DINAH LEE
Reet Petite
(Berry Gordy - Tyran Carlo)
New Zealand 1964
#18 Sydney #6 Melbourne #21 Brisbane #18 Perth

With Max Merritt & his Meteors.

Single on Viking label (NZ) released in Australia on HMV label.

Powerful, energetic New Zealand singer known as 'The Dynamic' Dinah Lee, an admirer of Dee Dee Sharp and Millie Small, born Diane Jacobs in 1943. Her rocking versions of astutely chosen songs and her cutting-edge mod image made her extremely popular in New Zealand and Australia in the mid-60s. See the full account and appreciation at Milesago.
DEE DEE SHARP
Reet Petite
(Berry Gordy - Tyran Carlo)
USA 1963
Influential version

On 1963 Cameo album Do The Bird on Cameo label.

This is the version that Dinah Lee was familiar with: see Milesago's Dinah Lee page. Her version of Don't You Know Yockomo was also inspired by a Dee Dee Sharp album track.

Dee Dee Sharp: singer from Philadelphia (b. 1945), real name Dione La Rue, initially a back-up singer, heard with Chubby Checker on Slow Twistin' (#3 USA, 1962).  Married soul/disco producer Kenny Gamble of Gamble & Huff fame.

See 1999 interview with Dee Dee Sharp by Doug Fuhrmann at The Lively Set.
JACKIE WILSON
Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet)
(Berry Gordy - Tyran Carlo)
USA 1957
Original version
#6 UK #8 Sydney

Reissued in 1987 with animated video clip: #1 UK, #42 Sydney, #11 Melbourne, #17 Brisbane, #1 Adelaide, #29 Perth.

Songwriters: Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, and Roquel "Billy" Davis using the pseudonym Tyran Carlo.

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