Tag: Los Lobos

Movie Music Monday – Bull Durham

Today we go back to 1988 to the film Sports Illustrated magazine called the Greatest Sports Movie of All Time – Bull Durham.

The romantic comedy starred Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins. The soundtrack for the movie includes some great songs from Joe Cocker, Los Lobos, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. It also includes some bluesy tracks from Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Stevie Ray Vaughn and George Thorogood. You can also find John Fogerty’s baseball anthem, Centerfield, on the soundtrack.

There is one thing about movie soundtracks that has always bugged me. I hate when a movie features a song and it never makes it on to the official soundtrack. That is the case with today’s Movie Music Monday song.

It was on this day in 1950 that Billy Ward and the Dominoes stepped into the National Studios recording studio. They recorded a song that is considered to be one of the earliest to shape and generate rock and roll. It was also one of the first R&B songs to cross over and become a pop hit. That song was Sixty Minute Man.

The song was written by group member Billy Ward and his collaborator/business partner Rose Marks. The song is rooted in Blues music, and the singer brags about his sexual prowess. (Hey, it fits a romantic comedy, right?) This song had more of an R&B sound and was an early influence on Rock music.

Songfacts says that this was one of the first ever double-entendre hits. Billy Ward and His Dominoes were a big deal in the 1950s. They were one of the best-selling acts of that decade. They had three Billboard Top-40 hits by the end of the decade.

It should be noted that the song is often referred to as a “dirty blues” song. Ok, it is. The content is pretty risque for 1950. However, songs of this type are known to go back as far as the 1930’s. There were plenty of them, but this one was important to rock and roll.

“Sixty Minute Man” was banned by many radio stations and was seen as more of a novelty record. (From Wiki) “In hindsight it was an important record in several respects: it crossed the boundaries between gospel and blues. The lyrics pushed the limits of what was deemed acceptable. It appealed to many white as well as black listeners, peaking at number 17 on the pop chart. Cover versions were made by several white artists. Bill Haley and the Comets sang the song in the mid-1950s during their live shows.”

Despite being banned, the song did very well. It was released in May of 1951. By the end of the month had reached number one on the R&B chart. It held that position for an almost unprecedented 14 weeks. The single also made it to number 17 on the pop singles chart and was voted “Song of the Year” for 1951.

I have a radio story about the song, but that will have to wait for another blog. For now, here are the Dominoes…

Movie Music Mondays – Come On Let’s Go

Richard Steven Valenzuela would have been 83 years old today, had he not become part of the story entitled, “The Day the Music Died.” We, of course, know him by his stage name – Richie Valens.

UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: Photo of Ritchie Valens (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

In May of 1958, Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records was told about a high school singer who students called “The Little Richard of San Fernando.” This peaked his interest and he went to see him perform. Keane invited Richard to his home to audition for him. After that first audition, Keane signed him to Del-Fi on May 14, 1958. At this point, the musician took the name “Ritchie” because, as Keane said, “There were a bunch of ‘Richards’ around at that time, and I wanted it to be different.” Similarly, he recommended shortening his surname to “Valens” from Valenzuela to widen his appeal beyond any obvious ethnic group.

The first song that Ritchie recorded at a session shortly after being signed was Come On, Let’s Go. Our song for today. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Ritchie’s story was told in the 1987 biographical film, La Bamba, which starred Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens. Marshall Crenshaw played Buddy Holly, Stephen Lee was the Big Bopper, and Brian Setzer makes a cameo as Eddie Cochran. Some of Ritchie Valens’ family even had roles in the film.

The film was well received and Roger Ebert said that he liked the film and the screenplay and writing: “This is a good small movie, sweet and sentimental, about a kid who never really got a chance to show his stuff. The best things in it are the most unexpected things: the portraits of everyday life, of a loving mother, of a brother who loves and resents him, of a kid growing up and tasting fame and leaving everyone standing around at his funeral shocked that his life ended just as it seemed to be beginning.”

The soundtrack consists of many Ritchie covers done by Los Lobos as well as well as Howard Huntsberry (who played Jackie Wilson in the film), Bo Diddly and Brian Setzer. A second soundtrack was released 1988 with more music from the movie.

Los Lobos did a fantastic job capturing Ritchie Valens’ essence and his songs are fairly true to the originals. While La Bamba will forever be the song Richie is remembered for, Come On, Let’s Go was always my favorite. So for Movie Music Monday, let’s here Los Lobos’ version.

Valens’ story (like that of Buddy Holly and other singers who died young) leaves us wondering “What if ….?” His was a talent taken much too soon.