The 'In' Crowd (song)
Encyclopedia
"The ‘In’ Crowd" is a 1965 song
, written by Billy Page, arranged by his brother Gene
. It was originally performed by Dobie Gray
on his album Dobie Gray Sings for 'In' Crowders That 'Go Go. His Motown-like version reached #13 in the US Billboard
charts. Despite the Mods' admiration of the song, and the fact that they took its lyrics as depiction of their own lifestyles, it was not only Gray's rendition that made the song an 'evergreen'.
Trio recorded an instrumental version of the tune later that same year at the suggestion of a coffee shop
waitress. Their jazzy take, recorded live in a Washington, D.C. night club, reached #5 in the U.S.
and was used for many years as background music of Jimmy Savile
's Savile's Travels and Jimmy Savile's Old Record Club on BBC Radio 1
.
The Ramsey Lewis Trio also recorded a smooth jazz version of the song for the 2004 album Time Flies, 39 years after recording their original instrumental version.
, frontman of Roxy Music
, finally made the song commercially successful in the UK
where the single reached number 13 on the hit parade
. The song also featured as the lead track on Ferry's top five album Another Time, Another Place
. Appears in the Mafia classic "Casino".
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, written by Billy Page, arranged by his brother Gene
Gene Page
Eugene Edgar "Gene" Page, Jr. was an influential conductor, composer, arranger and record producer most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s....
. It was originally performed by Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater...
on his album Dobie Gray Sings for 'In' Crowders That 'Go Go. His Motown-like version reached #13 in the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. Despite the Mods' admiration of the song, and the fact that they took its lyrics as depiction of their own lifestyles, it was not only Gray's rendition that made the song an 'evergreen'.
Ramsey Lewis instrumental versions
The Ramsey LewisRamsey Lewis
Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
Trio recorded an instrumental version of the tune later that same year at the suggestion of a coffee shop
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
waitress. Their jazzy take, recorded live in a Washington, D.C. night club, reached #5 in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was used for many years as background music of Jimmy Savile
Jimmy Savile
Sir James Wilson Vincent Savile, OBE, KCSG was an English disc jockey, television presenter and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC music chart show Top of the Pops...
's Savile's Travels and Jimmy Savile's Old Record Club on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
The Ramsey Lewis Trio also recorded a smooth jazz version of the song for the 2004 album Time Flies, 39 years after recording their original instrumental version.
Bryan Ferry version
In 1974 a version by Bryan FerryBryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, frontman of Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
, finally made the song commercially successful in the UK
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...
where the single reached number 13 on the hit parade
Hit parade
A hit parade is a ranked list of the most popular recordings at a given point in time, usually determined by sales and/or airplay. The term originated in the 1930s; Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936...
. The song also featured as the lead track on Ferry's top five album Another Time, Another Place
Another Time, Another Place (album)
Another Time, Another Place was Bryan Ferry's second studio album as a solo artist. The album reached #4 in the UK charts in 1974.Recording took place in London at Island, Ramport and AIR studios....
. Appears in the Mafia classic "Casino".
Other cover versions
Numerous artists have covered the song. These include:- The ChipmunksThe ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
on the 1965 album Chipmunks à Go-GoChipmunks à Go-GoChipmunks à Go-Go is an album by The Chipmunks and David Seville, released by Liberty Records in 1965, again in 1982, and on compact disc in 1990.... - The First Gear in 1965 using Jimmy Page as a session guitaristHip Young Guitar SlingerHip Young Guitar Slinger is a compilation of Jimmy Page's pre-Led Zeppelin studio sessions, recorded between 1962 and 1966. Released on September 4, 2000.It is not certain whether Page actually played on every track...
- The Fabulous Echoes, on their 1965 LP album Lovin' Feeling with the Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
-based Diamond Records. - The FourmostThe FourmostThe Fourmost were an English Merseybeat band that recorded in the 1960s. Their biggest UK hit single was "A Little Loving" in 1964.-Biography:...
- The Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, on their 1966 debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and EarsIf You Can Believe Your Eyes and EarsIf You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears is the 1966 debut album by The Mamas & the Papas . In 2003, the album was ranked number 127 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.... - Jack JonesJack Jones (singer)John Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
- James LastJames LastJames Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
- Joe JacksonJoe Jackson (musician)Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
, on Summer in the City: Live in New York, released 2000 - Julee CruiseJulee CruiseJulee Cruise is an American singer, and actress.With a distinctive, airy voice, Cruise has recorded three albums, but is probably best known for the lead vocal on "Falling," the theme song for the cult U.S. television series Twin Peaks...
- Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs on At The Beach (live in '65), aka Live at Myrtle Beach
- Quincy JonesQuincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, a big band jazzy version on Talkin Verve, recorded August 1965 - Petula ClarkPetula ClarkPetula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
, on her 1965 album I Know a PlaceI Know A Place (Petula Clark album)I Know a Place is an album release by Petula Clark, which in the USA charted at #42. In the UK, the album was released as The New Petula Clark Album, a name which was dropped during later re-releases to prevent audiences from confusion.Arranged and produced by Tony Hatch, the album followed on the... - Todd Londagin.
- The VenturesThe VenturesThe Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
- Young-Holt UnlimitedYoung-Holt UnlimitedYoung-Holt Unlimited were an American soul and jazz instrumental musical ensemble from Chicago, Illinois.Drummer Isaac "Red" Holt and bassist Eldee Young, formerly members of Ramsey Lewis' jazz trio, formed a new outfit called the Young-Holt Trio with pianist Don Walker in 1966...
- Marshall CrenshawMarshall CrenshawMarshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
, on his 1996 album Miracle of Science on the Razor and Tie label. - Sylvie VartanSylvie VartanSylvie Vartan is a French singer. She was one of the first rock girls in France. Vartan was the most productive and active of the yé-yé style artists, considered as the toughest-sounding of those. Her performance often featured elaborate show-dance choreography. She made many appearances on French...
recorded a French version in 1966 called Sauve-Toi - Lawrence WelkLawrence WelkLawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
, on his 1966 album Today's Great Hits (Dot RecordsDot RecordsDot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
). - The Mike Flowers PopsThe Mike Flowers PopsThe Mike Flowers Pops was a British easy listening band fronted by Mike Flowers and supported by the "Sounds Superb Singers" and "Super Stereo Brass". There were either thirteen or fourteen of them on stage at any time...
, on the 1996 album A Groovy Place.
In popular culture
- The Ramsey Lewis instrumental version was used in a 2010 TV commercial for the Nikon Coolpix S8100Nikon Coolpix seriesThe Nikon Coolpix series is the point and shoot series of digital cameras produced by Nikon.-All Weather Series:-Life Series:-Performance Series:-Style Series:-Life Series:-Performance Series:-Style Series:- Coolpix xxx :...
digital cameraDigital cameraA digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
. - The band The In CrowdTomorrow (band)Tomorrow were a 1960s psychedelic rock band. Despite critical acclaim and support from DJ John Peel who featured them on his "Perfumed Garden" radio show, the band was not a great success in commercial terms. They were among the first psychedelic bands in England along with Pink Floyd and Soft...
took their name from this song.