FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 14, 2005

DEAR JERRY: In one of your previous columns, which I clipped and saved, the topic is “From Me to You.” A reader asks if the Beatles covered Del Shannon's recording, about which you explain as follows:

“Since John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote `From Me to You,' and issued it first in England, they did not cover Del Shannon's version. In fact, he covered them, thus owning the distinction of being the first U.S. artist to release a Lennon-McCartney composition.”

Your mention of Del Shannon being the first U.S. artist to issue a Lennon-McCartney tune makes me curious as to whether or not someone, somewhere else, preceded Shannon in this regard.
—Ernest Givens, Huntsville, Ala.

DEAR ERNEST: That they did, and by about four months.

Del Shannon's “From Me to You” (Big Top 3152) came out here the first week of July 1963; however, Kenny Lynch released “Misery” (HMV Pop 1136) in the UK on March 22nd of that year.

On April 26th, two more came out: Duffy Power did “I Saw Her Standing There” (Parlophone R-5024) and Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas put out “Do You Want to Know a Secret” (Parlophone R 5023).

“Do You Want to Know a Secret,” by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, debuted on the British charts in May. Liberty (55586) then issued it stateside in July '63, about two weeks after Del Shannon's “From Me to You.”

Special thanks to Bruce Partridge (Tacoma, Wash.) for research assistance on this topic.

DEAR JERRY: I read with great interest and fond memories your recent feature about the Royal Guardsmen.

I noticed both the question, from Phyllis Crosby, and a personal reply from Barry Winslow, mentioned the threat of litigation over use of the Snoopy name in the title.

Phyllis even recalled that an alternative version of “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” was recorded, with another name used in place of Snoopy.

However, neither person said named that alternative title. Any idea what it might be?

Also, did any records actually come out using the Plan-B title?
—Dusty Gordon, Metropolis, Ill.

DEAR DUSTY: You are correct about that little piece of trivia being overlooked.

The title of the stand-by version of “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” is “Squeaky vs. the Black Knight.”

Fortunately for all concerned, the legal dust settled in time to issue the single with its proper title — at least in the USA.

First pressings in Canada actually came out as “Squeaky vs. the Black Knight” (Laurie 3366).

We conclude this week with another chapter in the effort to alphabetically document many of the 1950s and '60s record labels named after individuals behind the company.

The quantity of information requires we present this feature in segments. This week it is D through J: Daffan (Ted Daffan); Damon (Vic Damon); Dana (Walter Dana); Dash (Joe Dasher); Davis (Joe Davis); Dee Gee (Dizzy Gillespie); DEM (Don E. Miller); Derrick (Charles Derrick); Dessa (Idessa Malone); DOS (Al Doss); Drum (Clarence Drumm).

Eddie's (Eddie Henry); Fabor (Fabor Robinson); Fairbanks (Tiny Fairbanks); Finch (Sam Finch); Ford (Naomi Ford); Gale (Moe Gale); Gennett (Harry Gennett); Glenn (Harry Glenn); Glover (Henry Glover); GNP (Gene Norman [Presents]); Golish (Mitch Golish); Gregorian (Bobby Gregory); G.S.T. (Bob Groves, Ulysses Smith, Fred Toler).

HL (Harry Lim); Hamilton (Robert Hamilton); Hamp-Tone (Lionel & Gladys Hampton); Hansen (Robert Hansen); Hart-Van (Hal Hartman); Hip (Harry "The Hipster" Gibson); Hoffman (Carrie Hoffman); Hubbard, Doris Hubbard); Ivory (Ivory Joe Hunter); J&M (John & Mamie Fullbright); JB (Jack Barthel); J-B (James Bulleit); J.C.D. (James C. Dempsey); JDS (Joseph D. Sherman); JEB (Joel Cooper, Erv Victor, Bob Broz); JEFF (Jerry Field); JEL (Joe E. Louis); J.P.R.M. (Jerry Pitts & Rhythm Makers); J-V-B (Joseph Von Battle); Jay-Dee (Joe Davis); Jiffy (Jiffy Fowler); Joe Davis (Joe Davis); Johnson (Hiram Johnson); Jolt (George Jay & David Holt); Jones (Bill Jones); Jordan (William Jordan); Judd (Judd Phillips).