Lou Christie Lightning Strikes Me Again
| Lou Christie | |
|---|---|
 Lou Christie in 1966 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco[one] |
| Born | (1943-02-xix) Feb 19, 1943 |
| Origin | Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, United States[1] |
| Genres | Pop, soft rock, pop rock |
| Occupation(south) | Singer-songwriter |
| Years agile | 1962–present |
| Labels | Roulette, Colpix, MGM, Columbia, Buddah |
| Associated acts | The Tammys |
Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco (born February 19, 1943), known professionally as Lou Christie, is an American soft stone singer-songwriter known for several pop rock hits in the 1960s, including his 1966 United states of america chart-topper "Lightnin' Strikes" and 1969 U.k. number-2 "I'm Gonna Brand You Mine".
Biography [edit]
Early life and career [edit]
Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco on February nineteen, 1943, in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania,[1] and grew up in suburban Pittsburgh. While attending Moon Area High School, he studied music and voice, served as pupil conductor of the choir and sang solos at holiday concerts. His teacher, Frank Cummings, wanted him to pursue a career in classical music, just Sacco wanted to cut a tape to become on American Bandstand. At age fifteen he met and befriended Twyla Herbert, a classically trained musician xx years his senior, who became his regular songwriting partner and wrote hundreds of songs with him over the next 30 years until her decease in 2009. Sacco performed with several vocal groups and between 1959 and 1962 released several records on pocket-sized Pittsburgh labels, achieving a local hitting with "The Jury" by Lugee & The Lions (a group consisting of Sacco, Twyla Herbert's daughter Shirley, and 2 others) released on the Robbee label.[2] [3] Later graduating from high school in 1961, Sacco traveled to New York Urban center and worked as a session vocaliser.
In 1962,[4] Sacco approached Nick Cenci with some demo tapes. I of the commencement things Cenci did was modify the name Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco to Lou Christie. Cenci told Sacco that there was only i bully Italian singer and that he had to change his name. Sacco's male parent liked the name modify, because it had "Christ" in information technology.
Cenci liked Sacco'due south falsetto voice and suggested that he listen to the Four Seasons' contempo hit "Sherry". Sacco and Herbert used the vocal as a model to write an original song called "The Gypsy Cried". Cenci produced a recording of Sacco performing the song at Gateway Studio in Pittsburgh and initially released it on his own C & C label as a single in 1962, credited to "Lou Christie", the proper noun Sacco used thereafter.[5] The name "Lou Christie" was called by C & C Records, and "The Gypsy Cried" was credited to "Lou Christie" before they had consulted with Sacco about the proper name.[5]
"The Gypsy Cried" became a regional hit, selling thirty,000 copies in Pittsburgh. Cenci contacted Morris Levy of Roulette Records, maxim that he had a hitting that needed national distribution. Levy released the single on Roulette, just initially cipher happened. Airplay slowly spread across the land, and "The Gypsy Cried" reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling over one meg copies. Cenci produced boosted recording sessions for Christie in 1963 that generated ii more hits. "2 Faces Accept I", his 2nd million-seller, reached number 6 on the chart in June 1963.[6] [7] Roulette released an album of 12 Lou Christie / Twyla Herbert songs in 1963 that reached 124 on the Billboard 200. With those hits, Christie joined Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars Bout.
During this pre-Army phase of his career, the female vocalists featured on Christie's records were The Tammys, a trio from Pleasantville, Venango County, Pennsylvania. Christie and Herbert wrote the single "Egyptian Shumba" for the grouping, and although it was non a hit, information technology became a cult favorite in the Northern Soul scene in the early 1970s.
Christie made numerous TV appearances on Where the Action Is (1965–1967), and also appeared on American Bandstand and The Buddy Deane Show (1962–1964) in Baltimore. He also sang with Del Shannon.
Christie's third Roulette release, "How Many Teardrops" (written past Milan), stalled at No. 46 as Christie'south career was temporarily derailed by his consecration into the US Regular army. Christie did not have some other charting single for 2 and a one-half years.[4]
"Lightnin' Strikes" and "Rhapsody In The Rain": 1965–1966 [edit]
Christie's career was rapidly re-established after his discharge from the war machine when he signed with the MGM label. MGM reportedly disliked Christie's offset single for the label, the Christie-Herbert song "Lightnin' Strikes". But Christie's new management promoted the record in California, and when information technology gained some traction (eventually reaching No. two on KHJ the last ii weeks of 1965), MGM released it. "Lightnin' Strikes" reached #1 in the US on Christie's 23rd altogether on February 19, 1966, entered the UK Tiptop 20, condign his outset hit in that country, and peaked at #1 in Canada. The vocal featured his signature falsetto and included a female chorus (Bernadette Carroll, Denise Ferri, and Peggy Santiglia) shouting "Terminate!" in counterpoint to the lead vocal:
- When I see lips begging to be kissed (Terminate!)
- I can't terminate, (Stop!) no I can't stop myself! (Stop! End!)
Christie's next release in the spring of 1966, "Rhapsody in the Rain", featured a melody inspired by Tchaikovsky'due south "Romeo and Juliet", telling of a teenager'due south retentiveness of his sexual feel in the back seat of a car during a rainstorm equally the windshield wipers made a rhythmic audio of "together, together".[8] Later, after the romance ends, the wipers seem to say "never, never".[eight] Many radio stations banned the vocal after hearing the opening lyrics:
- Infant, the raindrops play for me
- Our lovely rhapsody, 'cause on our kickoff date
- Nosotros were makin' out in the rain.
- And in this car, our beloved went much too far
- Information technology was exciting as thunder
- This evening I wonder, where you are?
MGM insisted on a re-recorded version that toned down the lyrical content. The tertiary and quaternary lines were changed to:
- Nosotros barbarous in beloved in the rain
- And in this automobile, dear came like a falling star
Despite the edited version, many radio stations instead played 2 older songs re-released by other labels for which Christie had in one case recorded: "Outside the Gates of Heaven" (on Co & Ce Records) peaked at #45, while "Large Time" (on Colpix Records) striking #95. All iii singles striking nationally within iii weeks of one another, in March 1966, while "Lightnin' Strikes" was falling down the chart.
Resurgence: 1969–1970 [edit]
After being dropped by MGM and an unfruitful stint with Columbia Records in the tardily 1960s, Christie teamed upward with Buddah Records (a motility prompted past his business manager Stan Polley) and bubblegum music tape producer Tony Romeo and had a surprise Wall of Audio constant uptempo hitting "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" (which Romeo wrote) in the early autumn of 1969. Helped by bankroll vocalist Linda Scott and by 2 promotional videos distinctly different from each other, the song peaked at No. 10 in the US, but climbed to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and thus became his biggest hitting there.
A follow up, "She Sold Me Magic", charted only in the UK, peaking at No. 25,[ix] and was later covered by Elton John.[10] Conversely, "Are You Getting Any Sunshine?" only charted in America, where information technology reached No. 73.[vii]
Later career: 1971–nowadays [edit]
Christie spent the early 1970s betwixt London and New York City. In 1971 he released a concept album called Pigment America Honey, regarded past some every bit his best LP,[eleven] and married former United kingdom dazzler queen Francesca Winfield in London.
In 1974, Christie tried a new musical style, going state on his album Lou Christie. This album is also known unofficially as Across the Blue Horizon after its best known track,[12] a cover of a hit song from 1930 written for the motion-picture show Monte Carlo. The song missed the Country charts and only made No. 80 on the popular chart but managed No. 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The vocal has been used in several picture soundtracks, including 1988'due south Pelting Man.[13]
In the jump of 1978 Christie returned home to Pittsburgh to head the upstart record Label 2001 records, a co-operative of the 2001 and VIP nightclubs nationwide. While visiting local friends at the Staircase Lounge, Christie heard a local group, Sweet Cakewalk, and loved the band'southward harmonies and music. Christie signed the ring Sweet Cakewalk to their beginning recording contract and the band recorded a song written by Christie and Herbert called "Summer in Malibu" that was a regional hit for the band.
Christie became agile on the oldies circuit starting in the early 1980s, scoring a final US chart striking, credited as "Summer '81 Medley" past The Cantina Band (featuring Lou Christie), in 1981, performing a medley of Beach Boys classics.
In 1986, he recorded a duet with Lesley Gore of a medley of "Since I Don't Have You lot"/"It's Only Make Believe" for Manhattan Records, a segmentation of EMI-America. The ii singers were touring together at the time, and the song was released only as a one-off unmarried.
Christie was credited as special music collaborator on the picture show Barcelona, released in 1994. He and Mark Suozzo wrote a song, "Breakin' Up", which Christie performed and which was included in the soundtrack anthology for the picture.
In 1997, Christie recorded his first all-new anthology since the 1970s, entitled Pledging My Beloved and produced by Alan Grossman & Jimm Mosher of Striking Music Studio in Spencer, North Carolina. Billboard labeled this new album "About Impressive Comeback" anthology.[xiv] About of it was penned by Christie, presented in a contemporary way, and included the songs "What Happened to the Nights", "Techno Pop" (a diatribe about the loss of communication in our lives), and "I Sure Cruel in Beloved" and covers of the Critters' "Mr. Dieingly Sad" and Johnny Ace's title tune. Cub Koda said information technology was "loaded with AOR hits".[15]
In 2004, Christie released his first concert album, Greatest Hits Live From The Bottom Line, which featured studio recording "Christmas In New York" as a bonus track. In addition to the occasional new release, Christie remains a concert human activity on the oldies circuit in the United states and Great britain. He has also hosted a serial of programs on SiriusXM radio for the 1960s channel. In 2015, Christie released his first new recording in several years, entitled "Drive In Dreams", written by Gregory Scharpf, who is a former fellow member of Sweet Breeze, the Pittsburgh-based band that Christie signed to their start recording contract. His next release was 2016's "When You lot Were Young", also penned by Scharpf.
Discography [edit]
Singles [edit]
| Yr | Title | Peak nautical chart positions | Record Label | B-side From same album equally A-side except where indicated | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AC | R&B | UK | Tin | AU | |||||
| 1962 | "The Gypsy Cried" | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | Roulette Records | "Red Sails in the Dusk" (Not-LP track) | Lou Christie |
| 1963 | "Ii Faces Take I" | half-dozen | — | 11 | — | — | xx | "All That Glitters Isn't Gold" | ||
| "How Many Teardrops" | 46 | — | — | — | — | 79 | "Y'all and I (Have a Right to Cry)" | |||
| "Shy Boy" | 119 | — | — | — | — | — | "It Can Happen" | Non-LP tracks | ||
| 1964 | "Stay" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "There They Go" (Non-LP track) | Lou Christie | |
| "Guitars and Bongos" | 123 | — | — | — | — | — | Colpix Records | "Merry-Go-Circular" (Not-LP track) | Lou Christie Strikes Again | |
| "Have I Sinned" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Pot of Gold" | |||
| 1965 | "Why Did You Practice It Baby" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Make Summer Final Forever" | ||
| "A Teenager in Dearest" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Back Track" | |||
| "Lightnin' Strikes" | 1 | — | — | xi | i | 9 | MGM Records | "Cryin' in the Streets" | Lightnin' Strikes | |
| 1966 | "Exterior the Gates of Sky" | 45 | — | — | — | 32 | — | Co & Ce Records | "All That Glitters Isn't Gilt" | Non-LP tracks |
| "Big Time" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | Colpix Records | "Cryin' on My Knees" | Lou Christie Strikes Again | |
| "Rhapsody in the Pelting" | 16 | — | — | 37 | 10 | twoscore | MGM Records | "Trapeze" (from Lightnin' Strikes) | Painter of Hits | |
| "Painter" | 81 | — | — | — | 60 | — | "Du Ronda" | |||
| "If My Motorcar Could Only Talk" | 118 | — | — | — | — | — | "Song of Lita" | Not-LP tracks | ||
| "Since I Don't Take You" | 118 | — | — | — | 71 | — | "Wild Life's in Season" | Painter of Hits | ||
| 1967 | "Shake Hands and Walk Away Cryin'" | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | Columbia Records | "Escape" | Not-LP tracks |
| "Self Expression (The Kids on the Street Will Never Give In)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Dorsum to the Days of the Romans" | |||
| "Gina" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Escape" | |||
| "Don't Terminate Me (Jump Off the Edge of Dearest)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Dorsum to the Days of the Romans" | |||
| 1968 | "Genesis and the Third Verse" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Buddah Records | "Rake Up the Leaves" | |
| "Canterbury Route" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Saints of Aquarius" | |||
| 1969 | "I'thou Gonna Make You Mine" | ten | — | — | 2 | v | 28 | "I'g Gonna Get Married" | I'g Gonna Make You Mine | |
| "Are You Getting Any Sunshine?" | 73 | — | — | — | 56 | — | "It'll Take Time" | |||
| 1970 | "Love Is Over" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "She Sold Me Magic" (from I'm Gonna Make You lot Mine) (#25 UK) (#vii JP) | Non-LP tracks | |
| "Indian Lady" | 106 | 39 | — | — | — | 89 | "Celebrity River" | |||
| 1971 | "Lighthouse" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Waco" | Paint America Love | |
| 1973 | "Beyond the Blueish Horizon" | lxxx | 12 | — | — | 57 | — | Three Brothers Records | "Saddle the Wind" | Lou Christie |
| 1974 | "Good Mornin'/Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Y'all Were the Ane" | ||
| 1975 | "Summer Days" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Slipped Disc Records | "The Ane and Only Original Sunshine Kid" | Non-LP tracks |
| 1976 | "Riding in My Van" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Epic Records | "Summertime in Malibu" | |
| "You're Gonna Make Dear to Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Midland International Records | "Fantasies" | ||
| 1977 | "Spanish Vino" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Dancing in the Sand" | ||
| 1986 | Lou Christie/Lesley Gore "Since I Don't Have You lot"/"It's Only Make Believe" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Manhattan Records | "Our Beloved Was Meant To Be" | |
| 1990 | Lou Christie/Pia Zadora "Don't Knock My Love" (shortVersion) | — | — | — | — | — | — | Midsong Records | "Don't Knock My Love" (LongVersion) | |
Albums [edit]
- Lou Christie (Roulette, 1963)
- Lou Christie Strikes Over again (Colpix, 1964)
- Lightning Strikes (MGM, 1965)
- Painter of Hits (MGM, 1966)
- I'yard Gonna Make Y'all Mine (Buddah, 1969)
- Paint America Love (Buddah, 1971)
- Lou Christie (Three Brothers, 1974)
- Lou Christie Does Detroit (51 West, 1982)
- Pledging My Love (Varese Sarabande, 1997)
- Greatest Hits Live from the Lesser Line (Varese Sarabande, 2004)
- The Turquoise Trail (LightningStrikes, 2012)
- Summer in Malibu (LightningStrikes, 2015)[sixteen]
Collections [edit]
- Rhapsody in the Grooves: His Finest Recordings 1962–1969 (Raven LP, 1984)
- EnLightnin'ment—The Best of Lou Christie (Rhinoceros, 1990)
- Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (LightningStrikes, 1993)
- Glory River—The Buddah Years 1968–1972 (Sequel, 1994)
- Across The Bluish Horizon: More of the Best (Varese Sarabande, 1994)
- Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (LightningStrikes, 1997)
- Egyptian Shumba: Singles & Rare Recordings 1962–64 (w/The Tammys) (RPM, 2001)
- Original Sinner: The Very Best of the MGM Recordings (RPM, 2004)
- Studio 102 Essentials (Studio 102, 2008)
References [edit]
- ^ a b c "Biography by Jason Ankeny". Allmusic.com. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Leszczak, Bob. (2014). Encyclopedia of Pop Music Aliases, 1950–2000, Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 62–63. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ "Reviews and Ratings of New Records", Billboard, April 17, 1961. p. 32. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ a b "Lou Christie – Pittsburgh Music History". Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Bronson, Fred. (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, Billboard Books. p. 193. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2d ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 157. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^ a b Lou Christie – Chart History – The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ a b "Rhapsody In The Rain (lyrics)". Top40db.net. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
- ^ Lou Christie – Total Official Nautical chart History, Official Charts Visitor. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ "Legendary Covers as Sung by Elton John – Elton John". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
- ^ "Lou Christie Sacco "Pigment America Beloved" 1971 | Rising Storm Review". Therisingstorm.net. March thirty, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ ""Three Brothers Anthology Discography" by David Edwards and Mike Callahan". bsnpubs.com. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Cater, Darryl. "Hans Zimmer – Rain Man (Original Motion Picture show Soundtrack)". AllMusic. AllMusic, Netaktion LLC. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ "The Year in Music", Billboard, December 27, 1997. p. YE-83. Accessed July 24, 2016.
- ^ "AllMusic Review past Cub Koda: Pledging My Dearest past Lou Christie". Allmusic website. Retrieved September vii, 2015.
- ^ Microsoft Music Database fai.music.metaservices.microsoft.com
External links [edit]
- Official website
- Lou Christie & The Tammys Egyptian Shumba Abode Page
- Lou Christie Twitter
- Bio at Yahoo! Music
- Bio at ClassicBands.com
- Lou Christie: Lightning is Nonetheless Hit, author – Linda Alexander
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Christie
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