(Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell)
Australia
#31 Sydney #30 Melbourne #8 Brisbane #51 Adelaide
Teenaged pop star Little Pattie's real name was Patricia Amphlett (she is a cousin of Divinyls singer Chrissie Amphlett). Her career kicked off at the end of 1963 with a double-sided surf craze hit, He's My Blonde-Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy backed with Stompin' At Maroubra. She later moved on from the surf novelty with a number of well-chosen and well-produced songs: see, for example, Little Things Like Thatand Dance Puppet Dance.
Further reading: 1. The definitive source on Little Pattie is Graeme Browne's booklet on her career, available through OzMusicBooks. 2. Little Pattie: Stories and Highlights at Long Way to the Top [archived]. 3. Little Pattie entry at Wikipedia. 4. Patricia Thelma 'Little Pattie' Amphlett, OAM at Australian War Memorial's Who’s Who in Australian Military History. 5. Citation for OAM for services to the entertainment industry, 2003.
(Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell)
New
Zealand
Single on Viking (NZ).YouTube
The label on this one has Pushing with a g, although the UK release on Aladdin has Pushin’, in line with other versions.
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.
(Bob Crewe - Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell)
USA
Original version
Single on Atlantic, B-side of Come Home, by Michigan soul-pop singer-songwriter.
Barbara Lewis wrote her own big hit Hello Stranger (1963, #3 USA) along with all the songs on her first album, produced by Del Shannon's breakthrough producer Ollie McLaughlin. She continued to write but later charted with songs written by others, including Baby, I'm Yours (1965, #11, wr. Van McCoy); Make Me Your Baby (1965, #11, wr. Helen Miller & Roger Atkins); and Make Me Belong To You (1966, #28, wr Chip Taylor & Billy Vera).
Lewis's 1964 single Someday We're Gonna Love Again (wr. Sharon McMahan) was covered by England's Searchers (1964, #11 UK, #34 USA).
Crewe–Linzer–Randell, the writers of Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far – especially Bob Crewe – wrote many Four Seasons' hits. Let's Hang On! is also a Crewe-Linzer-Randell song. Bob Crewe, Four Seasons producer, usually wrote with Four Season Bob Gaudio.
Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer wrote and produced The Toys' A Lovers' Concerto, based on a melody by J.S. Bach.
Reference: Barbara Lewis bio by Richie Unterberger at All Music.
Pop Archives
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. 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…