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LITTLE PATTIE
Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far (Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell) Australia 1965 #31 Sydney #30 Melbourne #8 Brisbane #51 Adelaide Teenaged pop star Little Pattie's real name was Patricia Amphlett (she is a cousin of Divinyls singer Chrissie Amphlett). Her career kicked off at the end of 1963 with a double-sided surf craze hit, He's My Blonde-Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy backed with Stompin' At Maroubra. She later moved on from the surf novelty with a number of well-chosen and well-produced songs: see, for example, Little Things Like That and Dance Puppet Dance. Further reading: 1. The definitive source on Little Pattie is Graeme Browne's booklet on her career, available through OzMusicBooks. 2. Little Pattie: Stories and Thoughts at Long Way to the Top. 3. Little Pattie entry at Wikipedia. 4. Patricia Thelma 'Little Pattie' Amphlett, OAM at Australian War Memorial's Who’s Who in Australian Military History. 5. Citation for OAM for services to the entertainment industry, 2003.
DINAH LEE
Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far (Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell) New Zealand 1965 Single on Viking label (NZ). Powerful, energetic New Zealand singer known as 'The Dynamic' Dinah Lee, an admirer of Dee Dee Sharp and Millie Small, born Diane Jacobs in 1943. Her rocking versions of astutely chosen songs and her cutting-edge mod image made her extremely popular in New Zealand and Australia in the mid-60s. See the full account and appreciation at Milesago.
BARBARA LEWIS
Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far (Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell) USA 1964 Original version B-side of Come Home, single on Atlantic label by Michigan soul-pop singer-songwriter. Barbara Lewis wrote her own big hit Hello Stranger (1963, #3 USA) along with all the songs on her first album, produced by Del Shannon's breakthrough producer Ollie McLaughlin. She continued to write but later charted with songs written by others, including Baby, I'm Yours (1965, #11, wr. Van McCoy); Make Me Your Baby (1965, #11, wr. Helen Miller & Roger Atkins); and Make Me Belong To You (1966, #28, wr Chip Taylor & Billy Vera). Lewis's 1964 single Someday We're Gonna Love Again (wr. Sharon McMahan) was covered by England's Searchers (1964, #11 UK, #34 USA). Crewe-Linzer-Randell, the writers of Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far - especially Bob Crewe - wrote many Four Seasons' hits. Let's Hang On! is also a Crewe-Linzer-Randell song. Bob Crewe, Four Seasons producer, usually wrote with Four Season Bob Gaudio. Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer wrote and produced The Toys' A Lovers' Concerto, based on a melody by J.S. Bach. Reference: Barbara Lewis bio by Richie Unterberger at All Music. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |
