Alley Oop

ALLEY OOP
 
 
“Alley-Oop”  is a song written and composed by Dallas Frazier.  The song, inspired by the V. T. Hamlin-created comic strip of the same name, was first recorded by Frazier as a country tune in 1957.  The Hollywood Argyles, a short-lived studio band, recorded the song in 1960; and it reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the US R&B chart.  It also went to #24 on the UK chart.  It was produced by Gary Paxton, who also sang lead vocals.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

The Sun Herald newspaper obit mentions Kim Fowley’s work with a #11 hit by Skip and Flip called “Cherry Pie”; also, with Gary S. Paxton – aka “Flip” in the other band – Fowley had a Number One hit in 1960 that was released under the name the Hollywood Argyles called “Alley Oop”, based on the comic strip character Alley Oop

 

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In 1961, the two men who put together the “Alley Oop Number One hit helped craft the first song by Paul Revere and the Raiders to make the Top 40, the instrumental “Like, Long Hair”, with Kim Fowley as co-producer and Gary S. Paxton as arranger. 

 

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The liner notes by Nigel Strange on Pebbles, Volume 1 (the CD that is) say of Kim Fowley:  “What more can be said about this writer/singer/producer/hustler who’s had his hand in everything from ‘Alley Oop’ by the Hollywood Argyles, to Helen Reddy, to the Dead Boys, to Guns N’ Roses. . . .  This song [“The Trip], released at the onset of teenage freakout mania, was something of a sensation in L.A. at the time and was covered by others including Thee Midniters and disc jockey Godfrey.  A real classic.” 

 

(January 2015/1)

 

Last edited: April 3, 2021