Vicki Forrest - Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring (1964)

(Kal Mann - Dave Appell)
Australia

B-side on His Master’s Voice by popular Sydney singer (born Agnes Erdos, Hungary, c.1948). This was the second of two HMV singles 1963-64. A third was released on Gamba in 1973.

Although she never had a hit record, Vicki Forrest was a frequent presence in Australian media in the late 60s and early 70s.

For much more on the career of Vicki Forrest see the A-side, My Little Boy.

At YouTube: In 1966 Vicki Forrest presented Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring on ABC-TV’s Be Our Guest, one of numerous TV shows she appeared in during the 60s and 70s.

Little Cheryl - Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring (1963)

(Kal Mann - Dave Appell)
USA
Original version

Single on Cameo October 1963.

Little Cheryl (aka Little Cheryl Williams) released a handful of singles 1962-1964, most of them on the Cameo label, often with the participation of Billy Jackson,¹ A&R man, producer and arranger with Cameo Parkway, known for producing, arranging and writing for The Tymes from 1963 to the 1970s.

Little Cheryl at Dorney Park, Allentown PA, 1962

Kal Mann and Dave Appell, writers of Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring, wrote a further Little Cheryl B-side as well as the A-side of her fourth and final Cameo single Yeh, Yeh, We Love ‘Em All (1964), one of many Beatles novelty tracks released at the peak of Beatlemania.

Comedy writer turned lyricist Mann and arranger-producer-composer-music director Appell frequently wrote together. Their compositions include Chubby Checker’s Let’s Twist Again and Bobby Rydell’s Wild One, written with Bernie Lowe, also recorded by Australian Grantley Dee.

Footnote
1. The B-side of Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring is a Billy Jackson composition, Can’t We Just Be Friends. It had already been Little Cheryl’s previous A-side (August 1963). The Searchers’ hit Don’t Throw Your Love Away (1964), originally by The Orlons (1963), was written by Billy Jackson with Jimmy Wisner.

Les B 3 - Maman, Ne Réponds Pas ! (1964)

(Kal Mann - Dave Appell - Pierre Cour)
France

On Polydor EP Tout Ce Bleu by Blondie, Betty and Berthe, Paris-based secondary school music students with skills in voice, piano and guitar.

The liner notes tell us that Blondie was from Britanny, Betty was from Algiers, and they met Berthe in Paris.

♫ Listen at YouTube

Caroline Cooper - Maman, Ne Réponds Pas ! (1964)

(Kal Mann - Dave Appell - Pierre Cour)
France

EP on Columbia. This was the first of two Caroline Cooper EPs on French Columbia. Her works are now resold and anthologised as “rare popcorn”. Further details about her life and career are elusive.

Caroline Cooper – Maman, Ne Réponds Pas ! (mp3)

French lyrics are by Pierre Cour (Pierre Lemaire, 1916-1997).

The EP has three French adaptations of English-language songs plus Scarlett O’Hara, the Jet Harris & Tony Meehan UK instrumental hit with French lyrics added by Hubert Ithier.

Voici le second disque de CAROLINE.
Ça y est… elle est dans le vent du succès !
Bonne chance, CAROLINE ! …
↑ THE WIND OF SUCCESS! Liner note for her second EP.

Merci à Philippe deux fois.

Vicki Forrest - Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring (1964)

Little Cheryl - Mama Let The Phone Bell Ring (1963)

Les B 3 - Maman, Ne Réponds Pas ! (1964)

Caroline Cooper - Maman, Ne Réponds Pas ! (1964)

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