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DINAH LEE
Do The Blue Beat (The Jamaican Ska) (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) New Zealand 1964 #6 Melbourne #21 Brisbane #3 Adelaide [5AD] Single on HMV Australia, originally on Viking NZ. Also released in USA on Interphon label and in South Africa on the Troubadour label. Double-sided hit with Reet Petite. The two songs were originally released in New Zealand as A-sides of separate singles on the Viking label. (See The Second Wave (.pdf). Top 40 Research's chart book, The Book, has this peaking at #12 in Sydney. 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. Jamaican singer Millie Small (My Boy Lollipop), who was much admired by Dinah Lee, was known as "The Blue Beat Girl". See the Millie Small page at 45-rpm.org.uk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phil Chapman points out a distinction between Blue Beat and Ska as he remembers it from the 60s Manchester (UK) scene: There are lots of diverse theories online, and although I recall it being basically the same dance, Ska was generally a shuffle beat, whereas Blue Beat was a straight 4s rhythm (and often on the 'Blue Beat' label). Many variants evolved, termed such as Reggae, Lovers Rock, Rock Steady etc., but they can usually be traced back to those two basic rhythmic styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For a playlist of the Blue Beat phenomenon, including some of the records listed on this page, see session 263 - ska light at Phil Milstein's Probe Is Turning-on The People!
MARK THATCHER
Do The Blue Beat (The Jamaican Ska) (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) USA 1964 Single on United Artists label, produced by Jack Gold. The B-side, another Barkan-Raleigh song called Joanie, is also the B-side of Ray Rivera's version (below). The Mark Thatcher and Ray Rivera singles were both released in June 1964 (Davie Gordon, post to Spectropop Group, February 2005).
RAY RIVERA
Do The Blue Beat (The Jamaican Ska) (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) USA 1964 Original version Single on RCA label, arranged by Claus Ogerman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ray Rivera still records and performs jazz and writes poetry. See also Ciao Baby. Written by veteran songwriters Mark Barkan and Ben Raleigh. Mark Barkan wrote Manfred Mann's hit Pretty Flamingo and Ben Raleigh co-wrote Judy Stone's 4 Artie Wayne shares his memories of Ben Raleigh in a January 2005 Right: Link to Ray Rivera's The B-side, another Barkan-Raleigh song called Joanie, is also the B-side of Mark Thatcher's version. Thanks to Ray Rivera.
VIRGINIA LEE
Do The Blue Beat (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) South Africa 1965 Single on RCA (SA) label. Also recorded in 1965 by Virginia Lee for the Imperial album South African Tour Hits, recorded with Slim Whitman during his tour of South Africa. Thank you to Tertius Louw, through South Africa's Rock Files, for identifying this version.
DAN HILL
Do The Blue Beat (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) South Africa 1965 Part of an instrumental medley by South African band leader, on CBS album Sounds Electronic ('27 Great Hits of 1965: Perfect For Dancing'), also on EP of same name. Thanks to Tertius Louw.
LOS SONOR
Do The Blue Beat (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh) Spain 1965 Instrumental track on EP Do The Blue Beat on Phillips label. Los Sonor: Mid-60s instrumental band that merged with Mike & the Runaways to form Los Bravos (Black Is Black). Thank you to Julio Nino for identifying this version through Spectropop Group.
BILLY
Ma Bloopie (Mark Barkan - Ben Raleigh [+ French lyricist?]) France 1984 French-language version of Do The Blue Beat (The Jamaican Ska) by popular juvenile singer born Laurent Bitan in 1972. Further reading: More about le petit chanteur de Rockabilly at Stars-Oubliee. See also the Billy page at Bide et Musique.
THE BON-AIRES
Blue Beat (Neil Levenson - Steve Duboff) USA 1963 Red herring Similar title but not the same song as "Do The Blue Beat" by Dinah Lee. Unreleased recording by New Jersey doo-wop group. Produced for the Rust label by the writers, Neil Levenson and Steve Duboff. Neil Levenson wrote Denise (Randy & the Rainbows, recorded as Denis by Blondie). Steve Duboff (1941-2004) co-wrote The Rain, The Park And Other Things and We Can Fly (The Cowsills). He also co-wrote and recorded (with Artie Kornfield, as The Changin' Times) Pied Piper, the original version of the Crispian St Peters hit (Spectropop Archive, post by Austin Roberts). See the Steve Duboff page at the Bon-aires' website. More about The Bon-aires at their website. Thanks to Mike Paladino, who sang lead on Blue Beat, for his help with this one. Thanks also to Brian Lee at Color Radio.
JERRY KENNEDY
Blue Beat (Jerry Kennedy) USA 1964 Red herring Similar title but not the same song as "Do The Blue Beat" by Dinah Lee. Single on Smash label, instrumental by country guitarist and Mercury Records executive. Thanks to Andrew Jones for clearing this one up.
THE BEAZERS
The Blue Beat (Harris - Stapleton) UK 1964 Red herring Similar title but not the same song as "Do The Blue Beat" by Dinah Lee. Single on Decca label. According to the All Music Guide, this is Chris Farlowe's band The Thunderbirds, produced by orchestra leader Cyril Stapleton (1917-1974). See Stapleton's biography at The Robert Farnon Society website. Thanks to honeydhont.
ANNEKE SOETAERT
Blue Beat (Tony Rendall [Louis van Rijmenant] - M. Pike) Belgium 1965 Red herring Similar title but not the same song as 'Do The Blue Beat' by Dinah Lee. Single by Belgian pop singer in the Sandie Shaw mould, who had some European success in the mid-60s before marrying and migrating to the US in 1970. The song is co-written by Arcade Records executive Louis van Rijmenant, using the name Tony Rendall. Thanks to Dave Monroe. Background from honeydhont.
MYRIAM MARTIN
Le Blue Beat (Harris - Stapleton [+ French lyricist?]) Canada 1966 Red herring Similar title but not the same song as "Do The Blue Beat" by Dinah Lee. Single on Elysee label by Quebecoise singer, a version of the Beazers' Blue Beat. Thanks to Dave Monroe for the version alert (via Spectropop). Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |
