Marty Wilde
Encyclopedia
Marty Wilde is an English
singer and songwriter
. He was among the first generation of British
pop
stars
to emulate American
rock and roll
, and is the father of pop
singers Ricky Wilde, Kim Wilde
and Roxanne Wilde.
's Condor Club in 1957, when he was spotted by impresario
Larry Parnes
.
Parnes gave his protégées stage name
s like Billy Fury
, Duffy Power
and Dickie Pride
, hence the change to Wilde. The 'Marty' came from the commended 1955 film
, Marty
. Wilde was signed to the British recording arm of Philips Records
, with US
releases appearing on the Epic
label
via Philips' reciprocal licensing agreement with Columbia Records
Stateside
. (Philips had yet to acquire the Mercury
group as its US division).
From mid 1958 to the end of 1959, Wilde was one of the leading British rock and roll singers, along with Tommy Steele
and Cliff Richard
. Wilde's backing group were called the Wildcats. At various times they featured Big Jim Sullivan
on lead guitar
; Tony Belcher on rhythm guitar; Bobbie Clarke
on drums; plus Brian Locking
on bass guitar
and Brian Bennett on drums
who both later joined The Shadows
.
He appeared regularly on the BBC Television
show 6.5 Special and was the main regular artiste on the Saturday ITV
popular music
shows Oh Boy! and Boy Meets Girls
. There he met and married Joyce Baker, one of The Vernons Girls
who were also show regulars. The courtship was highly public but, after the marriage
, Wilde's popularity as a teen idol
declined.
He moved partly into all-round entertainment, appearing in musicals
such as Conrad Birdie in the original West End
production of Bye Bye Birdie and several film
s.
He enjoyed success as a songwriter in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With Ronnie Scott
, he co-wrote the one-hit wonder
s The Casuals
' "Jesamine" under the pseudonyms of Frere Manston and Jack Gellar. The pair also wrote Lulu's
"I'm a Tiger" and the early Status Quo hit, "Ice in the Sun
".
In the early 1970s, Wilde changed his music style to glam rock
and became 'Zappo'. He released only a few singles
which never charted and reverted to Marty Wilde shortly after.
Later on, as songwriter and/or record producer
, he masterminded a string of 1980s hits for his daughter Kim Wilde
.
Like many of his contemporaries, Wilde continued to perform in nostalgia tours in the UK and beyond. In 2007, he celebrated 50 years in the business with another UK tour which featured his youngest daughter Roxanne Wilde, and the issue of a compilation album
, Born To Rock And Roll - The Greatest Hits. It included a duet
with Kim Wilde of Elton John
's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
", which was released as a promotional only single. The tour culminated in a concert recorded at the London Palladium
, and was most notable for reuniting all the remaining Shadows
; Hank Marvin
, Bruce Welch
, Jet Harris
, Brian Locking
and Brian Bennett
.
In April 2010, Wilde, still touring, appeared at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft
.
(born 1960), Ricky (born 1961), Roxanne (born 1979) and the youngest, Marty Jr., who was a contestant on The Golf Channel
's The Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe in 2005. Kim, Ricky and Roxanne have worked in the music industry, like their parents.
and, for cover version
s, the song's original artist given in a further set of brackets.
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1968
1971
- January 1961
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He was among the first generation of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
stars
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
to emulate American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, and is the father of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singers Ricky Wilde, Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
and Roxanne Wilde.
Career
Wilde was performing under the name Reg Patterson at LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Condor Club in 1957, when he was spotted by impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Larry Parnes
Larry Parnes
Laurence Maurice "Larry" Parnes was an English pop manager and impresario. He has been described as "the first major British rock manager... Parnes' stable encompassed most of the most successful pre-Beatles British rock singers."...
.
Parnes gave his protégées stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s like Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, Duffy Power
Duffy Power
Duffy Power is an English blues and rock and roll singer, who achieved some success in the 1960s and has performed and recorded intermittently since then.-Career:...
and Dickie Pride
Dickie Pride
Dickie Pride was a British rock and roll singer. He was one of Larry Parnes' stable of pop music stars, who did not enjoy as successful a career as most of his contemporaries.-Life and career:...
, hence the change to Wilde. The 'Marty' came from the commended 1955 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Marty
Marty (film)
Marty is a 1955 American film directed by Delbert Mann. The screenplay was written by Paddy Chayefsky, expanding upon his 1953 teleplay of the same name. The film stars Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair. The film enjoyed international success, winning the 1955 Academy Award for Best Picture and...
. Wilde was signed to the British recording arm of Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
, with US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
releases appearing on the Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
via Philips' reciprocal licensing agreement with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
Stateside
Stateside Records
Stateside Records is a British record label which initially released licenced American recordings and is now a reissue label....
. (Philips had yet to acquire the Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
group as its US division).
From mid 1958 to the end of 1959, Wilde was one of the leading British rock and roll singers, along with Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele OBE , is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.-Singer:...
and Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
. Wilde's backing group were called the Wildcats. At various times they featured Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan is an English musician, whose career started in 1959. He is best known as a session guitarist. In the 1960s and 1970s, Sullivan was one of the most "in-demand" studio musicians in the UK, and performed in more than one thousand charting singles over his career...
on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
; Tony Belcher on rhythm guitar; Bobbie Clarke
Bobbie Clarke
Bobbie Clarke is an English rock drummer. He has cut hundreds of records and played in numerous bands with many international rock legends...
on drums; plus Brian Locking
Brian Locking
Brian "Licorice" Locking was the bass guitarist with The Shadows between 1962-1963.- Career :...
on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Brian Bennett on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
who both later joined The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
.
He appeared regularly on the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
show 6.5 Special and was the main regular artiste on the Saturday ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
shows Oh Boy! and Boy Meets Girls
Boy Meets Girls
Boy Meets Girls was a UK popular music TV show which was launched in September 1959 replacing the earlier show Oh Boy!.The show was presented and produced by Jack Good. Marty Wilde was the principal resident male artist and The Vernons Girls were the female residents. Joe Brown made regular...
. There he met and married Joyce Baker, one of The Vernons Girls
The Vernons Girls
The Vernons Girls were an English musical ensemble of female vocalists. They were formed at the Vernons football pools company in the 1950s in Liverpool, settling down to a sixteen strong choir and recorded an album of standards.-Career:...
who were also show regulars. The courtship was highly public but, after the marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, Wilde's popularity as a teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
declined.
He moved partly into all-round entertainment, appearing in musicals
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
such as Conrad Birdie in the original West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of Bye Bye Birdie and several film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s.
He enjoyed success as a songwriter in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With Ronnie Scott
Ronnie Scott (songwriter)
Ronnie Scott was a British pop music promoter, group manager and songwriter; known primarily for hit songs co-written with Marty Wilde in the 1960s, and Steve Wolfe in the 1970s.-With Marty Wilde:...
, he co-wrote the one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
s The Casuals
The Casuals
The Casuals were a British pop group from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. They are best known for their 1968 #2 UK hit, "Jesamine".-Career:Originally formed by John Tebb and Howard Newcombe , they added Don Fortune and Zenon Kawolski , and became The Casuals in 1961...
' "Jesamine" under the pseudonyms of Frere Manston and Jack Gellar. The pair also wrote Lulu's
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
"I'm a Tiger" and the early Status Quo hit, "Ice in the Sun
Ice in the Sun
"Ice in the Sun" is a song by the band Status Quo. The track was recorded in 1968, and appeared on Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo, an album by Status Quo that was released in August that year....
".
In the early 1970s, Wilde changed his music style to glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
and became 'Zappo'. He released only a few singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
which never charted and reverted to Marty Wilde shortly after.
Later on, as songwriter and/or record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, he masterminded a string of 1980s hits for his daughter Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
.
Like many of his contemporaries, Wilde continued to perform in nostalgia tours in the UK and beyond. In 2007, he celebrated 50 years in the business with another UK tour which featured his youngest daughter Roxanne Wilde, and the issue of a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Born To Rock And Roll - The Greatest Hits. It included a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Kim Wilde of Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It was recorded by Elton John and released in 1976, both as a single and as part of the Blue Moves album. It was his second single on Rocket Records. The song is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship...
", which was released as a promotional only single. The tour culminated in a concert recorded at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
, and was most notable for reuniting all the remaining Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
; Hank Marvin
Hank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard...
, Bruce Welch
Bruce Welch
Bruce Welch OBE, is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer and singer, best known as a member of The Shadows.-Biography:...
, Jet Harris
Jet Harris
Jet Harris, MBE was an English musician. He was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962, and had subsequent success as a soloist and as a duo with the drummer Tony Meehan....
, Brian Locking
Brian Locking
Brian "Licorice" Locking was the bass guitarist with The Shadows between 1962-1963.- Career :...
and Brian Bennett
Brian Bennett
Brian Laurence Bennett OBE, is an English drummer, pianist, composer, arranger and record producer of popular music. He is best known as the drummer of the UK rock and roll group, The Shadows....
.
In April 2010, Wilde, still touring, appeared at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
.
Family
He and his wife Joyce have four children, KimKim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
(born 1960), Ricky (born 1961), Roxanne (born 1979) and the youngest, Marty Jr., who was a contestant on The Golf Channel
The Golf Channel
Golf Channel, known as The Golf Channel before the July 2008 dropping of The, is an American cable television network with coverage focused on the game of golf. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, the American headquarters and studio are currently located in Orlando, Florida...
's The Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe in 2005. Kim, Ricky and Roxanne have worked in the music industry, like their parents.
Singles
His notable UK singles are listed below, with their peak positions in the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and, for cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s, the song's original artist given in a further set of brackets.
1957
- "Honeycomb" (-) (Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers (pop singer)James Frederick "Jimmie" Rodgers is an American singer. He is not related to the country singer of the same name.-Career:...
)
1958
- "Endless Sleep" (4) (Jody ReynoldsJody ReynoldsJody Reynolds was an American singer and guitarist. His biggest hit single was "Endless Sleep", which reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958. He wrote it in a single afternoon in 1956 in Yuma, Arizona...
) (June 1958) - "Fire of Love" (-) (Jody ReynoldsJody ReynoldsJody Reynolds was an American singer and guitarist. His biggest hit single was "Endless Sleep", which reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958. He wrote it in a single afternoon in 1956 in Yuma, Arizona...
)
1959
- "Donna" (3) (Ritchie ValensRitchie ValensRitchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
) (February 1959) - "A Teenager in LoveA Teenager in Love"A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman and was originally sung and released by Dion and the Belmonts in March 1959. It reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. In May 1959, the song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty...
" (2) (Dion and the BelmontsDion and the BelmontsDion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,...
) (May 1959) This was also covered in the UK by Craig DouglasCraig DouglasCraig Douglas is an English pop singer, who was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
. - "Sea of LoveSea of Love (song)"Sea of Love" is a song written by John Phillip Baptiste and George Khoury. Phillips' 1959 recording of the song peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, Marty Wilde covered the song, and Phillips' version failed to chart there...
" (3) (Phil PhillipsPhil PhillipsPhil Phillips is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his 1959 hit, "Sea of Love".-Biography:...
) (September 1959) - "All American Boy" (Bobby BareBobby BareRobert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
, mislabeled as by Bill Parsons) (September 1959) - "Blue Moon of KentuckyBlue Moon of Kentucky"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1946 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, The Blue Grass Boys. The song has since been recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley....
" (Bill MonroeBill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
) (September 1959) - "Bad Boy" (7) (November 1959) — which Wilde wrote — a Top 50 hit in the US in 1960 and covered shortly after its release by Robin LukeRobin LukeRobin Luke is an American rockabilly singer who is best known for his 1958 song, "Susie Darlin". He has been enshrined in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, in 1964 by Françoise HardyFrançoise HardyFrançoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:...
and later by NirvanaNirvana (UK band)Nirvana were a United Kingdom-based progressive rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though the band only achieved limited commercial success, they were acclaimed both by music industry professionals and critics...
and Robert GordonRobert Gordon (musician)Robert Gordon is an American rockabilly musician. Gordon rose to fame performing in several genres including alternative rock, punk rock, and rock and roll.- Early days:...
. The b-sideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "It's Been Nice", a Doc PomusDoc PomusJerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
-Mort ShumanMort ShumanMort Shuman was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas"...
composition was later recordedSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by The Everly BrothersThe Everly BrothersThe Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
and Freddy CannonFreddy CannonFrederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
.
1960
- "Johnny Rocco" (30) (March 1960) - written by Les VandykeLes VandykeLes Vandyke was a popular music singer and later songwriter in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also known as Johnny Worth and John Worsley...
. - "The Fight" (47) (May 1960)
- "Little Girl" (16) (October 1960)
1961
- "Rubber Ball" (9) (January 1961) (Bobby VeeBobby VeeRobert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
) - "Hide and Seek" (47) (July 1961)
- "Tomorrow's Clown" (33) (September 1961) - written by Wilde
- "Sea of Heartbreak" (Don GibsonDon GibsonDonald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
)
1962
- "Jezebel" (19) (Frankie LaineFrankie LaineFrankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
) (April 1962) - "Ever Since You Said Goodbye" (31) (October 1962)
1968
- "By the Time I Get to PhoenixBy the Time I Get to Phoenix"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is the title of a song written by Jimmy Webb. Originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, it was made famous by American country music singer Glen Campbell, appearing as the opening track on the latter's 1967 album of the same name. Campbell's version reached #2 on...
" (Johnny RiversJohnny RiversJohnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
/ Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
) (January 1968) - "Abergavenny" — which Wilde (as Frere Manston) and Ronnie ScottRonnie Scott (songwriter)Ronnie Scott was a British pop music promoter, group manager and songwriter; known primarily for hit songs co-written with Marty Wilde in the 1960s, and Steve Wolfe in the 1970s.-With Marty Wilde:...
(not the famous jazz musician) (as Jack Gellar) wrote — was a hit in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in May 1968. (It was also a Top 50 hit in the US in August 1969 under another Reginald Smith pseudonym, "Shannon".)
1971
- "The Busker"
Albums
- Wilde about Marty (LPGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
Philips BBL 7342, August 1959) - Marty Wilde - Showcase (LP, Philips BBL 7380, 1960)
- Versatile Mr Wilde (LP, Philips BBL 7385, 1960)
- Bye Bye Birdie (LP, Philips S/ABL 3383, 1961)
- Dr. Doolittle (LP, 1968)
- Diversions (LP, Philips SBL 7877, 1969)
- Rock 'n' Roll (Philips 6308 010, 1970)
- Good Rockin' Then and Now (LP, Philips 6382 102, 1974)
- The Wildcat Rocker (LP, Philips 6381 022, 1981)
- Wilde About Marty / Showcase BGOCD594 (CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of the first two LPs, 2003) - Born to Rock And Roll - The Greatest Hits (CD, 2007)
Songwriting
The following songs were written, or co-written, by Wilde and recorded by as noted:- "2-6-5-8-0" - Kim WildeKim WildeKim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
- "Action City" - Kim Wilde
- "All the Love I Have" - John and Anne Ryder
- "Back Street Joe" - Kim Wilde
- "Bad Boy" - Robin LukeRobin LukeRobin Luke is an American rockabilly singer who is best known for his 1958 song, "Susie Darlin". He has been enshrined in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, Robert GordonRobert Gordon (musician)Robert Gordon is an American rockabilly musician. Gordon rose to fame performing in several genres including alternative rock, punk rock, and rock and roll.- Early days:...
, NirvanaNirvana (band)Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Françoise HardyFrançoise HardyFrançoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:... - "Bladerunner" - Kim Wilde
- "Boys" - Kim Wilde (B-sideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of "Water on Glass") - "CambodiaCambodia (song)"Cambodia" is the fourth single by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released at the end of 1981; a year in which Wilde had already scored three highly successful hit singles and a best-selling debut album....
" - Kim Wilde - "Can You Come Over" - Kim Wilde
- "Can You Hear It" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Love Blonde")
- "Chaos at the Airport" - Kim Wilde
- "Chequered LoveChequered Love"Chequered Love" is the second single by British singer Kim Wilde.The song was released in the spring of 1981 to follow Wilde's successful debut "Kids in America." As with that single, writing credits were given to Wilde's father and brother Marty and Ricky Wilde with the latter also being given...
" - Kim Wilde - "Child Come AwayChild Come Away"Child Come Away" is the sixth single by British singer Kim Wilde, released in 1982.The song was expected to be another huge hit for Wilde. Though its subject matter was dark, it was similar in sound to previous synth-driven successes like "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge", and it was also an...
" - Kim Wilde - "EgoEgo (Kim Wilde song)"Ego" is a song from the album Select by British singer Kim Wilde. It was a radio-only single released exclusively in Australia in 1982....
" - Kim Wilde - "Elizabeth Dreams" - Status Quo
- "Everything We Know" - Kim Wilde
- "Falling Out" - Kim Wilde
- "Four Letter WordFour Letter Word"Four Letter Word" is the fourth single from the Kim Wilde album Close.It was released at the end of 1988 — the year that had seen Wilde release a best-selling album, have four international hits and support Michael Jackson on the European leg of his world tour."Four Letter Word" marked the first...
" - Kim Wilde - "Halfway to Where" - The FreshmenThe Freshmen (Irish showband)The Freshmen were among the most popular Irish showbands of the 1960s and 1970s. They specialised in recreating the complex vocal harmonies of international acts such as The Beach Boys and The 5th Dimension...
- "Harmonica" - Graham Bond OrganizationGraham BondGraham John Clifton Bond was an English musician, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s....
- "Hide all Emotion" - Sandie ShawSandie ShawSandie Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first UK act to win the Eurovision Song Contest...
(B-side of "Think Sometimes About Me") - "Hot Summer Girls" - Flash CadillacFlash Cadillac & the Continental KidsFlash Cadillac and the Continental Kids, now known as Flash Cadillac, are an American retro rock 'n' roll band. They are best known for their portrayal of the group Herbie and the Heartbeats in the film American Graffiti, to which they contributed three songs: cover versions of "At the Hop" and...
- "House of SalomeHouse of Salome"House of Salome" is the third and final single from the Kim Wilde album Catch as Catch Can.It was not released in the UK, but was issued in several other European countries, though did not meet with success...
" - Kim Wilde - "I Still Believe in Tomorrow" - John and Anne Ryder
- "Ice in the SunIce in the Sun"Ice in the Sun" is a song by the band Status Quo. The track was recorded in 1968, and appeared on Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo, an album by Status Quo that was released in August that year....
" - Status Quo - "I'm a Tiger" - LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
- "It's HereIt's Here"It's Here" is the first single from Kim Wilde's 1990 album Love Moves, and her first release of the new decade.Wilde was the most charted and biggest-selling British female soloist of the 1980s, and had ended that decade with the release of her biggest-selling album, Close, and its accompanying...
" - Kim Wilde - "Janine" - Kim Wilde
- "Jesamine" - The CasualsThe CasualsThe Casuals were a British pop group from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. They are best known for their 1968 #2 UK hit, "Jesamine".-Career:Originally formed by John Tebb and Howard Newcombe , they added Don Fortune and Zenon Kawolski , and became The Casuals in 1961...
(as earlier was co-penned under the name Frere Manston) - "Just a Feeling" - Kim Wilde
- "Just Another Guy" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Child Come AwayChild Come Away"Child Come Away" is the sixth single by British singer Kim Wilde, released in 1982.The song was expected to be another huge hit for Wilde. Though its subject matter was dark, it was similar in sound to previous synth-driven successes like "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge", and it was also an...
") - "Kids in AmericaKids in America (Kim Wilde song)"Kids in America" is a New Wave song by British singer Kim Wilde, released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the US in 1982. It has famously been covered by many artists from different genres.-Background:...
" - Kim Wilde - "Love BlondeLove Blonde"Love Blonde" is the first single from the Kim Wilde album Catch as Catch Can, released in 1983.The song sold moderately, restoring some of the ground lost from her previous release "Child Come Away" and is reputedly about Wilde herself....
" - Kim Wilde - "Love in the Natural WayLove in the Natural Way"Love in the Natural Way" is the fifth and final single from Close, the best-selling album by Kim Wilde.Issued in the UK and Germany in early 1989 on 7", 12" and CD-single , it did not match the success of the other singles from that album the previous year.This was Wilde's final release of the...
" - Kim Wilde - "My Heart is Free" - The FireballsThe FireballsThe Fireballs, sometimes billed as Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, is an American rock and roll group, particularly popular at the end of the 1950s and in the early 1960s...
- "Never Trust a StrangerNever Trust a Stranger"Never Trust a Stranger" is the third single from Close, the sixth original album by Kim Wilde.Remixed from the original album track by producer Ricki Wilde, it was released as a single in the autumn of 1988 following the best-selling hit "You Came" and several European tour dates supporting...
" - Kim Wilde - "Our Town" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Young Heroes")
- "Paradise Flat" - Status Quo
- "Polaris" - The Krew Kats
- "Rage to LoveRage to Love"Rage to Love" is the third and final single from Teases & Dares, the fourth studio album by Kim Wilde. Released in April 1985, the song was remixed by Dave Edmunds for its release as a single. It became Wilde's biggest UK hit for three years, reaching the UK Top 20. The B-side —a cover version of...
" - Kim Wilde - "SchoolgirlSchoolgirl (song)"Schoolgirl" is the first single from the 1986 album Another Step by Kim Wilde.Released in Australia and several European countries , it was the first single of Wilde's career on which she was given co-writing credits. She was given sole writing and production credits on the B-side to the single...
" - Kim Wilde - "Shane" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Chequered Love")
- "Shoot to Disable" - Kim Wilde
- "Sing It Out For Love" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "House of Salome")
- "Sparks" - Kim Wilde
- "Stay Awhile" - Kim Wilde
- "Suburbs of Moscow" - Kim Wilde
- "Take Me TonightTake Me Tonight"Take Me Tonight" is a song by British singer Kim Wilde from her second album, Select.The track was used, surprisingly, over the end credits in the American released of Unsane. The 1982 Dario Argento film known as Tenebre in its native Italy. In the audio commentary of the Anchor Bay DVD Claudio...
" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "View from a Bridge") - "The Second TimeThe Second Time"The Second Time" is the first single from Kim Wilde's 1984 album Teases & Dares. It was re-titled "Go for It" for the North American market.The track was also Wilde's first release on the MCA record label...
" - Kim Wilde - "The TouchThe Touch (Kim Wilde song)"The Touch" is the second single from the 1984 Kim Wilde album Teases & Dares, released at the end of the year. It is generally regarded as one of Wilde's flop singles from the British point of view.It was released as both a 7" and 12" single...
" - Kim Wilde - "Thought It Was Goodbye" - Kim Wilde
- "Tuning In Tuning On" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Kids in America")
- "View from a BridgeView from a Bridge"View From a Bridge" is the second single to be released internationally from Kim Wilde's second album, Select.The song told the story of a girl committing suicide by jumping off a bridge and became another of Wilde's big hits, particularly throughout Europe and Australia .-Chart performance:-2006...
" - Kim Wilde - "Watching for Shapes" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Cambodia")
- "Water on GlassWater on Glass"Water on Glass" is the third single by British singer Kim Wilde from her self titled album.A slightly different version of the song was featured on Wilde's self-titled debut album. It was released in the UK, Ireland and The Netherlands only with the non-album track "Boys" on the B-Side...
" - Kim Wilde - "Wendy Sadd" - Kim Wilde
- "Words Fell Down" - Kim Wilde (B-side of "Ego")
- "You'll Never Be So Wrong" - Kim Wilde
- "Young HeroesYoung Heroes"Young Heroes" is a song from the self-titled debut album by British singer Kim Wilde. It was released as a single in Peru in 1982....
" - Kim Wilde
Filmography
Marty Wilde appeared in the following films:-- Jet StormJet StormJet Storm is a 1959 British thriller film, where Richard Attenborough plays Ernest Tilley, a man who lost his daughter in a hit-and-run accident. He tracks down the man responsible for the accident and boards the same plane, threatening to blow up himself and everyone on board as an act of...
(1959) - The HellionsThe Hellions (film)The Hellions is a 1961 British adventure film directed by Ken Annakin starring Richard Todd, Anne Aubrey, Lionel Jeffries, Ronald Fraser and Colin Blakely that was set and filmed in South Africa. The film was about a lone law enforcement officer battling criminals in South Africa. The premise of...
(1961) - What a Crazy WorldWhat a Crazy WorldWhat a Crazy World was a stageplay and film written by Alan Klein and directed by Michael Carreras. The film was released in 1963.- Cast :Joe BrownSusan MaughanMarty WildeHarry H CorbettAvis BunnageGrazina FrameMichael GoodmanMichael Landis...
(1963) - StardustStardust (1974 film)Stardust is a 1974 British film directed by Michael Apted and starring David Essex and Adam Faith. The film is the sequel to the 1973 film That'll Be The Day...
(1974)
Quotation
NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
- January 1961