(Rex Garvin)
Australia
#21 Sydney
Johnny O'Keefe (1935-1978), known in Australia as The Wild One, The King of Rock'n'Roll or just J.O'K., was a pioneer Australian rocker, a chart topping artist in his home country.
As Damian Johnstone recounts in The Wild One, Over The Mountain, Across The Sea marked a departure from Johnny O'Keefe's rock'n'roll repertoire. When O'Keefe first performed it the audiences were hostile, because it was a ballad, known as a 'stroll song'. O'Keefe stuck with it and, although it was never a big hit, it became a standard part of his stage show.
Reference: Damian Johnstone's biography of Johnny O'Keefe, The Wild One (2001), p.65.
(Rex Garvin)
USA
Original version
#8 USA
Single initially released on New York label J&S, soon reissued on the larger Chess label as Over The Mountain, Across The Sea. See Brian Lee's Color Radio for extensive label shots of Over The Mountain, Across The Sea and other Johnnie & Joe singles on various labels
Johnnie was Johnnie Louise Richardson, daughter of J&S label owner Zell Saunders. Zell later formed The Jaynetts around Johnnie: they recorded the original version of Sally Go Round The Roses (1963).
Joe was singer Joe Rivers, from Charleston. He was a neighbour of the writer, Rex Garvin, who also wrote Johnnie & Joe's debut success I'll Be Spinning, B-side of their first single.
References: Song history by Arnold Rypens at The Originals. Brian
Lee's Johnnie & Joe page at Colour Radio. Johnnie & Joe
by Mick Patrick at Ace Records.
Further reading: Johnnie & Joe
discography at SoulfulKindaMusic.
Thanks to Tony Watson and Terry Stacey.
(Rex Garvin)
USA
Later version
Single on Swan.
(Rex Garvin)
USA
Later version
Single on Carlton.
(Rex Garvin)
UK
Later version
On 1963 Decca album Twist And Shout.
Also on this album were 20 Miles, an Australian hit for Ray Brown & The Whispers (1965); and If You Gotta Make A Fool Of
Somebody, a minor Australian hit for The Strangers
(1965).
Version alert from Terry Stacey.
Further reading: Brian Poole & The
Tremeloes bio and discography at British Beat Boom.
(Rex Garvin)
USA
Later version
#21 USA #27 Brisbane #8 Perth
Single on Epic by Pennsylvanian teen idol (b.1935) who was regularly on the charts in the 60s, usually with ballads that included Roses Are Red (1962), Blue Velvet (1963), There I’ve Said It Again (1963) and Mr Lonely (1964), all #1 hits.
Pop Archives
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2021. 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, Joop Jansen, More…