Till You Say You'll Be Mine - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (1966) - Pop Archives - Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
Till You Say You'll Be Mine
(Jackie DeShannon)
UK 1966

On Decca (UK), Olivia Newton-John's first single, recorded in London.

British-born but raised in Australia from the age of four or five, Olivia returned to the UK as a teenager in 1965 after winning the trip in a TV talent quest. She performed (but didn't record) with Australian singer Pat Carroll as Pat & Olivia.

Pat returned to Australia when her work visa ran out, but Olivia stayed on in the UK and began what turned out to be a long and successful solo career, although her first Top 40 single wasn't until 1971, If Not For You (#35 UK, #25 USA).

See also The Banks Of The Ohio, one of her greatest hits.

Thanks to Martin Pardys for mentioning Pat & Olivia.

SHIRLEY & JOHNNY
Till You Say You'll Be Mine
(Jackie DeShannon)
UK 1965

Single on Parlophone, B-side of Day Dreamin' Of You. YouTube The A-side was a Jackie DeShannon co-write with Sharon Sheeley. Arranged by Arthur Greenslade.

Johnny Wheeler was playing in his brother's skiffle band when he met Shirley Bagnall at a gig in High Wycombe in 1962. The duo was signed to EMI after auditioning for producer Ron Richards. They issued thirteen singles on Parlophone, Mercury and RCA, none of them a hit, but they appeared on a number of top British TV shows and were kept busy as a cabaret and cruise act before breaking up in 1974.

Further reading: Shirley & Johnny's website.

JACKIE DESHANNON
Till You Say You'll Be Mine
(Jackie DeShannon)
USA 1963
Original version

Single on Liberty, B-side of When You Walk In The Room. Both sides of the 45 were written by DeShannon, produced by Dick Glasser and arranged by Jack Nitzsche.

Singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon (b.1941, Sharon Lee Myers) is best known for her own hits:

• What The World Needs Now Is Love (Burt Bacharach-Hal David)
Jackie DeShannon 1965, #7 USA.
• Put A Little Love In Your Heart (DeShannon-Randy Myers-Jimmy Holiday)
Jackie DeShannon 1969, #4 USA. Co-writer Randy Myers is Jackie's brother.

She also recorded the original version of:

• Needles And Pins (Sonny Bono-Jack Nitzche):
Jackie DeShannon 1963, #83 USA
Better known by The Searchers 1964 (#1 UK, #13 USA).

Some of her own compositions - often in collaboration with Sharon Sheeley - have been known through other artists' recordings:

• Dum Dum (DeShannon-Sheeley):
  Brenda Lee 1961, #4 USA, #22 UK.
• (He's) The Great Imposter (DeShannon-Sheeley):
  The Fleetwoods 1961, #30 USA.
• When You Walk In The Room (DeShannon-Sheeley):
  The Searchers 1964, #3 UK, #35 USA.
  DeShannon also recorded the original version (1963)
• Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe (DeShannon):
  The Byrds 1965, on album Mr Tambourine Man.
• Come And Stay With Me (DeShannon):
  Marianne Faithful 1965, #4 UK, #26 USA.
• Bette Davis Eyes (Donna Weiss- DeShannon):
  Kim Carnes 1981, #1 USA.
  First released by Jackie DeShannon, 1974, on album New Arrangement.
• Breakaway (DeShannon-Sheeley):
  Tracey Ullman 1983, #4 UK.
  First released by Irma Thomas, 1964, as Break-A-Way.

Further reading: 1. Jackie DeShannon's website. 2. Jackie DeShannon Appreciation Society. 3. AllMusic biography. 4. Sharon Sheeley at All Music and The Guardian (obituary). 5. Sharon Sheeley tribute at Rockabilly hall of fame.