Paul Wayne - I Like It Like That – Part One (1961)

(Chris Kenner)
 Australia

Single on Leedon. Part Two is on the B-side, credited to The Paul Wayne Combo.

This was the first of a dozen singles 1961-1968 by Sydney rock’n’roll singer-songwriter-producer and former lift mechanic Paul Wayne (b. c.1942). His career took off after he won a talent quest and went on to be managed and mentored by Johnny O’Keefe.

Wayne was kept busy with bookings in clubs and at other events, but in 1965 he announced his intention to quit the live music industry, citing poor standards in many of the venues he had worked in.

He did continue releasing records, though, and of the 8 songs on his last four singles (1967-68), 7 were Paul Wayne compositions. David Johnson, in The Music Goes Round My Head, notes that in moving more into writing his own material, Wayne went against the trend for a solo singer from the pre-Beatles era.

His compositions were also recorded by other artists:
• First Love by The Midnighters (1964)
• You Go Ahead Baby by April Byron (1967, produced by Paul Wayne)
• Postman by Bobbie Thomas (1967)
• You’re Gonna Lose That Habit by The Cliffmores (1968).

Reading the archives, I detect a feeling that Paul Wayne was underrated, specifically that he was neglected by radio stations. Deejay Bob Rogers, in a Women’s Weekly column (1964), writes about Paul Wayne’s Dream For Sale, a good record … with definite potential. Paul finds it hard to get this record played on air. Why? Because … the majority of Sydney radio stations have decided it is just not good enough. Nearly a year later, Little Pattie tells Tharunkah (1965), I think Paul’s records are fabulous and I just cannot understand why they won’t play them.

Further reading: “Why Paul Wayne is giving up singing“, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 September 1966.

Suggestion from Terry Stacey, thank you.

The Bobbettes - I Don’t Like It Like That, Part 1 (1961)

(Chris Kenner)
 USA

Single on Gone, an answer song to I Like It Like That, by New York girl group best known for Mr Lee (1957, #6 USA) and possibly for its less successful sequel I Shot Mr Lee (1959).

The Bobbettes were a teenage vocal quintet from a high school in Harlem who originally came together as an octet, The Harlem Queens, for performances in the school’s glee club. (Mr Lee was a real teacher at the school.)

Source: Jay Warner, American Singing Groups (1992, 2006), pp. 80-82).