FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 15, 2004

DEAR JERRY: Soundtracks and Original Cast albums have always been my special area of interest.

I have several of your price and reference guides for LPs of this type, and I really enjoy seeing all the covers you've pictured, especially ones that I have yet to see in person.

But there is one you document but do not picture, and it's the TV Soundtrack album of “Honey West.”

What are the tracks? Have you ever seen this cover? If so, can you describe it? Is it anything like the “Girl from U.N.C.L.E.” (Stefanie Powers) cover?

Considering what a beauty Honey West was, I imagine it's a pretty cool cover.

Is there a CD where I could at least get the theme music? Are any of the musicians people I'd recognize?
—Ike Spadella, Leavenworth, Wash.

DEAR IKE: Thank you for the nice comment regarding the books, and one of them would picture “Original Music from the Soundtrack, Honey West” (ABC 532) if only I owned a good quality photo. Mine is good enough to provide you with a description, but not to reproduce in print.

Prominently shown is Honey West (Anne Francis), armed with her trusty .38 and wearing a dark, full-length dress, split a bit on one side. Bruce, her pet ocelot, and also the love of her life, is lying at her feet.

Only a slight similarity exists between “Honey West” (1965) and “Girl from U.N.C.L.E.” (1966) in that each TV Soundtrack LP cover features its glamorous female-James-Bond character.

The “Honey West” album tracks are: “Wild Honey; Jazzito; Ocelot; Lots of Pluck; Preludium to Mayhem; Preludium for a Sideman; Sweet Honey; Sam Goes West; Scrape; Silk 'n Honey; Wait and See;” and “Bolero.”

Along with conductor Alfred Perry, the session players include several well-known names, especially in the jazz field: Buddy Collette, William Green, Plas Johnson, George “Red” Callender; and Barney Kessell.

Rhino offers the show's brassy, upbeat theme music, “Wild Honey,” on the CD “Crime Stoppers: TV's Greatest Themes” (R2 75867), issued in 2000 but still easily available online.

Hopefully, all of your “Honey West” questions are now answered.

DEAR JERRY: A group called the Rubber Band had a hit in 1966 or '67 with “Let Love Come Between Us,” which I would love to find.

I have located this tune by Delbert McClinton, and James & Bobby Purify, but I just can't find the Rubber Band's original. Do you have any information about this?
—Bob Hannan, Marrero, La.

DEAR BOB: Hailing from the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area, the Rubber Band did have some regional success with “Let Love Come Between Us,” especially in Tuscaloosa where they performed regularly at the time.

However, this 1966 single, backed with “Charlena” (Columbia 43796), did not appear on any of the national charts, though a year later, James & Bobby Purify's remake (Bell 685) did make Billboard's Top 30.

Delbert McClinton's version of “Let Love Come Between Us” is on his “Love Rustler” LP, a 1977 issue.

At least one online site states as fact that the mid-'60s Rubber Band who sang “Let Love Come Between Us” is the same group as is known as Bootsy's Rubber Band, formed 10 years later. Other than the similar name, no connection whatsoever exists between the two.

DEAR JERRY: I was saddened recently to read that Skeeter Davis died. She was a real favorite of mine during my teen years, especially her classic hit, “The End of the World.”

In the obituary, they say “The End of the World” was No. 1 on four different Billboard charts: pop, country, adult, and R&B. Can this be true?
—Bonnie Pierce, Clearwater, Fla.

DEAR BONNIE: No, but since it is only one zero off the mark, it might just be a typo.

What is true is “The End of the World” placed in the Top 10 on each of those charts. Still, it is even more accurate, and complimentary to Skeeter, to say that “The End of the World” placed in the Top 4 on all four charts, which it did.

IZ ZAT SO? Cancer claimed the life of Skeeter Davis on September 19, in Nashville, at the age of 72.