Chick Graham - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"

[skahead123]

justin bieber in the 50s?

[niallo23]

What a voice. But does he remind anyone else of a ventriloquists puppet when he speaks and sings??

[TheRobertpiotr]

wonderful version. Youthful freshness. Beautiful.

[Sandrina747]

Good grief,I just read you can buy I know for around twenty pounds and I payed 1 shilling and sixpence for mine way back when that seemed expensive but I've said it before and I'll say it again,it was well worth every penny and he was an awesome little singer,my single is still going strong even though it has been played a thousand times.

[Sandrina747]

ty they truly were awesome memories,I don't think for one minute I know was rubbish,I fell in love with it the very first time I heard it and as I said before it cost me 1 shilling and sixpence well worth the money,so sorry Chick gave up entertaining,he was really great in my eyes and a sad loss to the entertainment business.

[Sandrina747]

All the songs from the late fifties and early sixties were fantastic,I went on to sing in clubs and cabaret,I learned all my songs from the best,Connie Francis,Neil Sedaka, Bobby Darin and far too many to mention and not forgetting Chick Graham.For all those who weren't around in that era I hope you have many happy hours listening to those wonderful oldies.

[tunenito]

So well put ... "wonderful oldies."

Truly classics!

[tony00165]

@Sandrina747 Connie Francis was raped in her Hotel room in America......it destroyed her career at a stroke....she was traumatised by it so much she didn't sing for years...when she tried a come back she appeared on the Empire in Liverpool and couldn't believe that she would be remembered...she was overwhelmed by the Love and affection shown to her....I did hear that she wept at the thought of it all.

[tony00165]

@Sandrina747 Nice to talk to you..you'll appreciate this..I took my wife to see Shirley Bassey on the tent in the Albert dock..in the middle of her act she was crouching down to sing to people in the front...A voice came from the back..'Ey Shirley..I can see right up your skirt' she jumped up screeching with laughter...and said.....'Where else but Liverpool!.......scousers eh!

[Sandrina747]

I remember buying Chick Grahams I know for 1 shilling and sixpence I was 16 at the time and loved his voice.I bought it from a a boy whose father owned a car repair shop and sold crisps and pop I only went in to buy some crisps and I heard it playing ,when I asked him who it was and he told me he was selling it so that's how I got the record and I still have it to this day.

[tunenito]

Thanks for sharing these awesome memories!

:-)

[tony00165]

@Sandrina747 Over the last few years I've been listening to the old pop stars..I didn't realise at the time how good they were..Connie Francis for one...Julie London..Peggy Lee..Brenda lee...the yanks had loads of them all fabulous icons for young kids to learn from....I listen to Hank williams a lot...forget about the poor equipment and techniques used..the quality of the music still shines through

[debbieswinyer]

great job

[nosleep62]

man, this kid could belt it out! never been too big a fan of this tune, but this video proves the axiom that sometimes it's "the singer, not the song"!

[rmmrodri]

Wow!

[gtgene]

In retrospect it was a good thing Decca turned down the Beatles,they got George Martin as a producer. The wrong company can dead end a career.

[pepperdineu1]

Good grief! Did Decca suck or what? How could they mess this kid up with all that talent and charisma? Answer: They were Decca. And they didn't like the Beatles either!

[jduff59]

I'm also joining the list of folks who would love to hear "I Know" - brilliant vocal...

[rich88b]

jduff59, someone has kindly put I Know on here now and it's good hearing it again!

[jduff59]

The main reason Chick never made it was he signed to Decca, who after turning down the Beatles, went on a signing spree (even signing Pete Best) They didn't handle their artists well, and these acts fell through the cracks. Personally, I think if Chick had the right backing, he would have been a huge star, instead of a has-been at age 16, a real shame. His voice and personality were right there!!

[flammasherman]

Couldn't agree more, a great voice and immense personality- what became of him ?.

[rich88b]

He looks about 14 in this clip and has such a good 60s voice!!!! I still like "I Know" but have not heard it in ages!!!!

[LuthienAthariel]

I stumbled on two of his songs "a little you" and "dance baby dance" ... wow, what a talent.

[brianbluesky]

If you search for chick graham coasters and the catalogue number then you can buy the singles for around 20 pounds : singles: I Know/Education on Decca Label F 11859, A Little You/Dance Baby Dance on Decca Label F 11932. These singles also appeared on two compilation albums in the 80s

[rich88b]

Does anyone have a video clip of Chick Graham singing "I Know" please? 

If not a video, could someone please put the song on here?

I've tried everywhere to get a CD with "I Know" on it and have never found one anywhere!

Thanks

[uphollandlatic]

Hi,

I've uploaded a recording of 'I Know'. Look at my user name - uphollandlatic

[brianbluesky]

Cheers Mark. As I said I was just reporting what I found. Can't seem to find a link to either song to listen to them. I've been looking at the merseybeat websites - which are interestng, but no songs... Do you know of any postings?

[brianbluesky]

Done quick search - it looks like he was destined for something big. Chick replaced Billy J Kramer as front man to The Coasters at age 15 in June 63. Decca signed the band up but they pushed out two rubbish songs I Know/Education and A Little You/Dance, Baby Dance - dont know who chose their songs but their manager was promply sacked and the group split up in 1965. Pity.

[markdelaney]

In all fairness both singles are superb. "I know" is absolutely brilliant and "A little you" is far better than Freddie & the Dreamers version. Both singles have superb production and stand up next to anything coming out of the era. It must have been a lack of promotion, perhaps due to Chick's age.

[tunenito]

Thank you for the great research - - much appreciated! Decca ... didn't they turn down the Beatles? Go figure ...

:-)

[tony00165]

@tunenito I was the drummmer (You can only see my hands here) We had no say in the two rubbish songs we recorded.Leeds music hired the studio..published the songs and sold the master to Decca...that's how it all worked.We told them the songs were no good but they wouldn't listen Gordon Mills wrote the songs and agreed with us...Those records were the kiss of death for the group....I left in late 1964 to go to the Star club in Hamburg..the group folded in 1965. ( We're still in touch)

[tunenito]

Tony, many thanks for sharing this eye-witness history of the group. It's always awesome to get the facts from the people who were ACTUALLY THERE.

I wish the group had lasted longer ... All the best to 'ya, mate!

[tony00165]

@tunenito We didn't have a record out and this 'Cavern' clip was from an Associated Redifusion show called 'Beat City'...so we had to go to the studio in London to record some tracks for the show..They hired an 8 track recorder from EMI and it came into the studio on a truck..it was the size of a filing cabinet and weighed a ton.The way technology is now it seems hard to believe.doesn't it!

[tony00165]

@tunenito Yes! Dick Rowe from Decca turned them down..A monty python sketch years later..'Mr Rowe..are you the man who turned the Beatles down'..'Yes'...'What's it like to be a complete and utter Arse hole'.......he did however take the Beatles advice laterand sign up the Rolling stones.

[tony00165]

@brianbluesky Leeds Music did the lot and sold the master to Decca. L/M had no financial interest in us recording songs they didn't own so they dictated which ones we did. Any of our stage songs would have been hits with Chick even covers of the Shirelles and Frankie lymon ...Imagine the frustration trying to talk some sense into these people I was the drummer and only 21... our manager (Ted Knibbs) admitted that I'd been right all along.and forgave me for being so forthright at the time.

[brianbluesky]

What a great little - big voice. I love his intro - 3 girls - arrhh bless! :-) It looks like that's the cavern?? did you say his singles bombed or boomed?

[tunenito]

Yes, that's the legendary Cavern.

It was BobyVeeFan who said that his singles bomed," I think he meant "bombed." Wish it head turned out better for Graham ...

[markdelaney]

Fantastic pair of lungs he had. It's sad that he never became a star.

[tunenito]

From what I've heard, by 1963 there were hundreds & hundrreds of groups in Liverpool, so the competition must have been pretty stiff.

I'm curious why Graham never made it to the top ...?

[1l2y3d4i5a]

this clip brings back the merseybeat era this is so awesome

[rich88b]

I used to love his voice and I bought a couple of his singles and one was called "I Know" and I often wondered what happened to him.

Does anyone have a copy of "I Know" that can be put on YouTube please? Also does anyone know if I Know is on a compilation CD that I can buy?

Thanks

[hauntboy]

I remember this. I think it was only shown up north back in '63, but I saw the whole docu when it was repeated in 1985 and I recall this lad. He looks younger, but he was actually 15, older than George Harrison when he joined the Quarrymen. Put "Dunrockin'" into a search engine and it says he is a male nurse now.

[uphollandlatic]

My uncle opened a record shop in Up Holland and I bought 'I Know' from him. I could never understand why he didn't make it really big. Any recording of 'I Know' would be welcome.

[Bertrandd06]

wow! superbe voix pour un trés beau morceau.

Quelq'un peut dire si c'est le Graham Jennings mort en septembre 2007?

merci

[hauntboy]

My French isn't that good. Did Graham Jennings ( Chick Graham) die in September last year?

[tony00165]

@hauntboy Not to my knowledge....his cousin Valerie married our bass player and founder member Ray...I'm still in touch with them and theyn are still in touch with graham (Chick)....I would have been among the first to know....he's fine.!

[Jungleloyalscouse]

When you look at these old footages it does bring back alot of happy Memories and at this time thats what Liverpool was all about Merseybeat and Football with both teams winning trophys great days and times

[amariedavies]

Not bad..but he's going to give himself whiplash...

[edinpa46]

very good version.....but the shirelles are like angels singing i remember dave amson version also....

[tunenito]

Yes, the Shirelles' original version is an absolute all time classic!

The Beatles' version of the Marvelette's "Please Mr. Postman" is one of my favorite cover versions of all time.

[jmanmoonwalk]

Who is this kid. How old was he here. Was a big.

[sapphiretaurus]

He was 15. I read somewhere that he begaan working with the Coasters in 1963 when he was 15.

[tony00165]

@sapphiretaurus That's true....the singles were not strong songs..we did all the tv shows but it all fizzled out....a great shame 'Peter Frame said'...whoever chose the songs threw Chicks career down the drain'....that's the truth.Our live shows were much more exiting than you see and hear on these clips.

[BobbyVeeFan]

He made a couple of singles in 1963, they all bomed and he went back to work in dirty ole Liverpool!

[tunenito]

Wow, he had a good voice too ...