7/30/10 – The “Hang On Sloopy” Cat Fight!
Posted: July 30th, 2010 | Author: Matt The Cat | Filed under: Rock n' Roll | Tags: Friday Night Cat Fight, Matt The Cat, Podcast, Rock & Roll | 14 Comments »Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast
“Hang On Sloopy”
“Hang On Sloopy,” which has become the official State Rock Song of Ohio is this week’s feature on the Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast. We’ll start with the original version (“My Girl Sloopy”) by The Vibrations and follow that with 6 other mostly hit versions of the tune, including the McCoy’s #1 version from 1965. So listen to the show, hear the varied versions and decide for yourself which one you DIG the most! Then vote below.
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I’ll vote for the Vibrations. I had forgotten there were so many versions of this tune, thanks for reminding us of that Matt. I liked each and every one of them.
A reluctant vote for the big hit version by The McCoys, and I say “reluctant” only because I think it can be beat; I just didn’t hear it beat tonight. I was holding out hope for the new-to-me redo by Rick Derringer, but he stayed true to the innocent pop 60s spirit of The McCoys’ recording. I was hoping Rick’d really rock it out and lay some stankacid metal on it, but maybe he’s tried it and just decided it doesn’t work.
You are no longer doing Friday Night Cat Fights. All you are doing is showing off your music collection. Get back to two, maybe three versions of the same tune. But no more than three.
Well I for one like this format with songs with enough variety in different recorded arrangements to warrant it. There are other Cat Fights with only two or three versions, and they work, too. It depends on the song.
And I have to say the “showing off your record collection” remark, stated that way as a slam, is really uncalled for. I thank Matt for sharing his record collection with us this way. It’s a pure labor of love with no financial reward. And if you’re not lovin’ the result, Terry, there’s always your local FM oldies station for more mainstream play.
A critical comment is one thing but there is no reason for rudeness.
Always liked the Vibrations.
I also kind of hoped I’d hear a verion that would top the McCoy’s version, but they still got the nod.
To expand on the McCoy’s story a bit, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer (aka The Strangeloves) had at Bert Bern’s suggestion reworked “Sloopy”.
The rhythm track came out so well it was slated to be the follow-up to “Candy”
The trouble with that was they had just come off a tour with the DC5 and Dave liked the song so well they were going to record it themselves when they got back to England.
Since “Candy” was still on the charts, it was too early to put the Strangeloves’ version.
Berns suggested they find someone to record “Sloopy” at once.
The Strangeloves found them. At a gig in Dayton Ohio the opening group was “Rick and the Raiders”…..soon to become The McCoys.
FGG took the boys back to New York to add their vocals and Zehringer’s guitar to the already recorded track. It was rush released, and zoomed to the top of the charts.
The Strangeloves’ original take of the song is on “The Best Of The Strangeloves” CD.
Info is from liner notes to that CD written by Al Quaglieri.
It’s also stated that over the next several years The McCoys had 8 chart hits and two LP’s all produced by FGG.
Well, it sure was fun listening to all 76 versions. If it were a call-in show to the Night Prowl, I’d HAVE to vote for the Vibrations because it had the most soul. The Consuls were excellent, too, and had the second most soul. But, in 1965, as a freshman in HS, I LOVED listening to the McCoys version on our home radio. (Too young to drive at this point) Everybody sung that song, knew all the words, and beats BOMB-BOMP, BOMP-BOMP, BOMP BOMP BOMP BOMP BOMP BOMP BOMP. Ramsey Lewis is the best ever and his charted hit was very cool. The Lettermen…. never was a big fan. You’d find zero Lettermen albums in my collection. Never big on the schmaltzy vocal crap…however, when Brian Wilson said he dug them, I did give them another listen. My vote is gonna have to go to the McCoys #1 hit version, I guess because I was 14 or 15 at the time, and it just wanted me to do what every other teenage boy wanted to do…. pick up a guitar. Even though Rick Derringer remade it 10 years later, which was kinda cool, he shoulda just left it alone. Can beat the 1065 version. BTW, Matt the Catt is way hairyer than he lets on. He’s Itilian!
After reading Terry’s coment, I had to make one of my own. I, for one, enjoy the larger cat fights. I’ve been a record collector for over 50 years, and have been following music longer than that. Matt has come up with versions that even I’ve never heard before, and I totally enjoy the variety of styles, and arrangements. Matt isn’t showing off his collection, he’s introducing us to songs and versions, that we may not have heard before.
If you want to hear, good times and 8 oldies, turn on your local oldies station, but if you want to hear the rare and lost songs, dig on Matt, the Cat. Any idiot can play top 10 songs, that’s easy. Playing the rare stuff, that’s harder, and takes a lot more effort.
Keep up the great work, Furry leader. I for one love what you do. KEEP ON PROWLIN!!!!
Didn’t know there was so many versions besides the McCoy’s (but then again I don’t know that much). I loved the looseness of the original by Vibrators, but couldn’t get over the talking or fake crowd noise they threw in at the beginning, once beyond that it had a great feel of a tune recorded at the end of a long night of partying it made the McCoy’s version seem stilted and a bit boring. So how it worked for me…. the Vibrator’s version ruined the McCoy’s version, but the Vibrator’s version still had the talking which led me to vote for the swinginest version of the song, the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s version. It made me want to put on my Ray Bans, grab a bottle of wine and hang out with the other cool hipsters chanting in the background.
Ment to say the Vibrations, not the Vibrators (guess I know even less than I think). Also I’d like to thank Pat for the extra info and The Shadow for his insightful reply.
Matt, I love the cat fights and they just seem to get better and better every week. I had forgotten how many versions of this song actually existed and I really enjoyed Ramsey Lesia’ version. As for Terry’s comment, it has been said that ignorance is bliss and he must be in eutopia. Keep up the good work, Matt. Your hard work and labor of love make every Friday night special at our house.
Matt, As stated many times by many listeners, thank you for what you do for us, your fans of the FNCF. I voted for the McCoys as my pick this week, enjoyed the others as well. I admire your eclectic record collection and appreciate you sharing it with us.
My vote this week was for Ramsey Lewis, as I really loved the piano and the cool beat, but the McCoys’ version has fond memories for me, and the Ventures’ guitar rendition was good too.
I totally agree; expressing an opinion in good taste is perfectly acceptable; I have often stated that R & B just isn’t my particular brand of music. However, I would NEVER hurt anyone’s feelings or wax blatantly rude when Matt is doing the FNCF for us faithfully each week. I further feel that a sincere apology is in order.
Nice. I’d forgotten how awesome the McCoys’ version is — I’ve heard it so many times that I kind of tune it out, but it sounds great now that I’m actually paying attention to it. The McCoys’ version was my favorite on most fronts … best vocals, guitars, production, energy, etc. (Not to mention most state-songiness.) Among the others, I’d go with the Ventures.