British guitar group The Shadows started out as The Drifters After the release of their second single they changed their name possibly to avoid any confusion with the american vocal group of the same name.

Elton John's real name is Reg Dwight. He was member of the British group Bluesology.

Glam rock singer Gary Glitter recorded under various names during the sixties. These include Paul Raven, Paul Monday and Rubber Bucket.

Alvin Stardust, famous for his 1973 hit My Coo-Ca-Choo, had a previous career in the early sixties as Shane Fenton & The Fentones. The song I'm A Moody Guy reached No.22 in the British charts. His backing group, The Fentones, had two instrumental hits as well, The Mexican and The Breeze And I.

Twangin' guitar virtuoso Duane Eddy  was the credited artist for the single Caravan which reached the British charts at #42 in October 1961. However rumour has it that the actual guitar player was Al Casey. A song with the same title was also released in 1957 by the Rock-A-Billies in which Duane Eddy was a member. "Caravan" was released on the Parlophone label, all other releases were on Jamie/London or RCA. In the US "Caravan" was released on the Gregmark label. The song doesn't appear on any albums or compilations. Al Casey was Duane Eddy's mentor. In the recording there are some parts (e.g. at the end) where you can hear a "twangy" guitar sound. Maybe that was played by Duane Eddy.

Original Shadows members Jet Harris (bass) and Tony Meehan (drums) left the group in 1962 and started solo careers. Their hits include Besame Mucho, Diamonds, Scarlett O'Hara  and Applejack.

Peter Sarstedt was the younger brother of singer Eden Kane.

Before he joined the Beatles, Ringo Starr was the drummer of the British group Rory Storm & The Hurricanes.

The Righteous Brothers weren't brothers at all, rather Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. Bobby sadly passed away in November 2003.

Ever wondered who was that deep voice in Johnny Cymbal's smash hit "Mr. Bass Man"? Well that was the singer from the vocal group The Marcels. Just listen to their song "Blue Moon".

Johnny Cymbal also recorded the song "Cinnamon" under the name Derek. It reached the US charts at #11 in December 1968.

Sheb Wooley of "The Purple People Eater" fame also recorded under the name of  Ben Colder. His novelty hit under this name was "Don't Go Near The Eskimos" in December 1962. The song was a send- up of  Rex Allen's "Don't Go Near The Indians".

American singing duo Simon & Garfunkel  started out as Tom & Jerry  in 1958. They released a string of singles including "Hey, Schoolgirl", "Our Song", "That's My Story", "Baby Talk" and "Two Teenagers".

Eric Burdon & The Animal's hit song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was originally recorded by Nina Simone.

The Everly Brothers' hit song "Claudette" was written by Roy Orbison.

Bob Dylan's original name is Robert Allen Zimmerman.

Songs with long and silly titles #1:
"You Never Get Too Big And You Sure Don't Get Too Heavy That You Don't Have To Stop And Pay Some Dues Sometime" by the Sir Douglas Quintet.

Fourth time lucky: Before Lynn Andreson had a huge hit with "Rose Garden" early 1971, three others tried with the same song. Billy Joe Royal (2/1968), Joe South (2/1969) and Dobie Gray (3/1969). The song was written by Joe South.

Songs with long and silly titles #2:
"Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce About Above The Water" by Shirley Ellis.

Ricky Nelson's smash hit "Hello Mary Lou" was written by Gene Pitney.

Davie Jones & The Kingbees, Davie Jones & Lower Third, Davy Jones & Mood were early incarnations of singer David Bowie.

The Rolling Stones' second single, "I Wanna Be Your Man" was a Lennon/McCartney composition. It first appeared on the LP "With The Beatles"

Songs the Beatles gave away to other artists: "Hello Little Girl", "I'm In Love" by the Fourmost, "Tip Of My Tongue" by Tommy Quickly, "That Means A Lot" by P.J. Proby, "It's For You", "Step Inside Love", "Love Of The Loved" by Cilla Black, "From A Window", Bad To Me", "I'll Keep You Satisfied", "I'll Be On My Way" by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, "A World Without Love", "I Don't Want To See You Again", "Woman", "Nobody I Know" by Peter & Gordon, "Like Dreamers Do" by the Applejacks, "Goodbye" by Mary Hopkin, "Come And Get It" by Badfinger.

Some of the most hilarious Beatles covers were recorded by Peter Sellers  ("A Hard Day's Night", "Help!", "She Loves You").

Engelbert Humperdinck started his recording career as Gerry Dorsey releasing two singles "Take Your Time" and "Baby Turn Around" in 1964-1965.

British group High Numbers released "I'm The Face"/"Zoot Suit" in 7/64. After Keith Moon joined them as drummer they became The Who.

Best Beatles tribute songs by girl groups: "We Love The Beatles" by the Vernons Girls and "We Love You Beatles" by the Carefrees.

Remember the groundbreaking "Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus" by Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg? A certain Judge Dread recorded a version of it but with a twist...

Little Richard fans beware: most budget label compilations have the re-recorded or live versions. Original recordings are available on the ACE / SPECIALTY labels.

Songs with long and silly titles #3:
"A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission)" by Simon & Garfunkel

Songs with long and silly titles #4:
"Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On Saturday Night" by Ian Whitcomb

Songs with long and silly titles #5:
"The Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review And Timing Association" by Jan & Dean

Songs with long and silly titles #6:
"He's My Blonde Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy" by  Little Pattie

Songs with long and silly titles #7:
"Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick Dissolving Fast Acting Pleasant Tasting Green And  Purple Pills" by Ray Stevens

Songs with long and silly titles #8:
"Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour On The Bedpost Overnight?" by Lonnie Donegan

Songs with long and silly titles #9:
"Dog Chases An Iguana Up A Tree And Barks At It All Night" by Big Ass Truck

Rock stars and entertainers who met untimely death:
  shot:            12/1964    Sam Cooke (33)
                   12/1980    John Lennon (40)
                   4/1984     Marvin Gaye (45)
                   17/4/1983  Felix Pappardi (44) record producer, musician (Mountain)
  plane crash:     2/1959     Buddy Holly (23), Ritchie Valens (18), Big Bopper (29)
                   10/1997    John Denver (54)
                   12/1985    Ricky Nelson (45)
                   12/1967    Otis Redding (26) and most members of the Bar-Kays
                   7/1964     Jim Reeves (40)
                   3/1963     Patsy Cline (30), Cowboy Copas (50), Hawkshaw Hawkins (41)
  car crash:       17/4/1960  Eddie Cochran (22) 
                   6/2/1960   Jesse Belvin (27)
                   5/11/1960  Johnny Horton (35)
                   16/9/1977  Marc Bolan (30) of T.Rex
                   16/7/1981  Harry Chapin (37)
                   26/9/1937  Bessie Smith (43)
                   4/4/1980   Red Sovine (61)
                   17/1/1970  Billy Stewart (33)
                   28/12/2002 Meri Wilson (53)
                   7/10/1966  Johnny Kidd (26) Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
  motorcycle crash 29/10/1971 Duane Allman (24) Allman Brothers Band
                   30/4/1966  Richard Farina (28)
  drug overdose    12/1963    Dinah Washington (39)
                   9/1967     Brian Epstein (33) record producer
                   6/1969     Brian Jones (27) of the Rolling Stones
                   8/1977     Elvis Presley (42)
                   9/1970     Jimi Hendrix (27)
                   10/1970    Janis Joplin (27)
                   7/1971     Jim Morrison (27) of the Doors
  drowned:         8/1964     Johnny Burnette (30)
  suicide:         2/1990     Del Shannon (56)
                   3/2/1967   Joe Meek (35) record producer (the day Buddy Holly died)
                   8/5/1974   Graham Bond (36)
                   23/11/1994 Tommy Boyce (55)
                   13/1/1979  Donny Hathaway (33)
  suicide/murder?  7/1966     Bobby Fuller (23)
  illness:         4/1962     Stuart Sutcliffe (21) ex-Beatle
                   5/1965     Bill Black (39) of Bill Black's Combo, former bass player for Elvis Presley
  electrocuted:    3/5/1972   Leslie Harvey (27) guitarist of the group Stone The Crows
                   14/5/1976  Keith Relf (32) Yardbirds guitarist
                   26/11/1973 John Rostill (31) member of the Shadows

Some examples when a cover version made more money than the original: "The Twist" by Chubby Checker (original: Hank Ballard & The Midnighters), "The Loco-Motion" by Kylie Minogue (original: Little Eva), "It's In His Kiss (The Shoop-Shoop Song)" by Cher (original: Betty Everett)

Songs with long and silly titles #10:
"The Song Of McGillicudie The Pusillaninomous (or Don't Worry James, Your Socks Are Hanging In The Coal Cellar With Thomas)" by EGG

Not to be confused... #1
Singers GARRY MILLS and GARRY MILES. Both had the same song "Look For A Star" on the charts at the same time.

Not to be confused... #2
British instrumental group the TORNADOS of "Telstar" fame and several US groups with the same name (sometimes spelled as TORNADOES). Most notable of these is the group who had a minor hit "Bustin' Surfboards" in October 1962. 

Not to be confused... #3
Singers PAUL PETERSEN and RAY PETERSON.

Not to be confused... #4
Singers Diane Renay ("Navy Blue") and Diane Ray ("Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard")

Not to be confused... #5
Lorne Green's hit song "Ringo" has nothing to do with Ringo Starr. A cover version by Larry Finnegan with different words titled "The Other Ringo (A Tribute To Ringo Starr) obviously has.

I've heard that song before... #1
George Harrison got himself into trouble when "My Sweet Lord" showed more than passing resemblance to the Chiffons hit "He's So Fine". Subsequently he was sued for copyright infrigements. Which is rather strange because "My Sweet Lord" is almost exact sound-alike to the Edwin Hawkins Singers song "Oh Happy Day" released about 2 years earlier. Maybe there wasn't much of a chance getting any money out of Edwin Hawkins. So the question remains: Was George Harrison copying the Chiffons? Was George Harrison copying the Edwin Hawkins Singers? Were the Edwin Hawkins Singers copying the Chiffons?

I've heard that song before... #2
This time classical composer Ponchielli was ripped off when his piece "Dance Of The Hours" was used in Maureen Evans' 1962 UK hit song "Like I Do". Earlier that year Nancy Sinatra  had her version titled "Like I Do" but it didn't make the charts. Mid 1963 the same tune with clever lyrics was reincarnated in Allan Sherman's novelty song "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh". In between early 1963 Teresa Brewer joined the bandwagon with "She'll Never Love You (Like I Do). In 1966 Kingsley & Perry recorded a moog-alised version titled "Countdown At 6". Then there was an answer song to the Allan Sherman version titled "Hello Melvin, This Is Mama" by Sandra Gould.

Not to be confused... #6
Dave Clark Five had two different songs with the same title "Everybody Knows". The first one was released in October 1964, the other one in June 1967.

Not to be confused... #7
Staying with the Dave Clark Five, they had a single released in March 1963 titled "The Mulberry Bush". Then in February 1969 they released "The Mulberry Tree". These songs are not to be confused with the Traffic's "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush"

Some of the countless variations on the traditional "Greensleeves" tune: "Green Jeans" (Flee-Rekkers), "Molly-O" (Johnny & The Hurricanes), "Stay Away" (Elvis Presley), "Snow Flakes" (Ventures).

Songs with long and silly titles #11:
"The Young Electric Psychedelic Hippie Flippy Folk And Funky Philosophic Turned On Groovy 12 String Band" by Barry Mann

Not to be confused... #8
Tom & Jerry (early Simon & Garfunkel) with Tom & Jerrio

Not to be confused... #9
Human Beans, Human Beings and Human Beinz are different groups

Not to be confused... #10
Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band  with Gino Washington

Not to be confused... #11
British instrumental group The Shadows with Bobby Vee's early backing group of the same name.There were at least four other groups in the U.S. called the Shadows recording for the Lee, Sittin' In With, Fraternity, Delta and Del-Fi labels.

Not to be confused... #12
British group The Spinners with the American soul group of the same name. Latter sometimes referred to as The Detroit Spinners.

Early supergroup...? The Beatles and Gerry & The Pacemakers joined forces for a gig in October 1961 under the name of The Beat-Makers. Members were: George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Pete Best (Beatles), Gerry Marsden, Les Maguire, Les Chadwick, Freddy Marsden (Gerry & The Pacemakers) and Karl Terry (Cruisers).

>>>to be continued<<<