(Johnny Vincent - Huey "Piano" Smith)
New Zealand
3 NZ* #16 Sydney #1 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #3 Adelaide
NZ chart data by Warwick Freeman
Single on Viking (NZ), released in Australia on HMV.
This powerful, energetic singer, known as ‘The Dynamic’ Dinah Lee, (b. Diane Jacobs, 1943) was an admirer of Dee Dee Sharp and Millie Small. 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-1960s.
Dinah Lee also recorded Huey “Piano” Smith’s Don’t You Just Know It, also written by Vincent-Smith.
In 2006, inspired by her success in the ABC’s Long Way To The Top project, Dinah released Islands, a new album with Don’t You Know Yockomo updated.
Essential reading: Dinah Lee pages at Milesago, at Bruce Sergent’s NZ music site, and at AudioCulture.
(Johnny Vincent - Huey "Piano" Smith)
USA
Influential version
On 1963 album Down Memory Lane on Cameo label.
This is the version that Dinah Lee was familiar with. Her version of Reet Petite was also inspired by a Dee Dee Sharp album track. (See Milesago’s Dinah Lee page.)
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.
Further reading: Doug Fuhrmann, Dee Dee Sharp and a Different Day, [archived page].
(Johnny Vincent - Huey "Piano" Smith) USA
Original version
Single on Ace, New Orleans. The co-writer is Johnny Vincent, founder of Ace Records.
Single on Ace by classic New Orleans R&B singer-pianist-composer and session musician (1934-2023) influenced by the likes of Professor Longhair and Fats Domino.
Huey “Piano” Smith’s biggest hit on the pop charts was Don’t You Just Know It (1959 #9 USA) and has been recorded by numerous other artists including Dinah Lee (see here). His Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu (1957 #52 USA) is possibly even better known: 95 versions are listed at secondhandsongs.com.
Also recorded by: New Orleans rocker Frankie Forde; British singer Alma Cogan; German-based British beat band Casey Jones & the Governors; and by Montreal garage band Les Sexereenos. See, for example, secondhandsongs.com or cover.info.
Further reading: Huey “Piano” Smith Biography by Steve Huey at All Music.
(Vincent - Smith)
Australia
Later version
New “21st Century version” of Dinah’s 1964 hit, recorded for her Regal Records album Islands, released August 2006.
Thanks to Doug Jansen for clarification.
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2026. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…