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 Genres: Pop, Rock, R&B/Soul, Rockabilly, 1950s, 1960s
Woody Harris was born on November 1, 1911 in New York City.
He was best known for the songs he wrote with and for Bobby
Darin. Harris had other co-writers as well, having worked occasionally
with Eddie Deane and Jack Reardon. With Deane he co-wrote "Rock-A-Billy"
for Guy Mitchell, a # 1 hit in the UK in 1957, and "I'm
Coming Home Late Tonight" for Jo-Ann Campbell. "Dix-A-Billy",
the rocking US flip of LaVern Baker's big hit "I Cried
A Tear" (1959), was jointly written by Woody Harris, Paul
Evans and Jack Reardon. The Bobby Darin hits "Queen of
the Hop" "Early in the Morning" and "Clementine"
were Darin/ Harris collaborations, as were "Brand New House"
(from Bobby's first LP, also recorded by Otis Spann) and both
sides of "School's Out"/ "Real Love" by
the Jaye Sisters (Atlantic 1190). Harris also wrote "Pity
Miss Kitty" "I Want You With Me" (also recorded
by Elvis Presley in 1961) and "Was There A Call For Me,"
the B-side of "Mack the Knife." Darin and Harris also
set up their own publishing company, Darwood Music. He died
February 1985, in Broward, Florida.
Songs (click on song title for more information):
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Brand New House
Woody Harris/Bobby Darin
Otis Spann
1967
The Blues Is Where It’s At
ABC-Bluesway
Between 1953 and 1969, Otis Spann played piano behind Muddy Waters on the classic Chess Records recordings.
catalogue
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Clementine
Woody Harris
Bobby Darin
1960
THE BOBBY DARIN STORY
Atco
Pop Singles, #21
Pop Albums, #18
In 1959, Bobby Darin won a Grammy Award for “Best New Artist.”
catalogue
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Woody Harris/Bobby Darin
Buddy Holly
1958
1959: The Buddy Holly Story—Pop Albums, #11
Coral Records
Pop Singles, #32
Bobby Darin (1958), Z.Z. Hill (1971), Bobby Vee (1963), Rose Maddox (1961), Connie Francis (1997) and Skeeter Davis (1967), among others, have recorded this song.
catalogue
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Pity Miss Kitty
Woody Harris
Bobby Darin
1960
TWIST WITH BOBBY DARIN
Atco
Pop Albums, #48
The album remained on the charts for thirty-one weeks.
catalogue
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Woody Harris/Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
April 10, 1958
1961: The Bobby Darin Story
Atco/Warner Special Products
Pop Singles, #9
1961: The Bobby Darin Story - Pop Albums, #18
Dion & The Belmonts and Danny & The Juniors also recorded “Queen of the Hop.”
catalogue
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Woody Harris/Eddie Deane
Guy Mitchell
1957
Sony
Pop Singles, #10
“Rock-A-Billy” hit #1 in the U.K.
catalogue
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You Never Called
Woody Harris
Bobby Darin
1960/Album released in 1964.
CLEMENTINE
Clarion/Atco
Clarion Records licensed all the titles for this album from Atco Records.
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Al Byron/Woody Harris
Della Reese
1967
Della On Strings Of Blue
ABC-Paramount
“Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues” has also been recorded by Lena Horne (1998), Jimmy Witherspoon (1964), Shirley Horn (1965), and Sara Lazarus (2004), among others.
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This non-soundtrack album, "Something For Everybody," was When Elvis left the Army, he mainly recorded film soundtracks; however, this album was not produced for a film. This particular song from the album was the only selection to hint at his rock-a-billy musical roots. Woody Harris Elvis Presley 1961 1960s Something For Everybody
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