Wes Farrell
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Wes Farrell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Wesley Donald Farrell December 21, 1939 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | February 29, 1996 (aged 56) Coconut Grove, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Spouses | Joan Arthurs (m. 1965;div. 1972)Jean Inman (m. 1981) |
| Children | 3 |
Wes Farrell (December 21, 1939 – February 29, 1996) [1] was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, who was most active in the 1960s and 1970s. [1]
Contents
Career
Farrell was born in New York, United States. [2] Farrell's catalogue includes close to 500 songs that he wrote, produced and/or published. One of his earliest successes, "Boys" (co-written with Luther Dixon), appeared on the B-side of the Shirelles' 1960 number-one hit "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", and in 1963 was covered by the Beatles for their debut album Please Please Me . [2] Farrell's biggest chart hit as a composer – the McCoys' 1965 US number one "Hang On Sloopy" (a reworking of "My Girl Sloopy", co-written with Bert Russell) – remains one of the most performed songs in the history of popular music, according to the RIAA.[ citation needed ] In 1985, Hang On Sloopy became the official state rock song of the State of Ohio. [3]
Other Farrell pop hits include the Animals' UK debut single "Baby Let Me Take You Home" (co-written with Bert Russell; no. 21, 1964) and two 1964 releases for Jay and the Americans: "Come a Little Bit Closer" (co-written with songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart; US no. 3) and "Let's Lock the Door (And Throw Away the Key)" (with Roy Alfred; US no 11 in early 1965). [2] Farrell also co-wrote "Come and Take a Ride in My Boat" (with Jerry Goldstein), slightly reworked in 1967 to provide Every Mother's Son with their signature hit "Come on Down to My Boat" (US no. 6). He also co-wrote (with Larry Kusik and Ritchie Adams) the song "Happy Summer Days", a US no. 27 hit for Ronnie Dove in 1966.
Farrell's Top 40 hit "Look What You've Done" — first recorded in 1966 by the Pozo Seco Singers — appears on Carla Olson's 2013 album Have Harmony, Will Travel as a duet with Rob Waller (of I See Hawks In L.A.).
In 1966, Farrell wrote the theme song for Gammera the Invincible (aka Gamera), the American cut of the first Gamera film . [4]
Farrell first achieved success as a producer in the summer of 1968 with the Cowsills' US Top Ten hit Indian Lake , written by Tony Romeo. [2] He produced three other tracks for the family act, including "Poor Baby" (US no. 44) and "The Path of Love", both also written by Romeo.
Farrell was hired to produce the music for the recordings featured on the ABC-TV musical sitcom The Partridge Family , about a familial singing group loosely based on the Cowsills. [2] The 1970–74 series starred Shirley Jones and featured David Cassidy, both of whom sang (especially Cassidy) on nearly all of the tracks associated with the project. Farrell co-wrote not only the theme song, When We're Singin' (with Diane Hildebrand), but also 30 songs spread across the Partridge Family's eight studio albums, seven of which he produced. [5] Partridge Family hits co-written by Farrell which charted on Billboard's Hot 100 include Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted (with Jim Cretecos and Mike Appel; no. 6, 1971) and I'll Meet You Halfway (with Gerry Goffin; no. 9, 1971). Notable album tracks include "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat" (with Jim Cretecos and Mike Appel), "Brand New Me" (with Eddie Singleton), "I'm Here, You're Here" and "There's No Doubt in My Mind" (both with Gerry Goffin), "One Night Stand" (with Paul Anka), "Echo Valley 2-6809" (with Kathy Cooper and Rupert Holmes), "Twenty-Four Hours a Day" (with Danny Janssen), "Love Is All That I Ever Needed" (with David Cassidy), "Hello, Hello" (with Tony Romeo) and "Something New Got Old" (with Bobby Hart). Unlike the Cowsills, who actually performed on their own recordings, the albums produced under the name of the Partridge Family featured mostly session musicians now known as the Wrecking Crew, with backing vocals by the Ron Hicklin Singers. [5]
Farrell also produced material for Elephant's Memory, whose songs "Jungle Gym at the Zoo" and Old Man Willow feature in the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy . He also produced two mid-1970s albums for British singer Lulu.
Farrell founded Chelsea Records in 1972. [6] [7]
Personal life
In 1965, he married Joan Arthurs, and they had a daughter. Farrell and Arthurs divorced in 1972. He was married to actress/singer Tina Sinatra (daughter of Frank) in 1974, and to actress Pamela Hensley in 1978; both marriages ended in divorce. Farrell was later married to real estate broker Jean Inman and had two children.
Farrell died of cancer aged 56 in 1996 in Coconut Grove, Florida. [1]
Related Research Articles
The Partridge Family is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 25, 1970, to August 24, 1974, on ABC.
The Partridge Family Album is the first of eight studio albums by The Partridge Family. The LP was released in October 1970, a month after the debut of the ABC-TV musical sitcom The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy, both of whom feature on the album, as do studio backing vocalists and session musicians. The success of the album – which in early January 1971 reached no. 4 on Billboard's Top LP's chart – was bolstered not only by the hit TV show but by the album's one single release, the massive hit "I Think I Love You", which for three weeks in November and December 1970 topped Billboard's Hot 100 and which NARM declared best-selling single of 1970.
Up to Date is the second studio album by The Partridge Family. Released in February 1971, just four months after the group's debut LP, the album entered Billboard's Top LP's chart in early April, having been certified gold on 25 March 1971. In its fourth week on the Top 200, the album improved on its predecessor, reaching no. 3.
The Partridge Family Sound Magazine is the third studio album by TV-linked pop project The Partridge Family. Released in August 1971 before the start of the second season of the US TV series, it was their third hit album in ten months. In late September 1971, in its fifth week on Billboard's Top LP's chart, the album reached its no. 9 chart peak. In that same week the album's one hit single release, "I Woke Up In Love This Morning", peaked at no. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100. The LP was certified gold that same month. Sound Magazine is nearly universally regarded – by both fans and critics – as the Partridge Family's consummate pop album.
Shopping Bag is the fifth studio album by TV-linked pop project The Partridge Family. Released in March 1972, just as the second season of the TV series was finishing in North America, the album entered Billboard's Top LP's chart in late March, peaking at no. 18 in late April. The album remained in the Top 200 for 17 weeks and was certified gold. The vinyl release of the album contained a novelty plastic shopping bag.
Cherish is the debut solo album by American singer David Cassidy, produced by Wes Farrell and released by Bell Records in early 1972.
"Hang On Sloopy" is a 1964 song written by Wes Farrell and Bert Berns. Rhythm and blues vocal group the Vibrations were the first to record the tune in 1964. Atlantic Records released it as a single, which reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is associated with The Ohio State University and is Ohio's official rock song.
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Mike Appel is an American music industry manager and record producer, best known for his role in both capacities in the early career of Bruce Springsteen.
"I Think I Love You" is a song by Tony Romeo, written as the debut single for fictional musical TV family the Partridge Family, released in August 1970, a month prior to the debut of the ABC-TV musical sitcom The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy, both of whom appear on the record, with Cassidy as lead vocalist. The single topped Billboard's Hot 100 for three weeks in November and December 1970 and later was certified by NARM as the best-selling single of 1970.
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Tony Romeo was an American songwriter. He is best known for writing the number 1 hit "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family as well as many other hit records, mostly during the 1960s and 1970s.
"Indian Lake" is a song with music and lyrics written by Tony Romeo. It was recorded by the pop band The Cowsills, and included on their 1968 album Captain Sad and His Ship of Fools. Released as a single, the song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, while reaching No. 6 on the Cash Box Top 100, and No. 3 on Canada's RPM 100. The song was ranked as the No. 51 Single of 1968 by Cashbox magazine in its year-ending December 28, 1968 issue. The single eventually sold over 1 million copies, and was later licensed for use in commercials for the Dodge Charger.
"Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" is a song written by Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos, and Wes Farrell and was recorded by The Partridge Family for their 1971 album, Up to Date.
"I'll Meet You Halfway" is a song written by Wes Farrell and Gerry Goffin and recorded by The Partridge Family for their 1971 album, Up to Date. It went to No.4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached No.9 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
"It's One of Those Nights (Yes Love)" is a song written by Tony Romeo and was recorded by The Partridge Family for their 1972 album, Shopping Bag. The song went to number 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached number 20 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.
Chelsea Records was an American-based record company founded by musician, songwriter, and record producer Wes Farrell in 1972. Within the company's first four months, it released its first gold single, Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast by Wayne Newton. In addition to Newton, Chelsea featured a number of new and established artists like Tommy Boyce, Jim Gilstrap, Lulu, Jigsaw, New York City, and Rick Springfield.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by David Cassidy, initially released in 1974 by Bell Records.
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"Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is a song written and composed by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. It first became a popular hit in 1965 by Gene Pitney. In 1972, The Partridge Family recorded a hit cover version.