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Everything you ever wanted to know about the recordings of Tracey Ullman -- and a few things you didn't know you wanted to know, too! In the USA, Tracey Ullman is best known for her work in television (two critically-acclaimed and award-winning TV series of her own, and the occasional turn as an unorthodox therapist on Ally McBeal), and justifiably so. But it was as a pop singer that she first appeared on the American scene in the winter and spring of 1984. Chart references are generally from the Billboard Hot 100 unless otherwise stated. From "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" 1. "Breakaway" (Jackie DeShannon - Sharon Sheeley) Original Performers: Jackie DeShannon (demo); Irma Thomas This ended up being the first single from the LP, though I believe that plans for the LP were made in the wake of the success of the single. Tracey's version is very faithful to both the Jackie DeShannon demo and the Irma Thomas B-side, except for being in a higher key (D for the demo, E-flat for Tracey's version and Irma's version). Liverpudlian Beryl Marsden also recorded a version, which is very similar to the others as well. FYI: Irma Thomas' version was the flip-side of her #17 hit "Wish Someone Would Care" from the spring of 1964. Tracey's got up to #4 in the UK but only #70 in the US. 2. "Long Live Love" (Andrews) Original Performer: Sandie Shaw Tracey's rendition is very faithful to the original arrangement, but with a bit more instrumentation. FYI: Sandie Shaw's version was a #1 smash in Britain but only made #97 in the US in the summer of 1965. 3. "Shattered" (Thompson) Original Performer: Sandy Posey Tracey's rendition is very faithful to the original arrangement. FYI: Sandy Posey's version was originally the flip-side of her single "What A Woman In Love Won't Do", which reached #31 in the spring of 1967. 4. "Oh What A Night" (Junior/Funches) Original Performer: the Dells Tracey's performance is more up-tempo than either of the Dells' versions, the mid-'50s original (#4 on the R&B charts) and the hit remake from 1969 (#10 on the Hot 100). 5. "(Life Is A Rock) But The Radio Rolled Me" (Dolph) Original Performer: Reunion The two versions are similar but are in different keys -- G to B-flat for the Reunion version, E to G for Tracey's. FYI: Reunion was a New York studio group whose lead singer, Joey Levine, had sang with the Ohio Express of "Yummy Yummy Yummy" fame or infamy (depending on your point of view). This song reached #8 in the fall of 1974 in the US but only #33 in the UK. 6. "Move Over Darling" (Lubin/Melcher/Kantner) Original Performer: Doris Day This was the 3rd single from the LP. It's a great song. When I hear it now, I can almost hear Linda Granger singing it. The basic arrangement of Tracey's version is similar to the Doris Day version, albeit in a higher key (A for Tracey's, G for Doris's) and with a more rock-oriented accompaniment. FYI: Doris Day's version was the title song to the film of the same name. Both versions reached #8 on the British charts but did not make the US charts. 7. "Bobby's Girl" (Hoffman/Klein) Original Performers: Marcie Blaine (US); Susan Maughan (UK) Tracey's version significantly differs from the Marcie Blaine version. It's closer to the Susan Maughan version, but it's faster. Let's compare the three versions -- the Blaine and Maughan versions are similar in tempo, while Tracey's is a bit faster; Marcie Blaine's version is in the key of C, Susan Maughan's in B-flat modulating to B and Tracey's in C modulating to C-sharp, etc. FYI: Marcie Blaine's version went all the way to #3 in late 1962 and early 1963. Susan Maughan's version reached #3 in the British charts. 8. "They Don't Know" (K. MacColl) Original Performer: Kirsty MacColl The song still holds up very well thirteen years after its release in North America; witness its use as the theme for the second season and beyond of "Tracey Takes On..." It sticks very closely to the original arrangement, with the biggest differences being a slicker sound, slightly modified harmonies and the tweaking of some awkward lyrics ("I tell the others not to bother me" in the original becomes "I tell the others 'don't bother me'"). Tracey's version got all the way to number 2 in the UK and number 8 in the US. It was also number 1 in Norway for 8 weeks [the Norwegians really have taste] and made number 1 in a few other countries, too. She performed the song at the Kirsty MacColl tribute concert in September 2002. Tracey told Sounds magazine (in its December 24, 1983 edition) that she got the idea to record "They Don't Know" after hearing Kirsty's version on the radio while driving to a voiceover session. "This song has to be done again," she thought. Stiff Records head Dave Robinson agreed, and the rest is history. 9. "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear" (Valentine) Original Performer: Blondie For some reason, whenever I hear the lead guitar solo, I always think it sounds like a Bryan Adams record. FYI: Blondie's version did not chart in the US but got to #10 in the UK in the spring of 1978. 10. "You Broke My Heart In 17 Places" (K. MacColl) Original Performer: this is the original performance This is a nice little song. But whenever I hear it, I think to myself "what were the 16 other places?" Shepherd's Bush was only one, you know. 11. "I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten" (Westlake) Original Performer: Dusty Springfield Tracey's version is very faithful to the original, albeit in a higher key (B for Tracey's, B-flat for Dusty's). FYI: Dusty's version made #4 in the UK charts in the summer of 1968. 12. "Dancing In The Dark" (Collins/Chapman) This was the B-side to "Breakaway" in Europe. NOTE: this is NOT the Bruce Springsteen song. 13. "The B-Side" (T. Ullman/K. Fuller) Appropriately enough, this was the B-side to "They Don't Know" in Europe. This is not a song but a comedy routine in which Tracey, as various characters, makes some comments about B-sides, being in a band, etc. Hm ... this almost sounds like "Tracey Takes On... B-Sides"! From "You Caught Me Out" 14. "You Caught Me Out" (MacColl/Briquette/Crowe) This is faithful to Kirsty's original, although it's in a different key (the original is in D, while Tracey's version is in G). 15. "Little By Little" (Kaye/Verdi/Gin) Original Performer: Dusty Springfield Like "I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten", Tracey's version is fairly faithful to the original, but in a higher key (E minor for Tracey's, D minor for Dusty's). FYI: Dusty's version got to #17 in the UK charts in the winter of 1966. 16. "Baby I Lied" (Allen/Bourke/Van Hoy) Original Performer: Deborah Allen FYI: Deborah Allen's version reached #26 in the Hot 100 in late 1983 and early 1984. I suspect it made the country charts as well. 17. "Terry" (MacColl/Povey) Original Performer: Kirsty MacColl This adheres very closely to the original arrangement. In fact, it is the original arrangement. The producers used Tracey's lead vocal instead of Kirsty's. 18. "Bad Motorcycle" (Williams/Brown) Original Performer: the Storey Sisters (a.k.a. the Twinkles) This was originally performed by the Storey Sisters under the name of the Twinkles (on the Peak label) and under their own name on Cameo. The song has the feel of a Fifties rock & roll song, which makes sense because the Storey Sisters' song dates from 1957-8. Tracey's version is faithful to the original. FYI: the Storey Sisters were a Philadelphia rock & roll duo (Ann and Lillian Storey). This was their one and only hit, reaching #45 in the spring of 1958. 19. "Loving You Is Easy" (Doug Taylor) Original Performer: unknown. This might be the original performance. 20. "Sunglasses" (John D. Loudermilk) Original Performer: Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis recorded the original version. It didn't make the Hot 100, but it may have made the country charts. Sandy Posey also recorded a version of it in 1967. Both versions are in the key of B-flat and are sparsely instrumented, while Tracey's is in C-sharp and has a Wall Of Sound arrangement. Tracey's version made #18 in the UK charts in the summer of 1984. A version recorded by South African artist Hilary was a big hit in that country in 1968 -- it was the number 1 single of the year, in fact! 21. "If I Had You" (words: Andy Davis; music: Rachmaninoff) Original Performer: the Korgis The arrangement of the Korgis' version is similar to Tracey's version. However, it is in the key of F whereas hers is in E. FYI: the Korgis' version reached #13 in the UK charts in the summer of 1979. They're best known in the US for their one and only hit, "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime." 22. "Helpless" (Holland/Dozier/Holland) Original Performer: Kim Weston FYI: Kim Weston is best known for singing "It Takes Two" with Marvin Gaye. Her version of "Helpless" made #56 on the Hot 100 in the spring of 1966. Tracey's version made #61 on the UK charts in the fall of 1984. 23. "Where The Boys Are" (Sedaka/Greenfield) Original Performer: Connie Francis Tracey's version is similar to the original in terms of tempo. However, her version has a rock arrangement, whereas Connie's version had an orchestra backing her up. FYI: Connie Francis' version is the title song to the film of the same name. The son reached #4 (#5 in the UK) in the winter of 1961. 24. "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" (Morton) Original Performer: the Shangri-Las Tracey's version is similar to the original but may be just a tad slower. FYI: the Shangri-Las' version was their third hit, making #18 on the Hot 100 in the winter of 1964/1965. 25. "I Know What Boys Want" (Butler) Original Performer: the Waitresses Tracey's version differs significantly from the original. FYI: the Waitresses' version reached #62 in the spring of 1982. 26. "My Guy" (Barson) Original Performer: Madness (called "My Girl") I've never heard the original (or if I have, I can't remember it), so I can't compare it to Tracey's version. FYI: Madness' version made #3 on the UK charts in early 1980 27. "I Don't Want Our Loving To Die" (Howard/Blaikley) Original Performer: the Herd Perhaps you've never heard of the Herd, but you've heard of one of their members, Peter Frampton. This song was their last UK chart hit, reaching #5 in the spring of 1968. Tracey's version is somewhat similar to the original, but there are a number of differences. Her version is in F-sharp, while the Herd's is in C. Their version is straightforward rock, whereas hers is a bit slicker. 28. "Thinking Of Running Away" (Ullman/Chapman/Collins) The arrangement makes me think of "Hi Hi Hi" by Wings. 29. "Alone" (Morty Craft) Original Performance: the Shepherd Sisters, 1957 (the record label was
owned by Craft) I've heard all three versions. They're all fairly similar in key, tempo and arrangement. Tracey's version is influenced mainly by the Four Seasons' version. FYI: the Shepherd Sisters (Martha, Gayle, Judy and Mary Lou) were from Middletown, Ohio and made several appearances on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (as the "La-La Quartet") in the late '50s. "Alone" was their biggest hit, reaching #18 on the Billboard charts in the fall of 1957. The Four Seasons' version reached #28 in the summer of 1964. In the UK, three versions charted in 1957: the Shepherd Sisters (#14), Petula Clark (#8) and the Southlanders (#17) 30. "Candy" (Ullman/Miss Scarlet/Collins) I suspect "Miss Scarlet" may be a pseudonym for Kirsty MacColl. 31. "Falling In And Out Of Love" (Kjeldsen/Snow) Original Performer: the Sinceros The Sinceros were a late-'70s, early-'80s power pop band that at one time opened for Elvis Costello. Among their notable songs is "Take Me To Your Leader". One of their members, Don Snow (now known as Jonn Savannah), was a keyboard player on both of Tracey's albums. He was even musical director on You Caught Me Out. Note: this is not the same song as "In And Out Of Love" by the Supremes. The original version was written by Sinceros guitarist Mark Kjeldsen. Snow wrote an additional verse for Tracey's version at the insistence of producer Peter Collins, who would not use the song without an added verse (Kjeldsen had died by this time). Tracey's version, like most of her remakes, is quite faithful to the original.
Thanks to Charles Hill, Charles Ulrich (for the Sinceros info), Jonn Savannah (for the background behind "Falling In And Out Of Love") and Schroeder (for the info on Hilary) for providing some updates. Page written by Roger
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