Connie Francis - Baby Roo

Описание: NEIL SEDAKA
13 March 1939 - 27 February 2026

Although I never met Neil Sedaka, I did have the pleasure of chatting with him on the 'phone and seeking his advice and guidance on some of the many recordings of his songs by our mutual friend Connie Francis. Theirs was a friendship that had begun in 1958 and endured until Connie's passing in July last year. Genuine superstars of that period of pop I refer to as post rock'n'roll/pre-Beatles, one cannot underestimate the value of the contributions each gave to the other.
It was in 1958 that Connie had made her charts breakthrough with "Who's Sorry Now" [#4 USA, #1 UK] and she had been disappointed when its follow-up, "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry" stalled at #36. It was crucial that she quickly achieved another Top 20 hit and, thanks to Neil and Howard Greenfield's rock and roll number "Stupid Cupid", succeeded in doing precisely that. In the UK "Stupid Cupid" became Connie's second chart-topper of the year, matching the six weeks in the top spot of its predecessor. Those 12 weeks at number one in a calendar year have never been beaten, let alone equalled, by any other female artist. Neil and Howie followed that success with "Fallin'", a track that over the years has been featured on movie soundtracks and commercials, and "Frankie", the 'B' side to her biggest rock'n'roll hit. "Lipstick On Your Collar", which became a million-selling gold disc winner in its own right!
In 1960 Connie insisted that she didn't want anyone other than Neil and Howie to provide the title song for her début movie 'Where the Boys Are'. Her recording was a worldwide success, and the song regarded by many as Florida's unofficial anthem. At that same recording session she also cut Neil's and Howie's "On The Outside Looking In" and "Happy New Year Baby", each of which remained unreleased for decades.
On December 29, 1960 Connie undertook a major recording session that produced 10 titles which embraced selections sung in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Among the English titles were a third recording of "No One" by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, with which "Where the Boys Are" was coupled on most singles releases, and "Baby Roo", from the Sedaka-Greenfield partnership, which formed the 'B' side in the UK.
An interesting element of Connie's association with Neil is that after leaving MGM at the end of 1969 she frequently contacted him when embarking on new recording projects. The first of these was for "Don't Turn Around" which formed the 'A' side of a single released on the independent Ivanhoe label. It was recorded at sessions spread over July 1st, 20th and 21st, and which also included the Sedaka-Greenfield songs "God Save America" and "The World I Threw Away".
Later in the Seventies Connie recorded the duo's "Let's Go Where the Good Times Go", leasing the track to Polydor for a single before eventually including it and "Don't Turn Around" on her own Concetta Records label.
In 1977 Connie returned to the recording studio for her first totally new album in nine years, 'Who's Happy Now', on which I was an associate producer. Her sessions included two contributions from Sedaka & Greenfield — "Rainy Day Bells" and a disco version of "Where The Boys Are". Prior to recording the new "Boys" update, Connie played a recording Neil had made of himself playing and performing the new style treatment.
It was many years later that I had spoken with Neil about "God Save America". which was shortly to make its Concetta Records début, and "The World I Threw Away", that we hoped to include on the album compilation 'Let's Go Where The Good Times Go'. Since Neil was playing piano on this recording AND providing background vocals, I didn't wish to fall foul of any copyright issues. He brushed any suggestion of this to one side, expressing delight that Connie's recording of his song was finally getting the release it deserved!
Thank you for the music Neil.