DEL SHANNON - Little Town Flirt - (London) - 1963, comment, review

Despite the fact I didn't have this album till recently there is nothing new here to me as I had heard all the tracks before on compilations and on a Shannon box set I have. Still for the sake of completeness …

Shannon along with Bobby Darin (for different reasons) was perhaps the most remarkable artist in the AE/BB (After Elvis/Before Beatles) era. I must admit I love a lot of artists from this era regardless of their cheese quotient – Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Jay and the Americans, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Len Barry etc. Del Shannon however was an authentic rocker and even his pop tunes, though poppy, are quite rough around the edges when compared to some of the slick pop rock of the era.

Unfortunately his talent is generally underestimated – his hit making period lasted only five years before he hit the "oldies" circuit (I saw him live in 1989 and he was still excellent live despite the bloodless venue and audience). The "underestimation" of him is a pity as he put out consistently interesting and occasionally magnificent albums – especially those after his hit making period was over (there are some serious gems there). He is however forever associated with the AE/BB era which doesn't gain much attention or respect from the "serious" music critics whilst the general public tend to concentrate on the singles of that era. Again, this is a pity, because this era is probably the most undervalued in rock and which still unearths hidden gems.

The AE/BB era is generally portrayed as conservative and comfortable before everything started to fall apart in the mid 60s. Fair enough, everything did fall apart, but the late 50s and early 60s were certainly on simmer with a lid pushed down tight. Think about the early 60s … civil rights, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the threat of Nuclear War, the first movements towards Vietnam, and culturally, the kids of the 50s, now teens or young adults, were generally questioning societal norms and patterns of behaviour, whether they intentionally knew it or not. The conservative external appearance which was forced on entertainers in an attempt to redress the seismic cultural attitudinal change as a result of Elvis and others in the 50s music was not affecting the music which was still (though subtly) subversive – the folk movement was becoming political again, teen death songs were in abundance, crazed nonsensical frat rock was mutating into garage rock and pop songs with banal lyrics to disguise obscene emotions were all quietly challenging the moral majority. Perhaps Del's slightly tense, slightly nervy, slightly paranoid and occasionally manic delivery fits the eras contradictions the best.

Shannon also wrote or co-wrote a lot of his own material which also is consistently interesting and on this album those songs are occasionally stellar (some of it is quite downbeat and there are reoccurring themes of loneliness and alienation which may have been organic rather than intellectual on Del's part) . Shannon also had a way of taking a cover by the balls and singing it off the planet while variously sounding like Elvis, Roy Orbison, a fifth Beatle or all three. Across all his vocalising there is the aforementioned slight desperation and heartbreak to his voice with a hint of pent up anger which juxtaposes his conformative exterior appearance. He is the musical equivalent of Glenn Ford's film persona, if anyone remembers that film great … all nervous confusion, anxiety and doubt. And its that edge (or difference) which makes his music that much more distinctive and impressive, well that and the fact that there are some well written songs.

Shannon himself possessed demons and had a topsy turvy career moving between big hits, introspective albums, covers albums (he did a whole album of Hank Williams numbers in 1965 … so much for Gram Parsons), writing and producing for others (specifically Brian Hyland who had some big hits with Del), and the oldies circuit. On two occasions his disciples tried to revitalize his career : Tom Petty produced and the Heartbreakers backed him on his"Drop Down and Get Me" album from 1981 whilst Jeff Lynne (of ELO) produced his last album "Rock On" in 1991. His career made a bit of a comeback when "Runaway" was re-recorded and used in the hit TV show "Crime Story" and then finally he was to replace Roy Orbison in he Travelling Willbury's after Roy's death. Del however, prone to bouts of depression, let his demons take control and he shot himself in the head, dead, in 1991.

Interestingly Del played on the same bill as some pre US fame Beatles in Europe and would become the first American artist to cover a Beatles song when he recorded "From Me to You" in 1963. More interestingly, and occasionally referred to is that Shannon's melodic style of rock – rough but poppy – was influential on the British scene where he was incredibly popular. His music is not that dissimilar in tone and mood from the English Beat bands though a bit rougher.

This album rarely rates well because, according to the norms of the time (and our perceptions of them), there are a number hits surrounded by filler. I though will differ with the general consensus. Del was an underrated guitarist and the playing here is excellent whilst the occasional clavioline is a treat. The hits here are stellar and the filler is well above average. And, with no song over three minutes you don't have to wait long if it doesn't tickle your fancy. It is hard not to listen to this album without putting it on again. It captures the era magnificently.

Tracks(best in italics)

Two Kinds of Teardrops – McKenzie, Shannon – a killer track.
Dream Baby – Walker – the Orbison song – well done but nothing is added to the original.
Happiness – Ellis, Shannon – very much of the era
Hey Little Girl – Shannon – A edgy, nervy, fretful and magnificent pop song …

            Last night I walked through the,
            Streets of my town,
            I saw the shadow of a girl I had know,
            And through the shadows I could see many tears,
            And so I walked up and I said

            Hey! Little girl,
            Let me fix your broken heart,
            I'll replace each broken part that's gone,
            Because I know why you cry-y-y,
            Hey! Little girl my hearts been broken to.

She Thinks I Still Care – Duffy, Lipscomb – the big George Jones country hit from 1961 and later covered by everyone from Elvis to Connie Francis. Del always had a country bent – he played in country bands in the 50s, put out the aforementioned Hank Williams LP and wrote lyrics which owe more than a little to the emotional country heart on your sleeve type lyrics.
Runaway – Crook, Shannon – one of the greatest rock songs ever written. Nothing else needs to be said. Put it on and turn it up. (Apart from the 80s re-recorded version he also did another version of the song for Andrew Loog Oldham in 1967)
Runaround Sue – DiMucci, Maresca – the magnificent Dion song well sung by Del but forever associated with Dion.
Hats Off to Larry – Shannon – a nasty song … and one any boy can relate to. Swapping between tenor and falsetto the narrator congratulates a guy who caught the narrators girl on the rebound after she dumped the narrator and now the new guy has dumped the girl and the narrator hopes she feels what he did (phew!).
Kelly – McKenzie, Shannon – mid-tempo love songs with girls names … everyone had to do one.
Hey! Baby – Channel, Cobb – the 1962 #1 for Bruce Channel which was written by Bruce Channel and future country star Delbert McClinton. Another solid version by Del.
Go Away Little Girl – Goffin, King – a #1 for Steve Lawrence in 1962 and written by the great Goffin and King … Del's version is great though the Jay and the Americans version from 1966 is pretty stellar.
Little Town Flirt – McKenzie, Shannon – another killer …

            Here she comes (here she comes)
            Little town flirt (here she comes)
            You're fallin' for her
            And you're gonna get hurt

            Yeah, I know it's so hard to resist
            The temptation of her tender red lips
            But you can hurt, hur-hur-hur-hurt
            Yeah, you can get hur-hur-hur-hur-hur-ur-urt
            Foolin' around (foolin' around)
            With that little town flirt

            Here she comes (here she comes)
            With that look in her eye (here she comes)
            She plays around
            With every guy that goes by-y-y-y-y-y-y-y
            Yeah, I know she's gonna treat you wrong
            So your heart just better be strong
            'cause you can hurt, hur-hur-hur-hurt
            Yeah, you can get'a hur-hur-hur-hur-hur-ur-urt
            Foolin' around (foolin' around)
            With that little town flirt

And…

Yes, I'm keeping this.

Chart Action

The album went to #12 in the charts in the USA.

1961 "Runaway" #1 USA, #1 England

1961 "Hats Off to Larry" #5 USA, #6 England
11/61 "Hey! Little Girl" # 38USA, #2 England
1962 "Little Town Flirt" #12 USA, #4 England
1963 "Two Kinds of Teardrops" #50 USA, #5 England

Sounds

with the attached songs … wait till the middle of the night, turn down the lights and turn up the volume …..

Two Kinds of Teardrops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onBwBUNrO7c

Happiness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6aSggW94tA

Hey Little Girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkxUgmUE7_w

Runaway

live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLLcvWeiKw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkV9pdzLgo&feature=related

re recorded