Jennie Lee (song)
"Jennie Lee" | ||||
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Jan Berry, Arnie Ginsburg | ||||
Producer(s) | Don Ralke's Music | |||
Jan and Arnie singles chronology | ||||
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"Jennie Lee" is a song whose music was composed and written by
Composition
After being inspired by a poster featuring a local Hollywood burlesque performer, Virginia Lee Hicks, who was then performing as Jennie Lee, the "Bazoom Girl", at the New Follies Burlesk at 548 S. Main Street, Los Angeles,[1] Ginsburg wrote a tribute song, "Jennie Lee", that he brought to Berry and Torrence. Arnold P. Ginsburg, from Wisconsin, grew up in West Los Angeles, and was a school friend of Jan Berry. He is sometimes confused with the Boston radio DJ Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg, but is unrelated.[2]
Berry adapted the Civil War tune "Aura Lea" and arranged the harmonies. After weeks of practice, Berry, Ginsburg, and Torrence planned to make a demo recording in Berry's garage, but Torrence was conscripted into the United States Army Reserve, forcing Berry and Ginsburg to record "Jennie Lee" without Torrence,[3] with Berry's friend and fellow University High student Donald J. Altfeld (born March 18, 1940, in Los Angeles, California)[4] "belting out the rhythm on a children's metal high chair". The next day Berry took their recording to Radio Recorders, a small recording studio, to have it transferred to an acetate disc.[5] Joe Lubin, Vice President and Head of A & R of Doris Day and Martin Melcher's Arwin Records, was impressed and offered to add instruments and to release it through Arwin.[3] In March 1958 the fathers of Berry and Ginsburg signed contracts authorizing Lubin to produce, arrange, and manage their sons.[6][7]
Berry and Ginsburg, now christened "Jan & Arnie", re-recorded their vocals on a professional recording system.
Charts
Chart (1958) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[11]
|
3 |
US Billboard Hot 100[13] | 8 |
U.S. Billboard Most Played By R&B Jockeys[14] | 4 |
Covers
Shortly after Jan and Arnie's version was released, Billy Ward and his Dominoes came out with a cover that charted at number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[15] and placed at 14 on the US R&B charts.
In 1962 Jan & Dean recorded a version of the song on their album Jan & Dean Golden Hits.
References
- ^ "Jan & Dean Photo Galleries - Jan & Arnie/Jennie Lee - The Bazoom Girl". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ Mark A. Moore, "Arnie Ginsburg: The Original Dean", Jan Berry Official Site, February 7, 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2021
- ^ a b Ben Marcus, Surfing USA!: An Illustrated History of the Coolest Sport of All Time (MVP Books, 2005):89.
- ^ Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, Vol. 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- ^ a b Kent Hartman, The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret, 64.
- ^ "Jan & Dean Photo Galleries - Jan & Arnie/Jan & Arnie". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ "Jan & Dean Photo Galleries - Jan & Arnie/Jan & Arnie". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ Administrator. "Jan & Dean - Official Jan Berry Website - 1958-1962 - Barons & Bomps". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Jan & Dean Photo Galleries - Jan & Arnie/Jennie Lee". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ "Jan & Dean Photo Galleries - Jan & Arnie/Jan & Arnie". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ a b "Cash Box Top Singles 6/21/58". Cashboxcountdowns.com. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ a b "Jan & Dean: Jan Berry Official Website". Jananddean-janberry.com. Archived from the original on 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ^ "Jan Arnie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 292.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 896.