Before Jerry Lee Lewis or Elvis..

[Smokey]

.....there was Johnnie Ray, most famous for his single "Cry".

I caught one of his act on an old 50's TV show, and this guy could rock. He was playing piano while singing, and style of singing and body moves he had had audience in a frenzy. You could tell where Elvis Presely or Jerry Lewis got their moves from and method they use to create an animated stage persona.

Has anybody have any of his albums?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NE-72ZXux-g/SWThcyS5-fI/AAAAAAAAHmw/9kojeAxzNjo/s400/JohnnieRayNoBusinesstrailer.jpg

[3LB]

My mammy had that 45, but I couldn't tell you what the b-side was.

[Smokey]

My mammy had that 45....

Your mammy have good taste :D

I imagine most of his material would be in mono. Too bad there are not too many of his [early] live shows on tape.

[Snowbunny]

Hi Smokey,

Is that the same Johnnie Ray quoted in the Come On Eileen lyrics?

I'm sure I must have heard Cry before, but I can't think of the song, at the moment. Geez, I love youtube!!!

Snowie

[Smokey]

Hi Smokey,

Is that the same Johnnie Ray quoted in the Come On Eileen lyrics?

Hi Bunny

Wow Bunny, I didn't know about lyrics for Johnnie Ray from Dexy's Midnight Runners. I am guessing it is about Ray since first part of song goes like this:

Poor old Johnny Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
He moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried and sang along and who'd blame them
Now you're grown, so grown, now I must say more than ever
Go toora loora toora loo rye aye
And we can sing just like our fathers

An artist probably can not get better complimenet than being mentioned in a song.

Thanks.

[Stone]

You mean this really is just a coincidence?

[Snowbunny]

Hi Smokey,

The spelling of his name is with a Y in the lyrics, but that could be because we both googled the same lyric link, and the one who posted the lyrics got it wrong.

And, yes, Stone, it does appear to be a co-incidence!

But then there are those people who do the "air-quotes" and say in an all-knowing way, "there are no co-incidents". :skep:

Snowie


Hi Bunny

Wow Bunny, I didn't know about lyrics for Johnnie Ray from Dexy's Midnight Runners. I am guessing it is about Ray since first part of song goes like this:

Poor old Johnny Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
He moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried and sang along and who'd blame them
Now you're grown, so grown, now I must say more than ever
Go toora loora toora loo rye aye
And we can sing just like our fathers

An artist probably can not get better complimenet than being mentioned in a song.

Thanks.

[Rae]

Coincidences aside, this is a great song. "The first emo song." I think I read somewhere that this is John Waters' favorite song. John Waters and yo mammy both have good taste.

~Rae