JOHNNY YOUNG & KOMPANY
Kiss Me Now
(Bill Martin)
Australia 1967
#6 Sydney #6 Melbourne #5 Brisbane #8 Adelaide #6 Perth

Double-sided hit with When Will I Be
Loved.

Johnny Young: Western Australian singer, songwriter, radio announcer and TV compere, born John De Jong. In later years he became best known for his long-running youth variety show Young Talent Time and the associated talent school, but his greatest claim to pop fame, internationally, is for having written the Russell Morris classic The Real Thing.

THE RAJAHS
Kiss Me Now
(Bill Martin)
Australia 1964

Sydney band that evolved from Dig Richards & The R'Jays, influenced on their own records by Beatlemania. Guitarist Lindsay King was famously known as Nosmo King (get it?).

After parting with Dig Richards, the band became Johnny O'Keefe's backing band for a time before establishing themselves as an independent act in the wake of Beatlemania. It was JO'K who suggested their name change to The Rajahs and their adoption of turbans as part of their stage gear. See also Johnny O'Keefe's 1964 rerecording of Shout with The Rajahs.

It's a long story, and Rajahs Jon Hayton and Leon Isackson told it well in their book Behind The Rock. See also the history of the band at Howlspace.

Photo from Behind The Rock, with thanks to the copyright-holders.
TOMMY QUICKLY
Kiss Me Now
(Bill Martin)
UK 1963
Original version

Single on Piccadilly label

This was the first recorded song written by British songwriter Bill Martin. Kiss Me Now was originally written for, but not used by, Gerry & the Pacemakers.

Bill Martin often wrote in partnership with Phil Coulter. There were numerous Martin-Coulter hit songs, including Puppet On A String, Surround Yourself With Sorrow and Congratulations. They also wrote Hi Hi Hazel, recorded by The Troggs and Geno Washington in the UK and covered in Australia by Grandma's Tonic.

Bill Martin himself tells the full story of his career, and lists many of his well-known compositions, at BillMartinSongwriter.com.

Thanks to Bill Martin for his help with this one.
FLORENCE DEVORE
Kiss Me Now (Don't Kiss Me Later)
(Cooper - Susser)
USA 1965
Red herring

Similar title but not the same song as 'Kiss Me Now' by Johnny Young.

Single on Phi-Dan label.
DIANA ROSS
Kiss Me Now
(Fuqua - Lupper)
USA 1976
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Kiss Me Now' by Johnny Young

On 1976 album Diana Ross.
LILA MCCANN
Kiss Me Now
(Burr - Spiro)
USA 1999
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as 'Kiss Me Now' by Johnny Young

American country/pop singer

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