"Believe Me" the Royal Teens - August, 1959

Here's a record that is unusual in that it was issued on a variety of record label styles by Capitol. The original issue was on the first label displayed, with the smaller Capitol logo on top. An earlier logo, with the larger name on top, was discontinued in 1956. At the time of release, Capitol was in transition of label stylings, so the side label was also original to the pressing, while using up earlier label stock. Stuff got more confused as the writers credits changed with it, offering two different side logo issues. In April, 1964, the record saw reissue as one of the early issues using the Capitol Starline logo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• royal
• teens
• capitol
• believe

[Finkanslig]

This nifty (AUG 1959, Capitol 4261) doo wop got to #26; flip side is Little Cricket. Course the group’s big hit was Short Shorts, charted #3 by FEB ’58.

The Royal Teens finally had a true vocalist by late 1958: Joe Francovilla as lead; Francovilla used a shortened name, ‘Joey Villa’. Earlier, Villa sang on Blanche (with The 3 Friends), from 1956. He is great.

Thank you. :I:

[SleepingLionGuy1]

@Finkanslig ...and it was Villa's former 3 Friends associates who provided the background harmonies on this and other Royal Teens offerings, that recently confirmed by Tom Austin, a founding member of the Royal Teens and co-writer of the song. Villa joined the group when they recorded "Harvey's Got A Girlfriend".

[Finkanslig]

@SleepingLionGuy1 Thank you! Terrific info. I've heard that the 3 Friends were involved, but was unable to confirm it. Good to know it's now confirmed.

Tom Austin may well have had a role in the song; the credits, tho, list a 'Mildred' Austin along w/ Bob Conte & Joe Villa. Who is 'Mildred'? :I:

[wmbrown6]

The label seen from 0:00-0:24 was from Keystone Printed Specialties Co., Inc. of Scranton, PA, indicating a pressing from Capitol's East Coast plant in that town; then followed by three successive West Coast pressings with label copy type from Bert-Co Press of Los Angeles; and finally two subsequent Keystone-printed labels. (The West Coast purples then were far darker and more bluish than East Coast purples.)