One Hit Wonders Hall Of Fame: The Jaynetts
The Jaynetts were not so much a group as a loose assortment of singers and session musicians that were brought together by Bronx entrepeneur Zell Sanders. These artists recorded under the names the Hearts, the Jaynetts, the Z-Debs, the Clickettes, the Endeavours, the Poppies, and the Patty Cakes. Several of the records featured future R&B star Baby Washington.
Sally Go Round The Roses was recorded in several sessions over the course of a week (at the then unheard of cost of $60,000), and may have included up to 8 singers. The drummer was future Hendrix side man Buddy Miles. It hit #2 on the Billboard charts in 1963.
As Girl Group songs go, Sally stands out, owing to its haunting arrangement and enigmatic, nursery-rhyme lyrics. Gallons of ink have been spilled trying to parse out lines like Roses they can't hurt you...They won't tell your secret. The authors are long gone, and they never revealed the song's meaning (or whether it had any meaning at all).
Presumably hoping to repeat the sucess of Sally, The Jaynetts released a number of follow-up tracks with sing-song titles: Snowman, Snowman, Sweet Potato Nose; Chicken, Chicken, Crane or Crow; Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar; and Winky Dink. None managed to chart.
The above information comes from the excellent Girl Group Chronicles. There's also lots of info and fun stuff at Girl-Groups.com.
The Jaynetts - Sally Go Round The Roses
3 Comments:
I`m at work right now. I hope I remember to download this when I get home. I`ve heard that "Snowman" record too. It sounded like the same backing track as the one they used on "Sally". I read somewhere it`s about a teenage lesbian. But then who knows really!
Er, I meant "Sally" is the lesbian. Not the Snowman.
Damn. I like the idea of lesbian snowmen (women?)
By 
MadCatJoey, at
10:22 AM
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