often with Jimmy Williams, for example on Nancy Wilson's (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am (1964, #11 USA). Clyde Otis was the producer and writer behind many of Brook Benton's hits.

Clyde Otis & Kelly Owens wrote, for example, Nat King Cole's That's All There Is To That (1956, #16 USA).

References: 1. Ebay label shot of Savoy single (October 2008).
2. BMI, Work #1017193 .

Corrections or comments? Contact the writer.