FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 15, 2009
DEAR JERRY: There were two popular songs in the mid-'70s, both about a woman with two men in her life, and not wanting to give up either one.
One of these is “Torn Between Two Lovers,” by Mary MacGregor, which virtually everyone knows.
It is the other one that has eluded me for about 30 years.
I can't find this recording because I don't know the singer or the title, which I hope you can provide.
However, I vividly recall the storyline because I have been in a similar romantic triangle.
This girl has one man who would give the world to be with her, and treats her like a queen. She has another who “uses her and abuses her,” and is someone with whom there is no future.
Instead of doing the smart thing — dumping the bum and sticking with the good guy — she can't seem to tear herself away from the loser. She even tells the nice one he “deserves someone who is free to give it all,” which she isn't willing to do.
One of the memorable things about the song is the clever use of rainy metaphors to describe her dilemma. One such reference is about being safely under the umbrella of the good guy instead of out in the rain with the other fellow.
I once thought the singer to be Connie Francis, but this song doesn't seem to be among her recordings.
Perhaps you can end this lengthy exercise in futility.
—Meredith Raines, Portsmouth, Ohio
DEAR MEREDITH: Let's put an end to the futility.
You have the first half of this singer's name right. She is the very lovely Connie Eaton, who made the record you can't forget.
The title is “If I Knew Enough to Come Out of the Rain” (ABC 12098), and, as you mention, the weather metaphors Connie uses are brilliant.
Be assured you are not the only one whose life has imitated art in this regard. Countless others also relate to Connie's tuneful predicament — which kicks off with an admission to what psychologists and meteorologists might call precipitative masochism:
“Maybe I'm just crazy
For it's something I that I just can't explain
Don't know what else I can tell you
Maybe I just like walking in the rain”
DEAR JERRY: I enjoy hearing the golden oldies on radio and watching the doo-wop shows on TV.
But for some reason none of them ever include two of my favorite songs: “Lonely Winds” and “She Say.” I can't figure out why this is.
Could it be because they are both by one-hit wonders? Who did record them?
—Don Wakefield, Wrightsville, Pa.
DEAR DON: Both “Lonely Winds” and “She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)” are by groups with many hits to their credit, meaning there must be some other reason you don't hear these records.
You might try requesting them, since many oldies stations like to know what listeners want to hear.
As for the group names, “Lonely Winds” is a Top 60 hit (1960) for the Drifters, and “She Say”(Oom Dooby Doom),” by the Diamonds, reached the Top 20 (1959).
IZ ZAT SO? While hit makers like the Drifters and Diamonds are far from one-hit wonder status, let us review some examples that truly define the term.
Through four decades of music (1950 through 1989), these nine recording artists had the nation's No. 1 hit, yet never again did any of them even appear in the Top 100:
1950: Anton Karas (“The Third Man Theme”); 1952: Johnny Standley (“It's in the Book”); 1955: Joan Weber (“Let Me Go Lover”); 1958: Laurie London (“He's Got the Whole World in His Hands”); 1960: Hollywood Argyles (“Alley Oop”); 1969: Zager & Evans (“In the Year 2525”); 1979: M (“Pop Muzik”); 1982: Vangelis (“Chariots of Fire - Title”); 1985: Jan Hammer (“Miami Vice Theme”).
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
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