Alley Oop by The Hollywood Argyles

Album: Alley Oop (1960)

Charted: 24 1

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Songfacts®:

Alley Oop was a popular newspaper comic strip ("the funny papers") about a caveman. This is a novelty song based on the character.
This was written by the country songwriter Dallas Frazier, who recorded the song in 1966 and released it on his album Elvira (Columbia 2552). In 1967 Englebert Humperdinck recorded Frazier's "There Goes My Everything," which hit #2 in the UK and #20 in the US.
Lead singer Gary Paxton recorded this as a solo artist, since he was still under contract to Brent Records, where he recorded as Flip of "Skip And Flip." He made up the name Hollywood Argyles - the recording studio was on Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Street. When this became a hit, Paxton put together a Hollywood Argyles group, made up of Bobby Rey, Ted Marsh, Gary Webb, Deary Weaver and Ted Winters. This ended up being their only hit.
Producer Kim Fowley and drummer Sandy Nelson bashed empty bottles and wastepaper baskets during the session. Alcohol was a factor.

Comments: 17

Mikekees from Media, PaMy recording engineer friend Jack Andrews told me this was the first record he was involved in.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaI was too young to remember the comic strip(my oldest brother did) but am wondering if they had to pay the writers of the script any money for using their character.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 1st 1960, the 'Jocko's Rocket Ship Revue' show played at the Apollo Theater in the Harlem section of New York City...
One of the five acts* on the bill were Dante and the Evergreens; at the time their "Alley-Oop'" was at #16 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; three days later on July 4th it peaked at #15 {See next post below}...
And at the same time they were at #16 with the song, the Hollywood Argyles version was at #3 on the Top 100...
R.I.P. radio personality Douglas ‘Jocko’ Henderson {1918 – 2000}…
* The other four acts were Ruth Brown, the Olympics, Ben E. King, and Jimmy Jones.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 14th 1960, Dante and the Evergreens performed "Alley Oop" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
At the time their version of the song was at #28 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; twenty days later on July 4th, 1960 it would peak at #15 {for 2 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 13 weeks...
The day it peaked at #15, the Hollywood Argyles' version of the song moved into the #2 spot on the Top 100, and the following week it peaked at #1 {for 1 week}...
Dante and the Evergreens had one other Top 100 record, "Time Machine”, it reached #73 and spent 6 weeks on the chart.
Steve from Hopkinsville, KyThe song was also covered by Ray Stevens, ShaNaNa, George Thorogood and The Royal Guardsmen. Those are the Recordings in my collection.
Christopher from Charlotte, NcThe song was first recorded by a black vocal group called The Pre -Historics. They were a Coasters sound a like group. I think their's is better than the Argyles' hit version
Barry from Sauquoit, NyA third group also released this song in 1960; The Dyna-Sores version peaked at #59!!!
Ray from Laughlin, NvTo Eugene, who asked what happened to Gary Paxton. Like many former recording stars he now lives in Branson, MO. His ex partner, Skip, of Skip and Flip passed away about 5 years ago from Alzheimer's Disease. They originally got connected in Tucson, AZ.
Reed from New Ulm, Mn"I mean like..what's happening"
Rick from Graysville, Mo"He sure is Hip aint he"
Frank from Valley Stream, NyThis song was also recorded by Dante & The
Evergreens in 1960. Argyles had a # 1 hit.
Evergreens had a # 15 hit. I bought the
Dante & The Evergreens version. I liked it
Better.
Trudy from Lynchburg, VaMany years ago, I read the comic strip, "Alley Oop" in the newspaper, everyday. I also used to have the comic book by the same name. Love it.
Alex from Calgary, CanadaIn response to Darrell, Paxton as of 2007 is based in Branson, Mo. and recently wrote and produced a new single recorded by Bill Haley's Original Comets.
Walter from Antwerp, BelgiumThis song was US-copyrighted May 1960, and became a hit shortly afterwards. There was no earlier version recorded by Dallas Frazier, who wrote it only the year before. Reportedly, he was also present banging pots and pans on the Hollywood Argyles session. Novelty song yes, but not very original, this came very close to what The Coasters and Leiber & Stoller were producing at the time.
Darrell from Eugene, United StatesWhatever happened to Gary Paxton? I know that he founded Garpax Records and that he produced "Monster Mash", but what happened to Gary Paxton and Garpax Records after "Monster Mash"? All information would be appreciated.
John from Levittown, NyDavid Bowie borrows the line "look at that caveman go" in his song Life on Mars.
Steve from Salt Lake City, UtThe group were al LA area session players.
The were on "Image Of A Girl" by the SAFARIS the same year as "Alley Oop"

Both records are on fly by nite labels with 4 letter names. The Hollywood Argyles on LUTE. The Safaris on ELDO.
Who knows how many sessions these boozers played on!

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