Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8, 1999

DEAR JERRY: I'll bet I have a stumper for you.

When I was a teen, circa 1962 in Brunswick, Maine, I heard a song by a girl singer that may be titled either “Jimmie Love,” or “Jamie Love.” I think it might have been by the Shangri-Las. In this song, the boyfriend is killed by a tree falling that has been stuck by lightning. Now she is “going to the chapel” for Mr. Love.

I have been searching for nearly 40 years for this one. Good luck.
—Eric E. Shaw Jr., Evansville, Ind.

DEAR ERIC: Perhaps one day I will be stumped — but not today.

You are fairly close with the title. It is “Jimmy Love,” and the singer is Cathy Carroll. “Jimmy Love” (Triodex 110) is middle release of three issues by Cathy in 1961 — the one of hers that received the most air play, including in Brunswick.

Even though it didn't make Billboard's Top 100 “Jimmy Love” reportedly sold over 300,000 copies.

Almost immediately, Capitol Records released a cover version of “Jimmy Love” by Jeanne Black (Capitol 4566).

Though neither Cathy Carroll nor Jeanne Black managed to light up Billboard with “Jimmy Love,” both did have chart records at other times. Carroll charted in 1962 with “Poor Little Puppet,” and Black went Top 5 in 1960 with “He'll Have to Stay,” her very successful answer to Jim Reeves' “He'll Have to Go.”

The Shangri-Las didn't arrive on the pop scene until the summer of 1964.


DEAR JERRY: While watching the September '99 Country Music Awards show, I noticed Alan Jackson singing the song “Pop a Top.”

I recall this tune well from either the 1950s or '60s, but I'm not quite sure which. I also cannot remember who sang the original version. Now, this mystery has gotten the best of me, because I loved “Pop a Top.” Can you help me?
—B. Tufankjian, St. Petersburg, Fla.

DEAR B.: The year was 1967, and the biggest country music hits that summer were “It's Such a Pretty World Today” (Wynn Stewart) “All the Time” (Jack Greene), and “Pop a Top,” by Jim Ed Brown (RCA Victor 9192). Each of these classics spent 20 or more weeks on the charts.

DEAR JERRY: In the mid'-60s, when all the British groups became so popular here, there was a ballad that I really loved. I believe the title to be along the lines of “Goodbye Lover Goodbye.”

For years I thought this tune to be by the Dave Clark Five, however I have never been able to find it on any of their hits collections. I am now not so sure that it is them.

From this sparse bit of information can you settle this matter for me?
—Larry Provost, Harrisonburg, Va.

DEAR LARRY: You are one “My” short of the complete title. It is “Goodbye My Lover Goodbye,” and it is by the Searchers (Kapp 658), not the DC5.

This hit from early 1965 can be found on the 18-track CD, “The Searchers' Greatest Hits” (Rhino R2 75773). Don't be misled, however, by the titles on the CD. They show “Goodbye My Lover Goodbye” as just “Goodbye My Love,” but it's the same song.






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