Steve's last post got me thinking about other artists who have performed Birch/Wicks compositions and fellow Ohioan Rachel Sweet immediately came to mind. Rachel was all of 16 when Stiff Records released her first longplayer Fool Around in 1978. That record included the Birch/Wicks tune Pin a Medal On Mary that told a tragic tale of teenage heartbreak ala It's My Party that perfectly suited the "little girl with the big voice" as she was billed by her record label.
Of course, the Records were also her backing band on the 1978 Be Stiff tour, and here's a very cool clip of Rachel and the boys on Top of the Pops running through another track from that LP, the 1966 Carla Thomas chestnut B-A-B-Y.
Rachel went on to cut three more discs in the early 80s and probably is best known for her top 40 hit duet with Rex Smith Everlasting Love and for singing the title tracks to John Waters' Hairspray and Cry Baby.
Hmmm... now that I think about it, perhaps I've found the inspiration for the Records' Teenarama!
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3 comments:
Wow - Rachel Sweet! Local FM legend KSAN played "B-A-B-Y Baby" all the time!
Stiff Records just re-released a remastered with bonus tracks version of Fool Around. It's awesome!
http://www.amazon.com/Fool-Around-Rachel-Sweet/dp/B000MTOLIQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-4527548-7298568?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1180562320&sr=1-1
Truckstop Queen is great. One of the bonus cuts is her doing "Be Stiff." How cool is that
Stiff also put out 4 other remasters : Wreckless Eric; Dirty Looks; Any Trouble; Tracey Ullman. I hope they keep rereleasing stuff. You can never be TOO Stiff. ;-)
Whoa -- which Any Trouble album?
I'm a HUGE fan.
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