Pop Archives

Lynne Randell - The Right To Cry (1968)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
USA USA

Recorded in USA by Australian singer Lynne Randell (1950-2007), a former Melbourne hairdresser born in Liverpool UK, who toured the US on the same bill as The Monkees and Jimi Hendrix. Her biggest Australian hit was with the Larry Weiss-Scott English song Ciao Baby (1967), recorded in New York

Listen at YouTube

Single on ABC July 1968 in USA, not released in Australia. Arranged and produced by Ernie Freeman. (Copies for sale online are often a reissue on the SC label in August.)

See also other Lynne Randall tracks at this site.

References, further reading: 1. Milesago’s comprehensive Lynne Randell page. 2. Lynne Randell US singles discography at SoulfulKindaMusic.net. 3. Ernie Freeman page at SpaceAgePop.com.

Thanks to David Johnston and Mike Robbins.


Sandie Shaw - The Right To Cry (1968)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)

On November 1968 Pye album The Sandie Shaw Supplement, also the title of Sandie Shaw’s 1968 TV series on BBC-TV.


Erma Franklin - The Right To Cry (1968)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
USA USA

Single on Shout July 1968 by highly regarded soul and gospel singer, less well-known than her sister Aretha but given recognition in recent years through reissue CDs.

Erma Franklin (1938-2002) recorded the original version of Piece Of My Heart (1967), popularised by Janis Joplin with Big Brother & The Holding Company.

Further reading: 1. Erma Franklin biography by Steve Huey at All Music. 2. Wikipedia entry on Erma Franklin. 3. Erma Franklin tribute site.


The American Breed - The Right To Cry (1968)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
USA USA

Track on 1968 album Pumpkin, Powder, Scarlet & Green by Chicago band best known for their hit with the Larry Weiss-Scott English song Bend Me, Shape Me (1967, #5 USA). Members of The American Breed were later in the 70s funk band Rufus.


Marian Love - The Right To Cry (1967)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)

Single on Capitol November 1967 with Mike Melvoin And His Music.

Marian Love was a promising jazz singer from Kansas who recorded some singles and an album for Capitol but quit the music business for teaching..

Produced by David ‘Big Dave’ Cavanaugh (1919-1981), a tenor saxophonist who worked at Capitol from the early fifties in several roles, including A&R man, producer, arranger and composer.

References: 1. Marian Love biography by Andrew Hamilton at All Music. 2. Single review and label shot by Steve Guarnori at TooDarnSoulful.com (pdf. archive via Wayback Machine). 3. Profile of David Cavanaugh archived from Interlude Era e-zine.

Further reading: All Music biography of Mike Melvoin by Scott Yanow.


Lenny Welch - The Right To Cry (1967)

(Gerry Goffin - Carole King)
USA USA
Original version

Single on Kapp March 1967.

Lenny Welch (b. 1938) first recorded without success for Decca before switching to Cadence for his one big hit, a 1963 #4 revival of Since I Fell For You, the much-recorded Buddy Johnson song from 1945. As Andrew Hamilton tells it at All Music, Welch’s career never recovered from its interruption by military service and by the closure of Cadence in 1964.  

References: 1. Lenny Welch biography by Andrew Hamilton at All Music. 2. Billboard review of Lenny Welch’s version: Google Books.

Thanks to Gerard for setting the record straight on this one.