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Hang On Sloopy

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This article is about the Wes Farrell and Bert Berns song. For the McCoys album, seeHang On Sloopy (album).
"My Girl Sloopy"
Singlebythe Vibrations
B-side"Daddy Woo Woo"
Released1964(1964)
Recorded1964
GenreR&B
Length2:53
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)

"Hang On Sloopy"(originally"My Girl Sloopy") is a 1964 song written byWes FarrellandBert Berns.Rhythm and bluesvocal groupthe Vibrationswere the first to record the tune in 1964.Atlantic Recordsreleased it as a single, which reached No. 26 on theBillboardHot 100chart.[1]The song is associated withOhio State Universityand isOhio's official rock song.

The song became standard fare forgarage bandsand, in 1965, it became one of the first songs recorded bythe Yardbirdswith guitaristJeff Beck.A version by the rock groupthe McCoyswas the most successful, when it reached number one in the singles chart.[2]Recordings by additional artists also reached the charts, including versions in Spanish and Portuguese.

By one account, the inspiration for the song wasDorothy Sloop,a jazz singer fromSteubenville, Ohio,and a student at Ohio University.[3]

McCoys version

[edit]
"Hang On Sloopy"
Singlebythe McCoys
B-side"I Can't Explain It"
ReleasedJuly 1965(1965-07)
StudioBell Sound(New York City)[4]
GenreGarage rock[5][6]
Length2:57
3:50 (unedited version)
LabelBang
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The McCoyssingles chronology
"Hang On Sloopy"
(1965) 		"Fever"
(1965)

In early 1965,the Strangeloves,a New York City rock band, wanted to make the song the follow-up to their hit single "I Want Candy"and began performing it in concert. However,the Dave Clark Five,with whom they were touring, told the Strangeloves that they were going to record their own version when they returned to England, copying the Strangeloves' arrangement. The Strangeloves realized that the Dave Clark Five's cut would likely be a hit, but they were not yet ready to release a new single because they were still enjoying the success of "I Want Candy" from a few months earlier.

The answer presented itself when a young rock group named Rick and the Raiders opened (and provided backing) for the Strangeloves in July inDayton, Ohio.[7]The Strangeloves, three writer-producers fromBrooklyn,New York City, recruited Rick and the Raiders to record the song under their name. Their 16-year-old leader, Rick Zehringer, was flown toBell Sound Studiosin New York to record his lead vocal over the Strangeloves' already-recorded backing tracks. It was decided to change the name of Rick's group tothe McCoysto avoid confusion with another popular band at the time,Paul Revere & the Raiders,and Rick began using the stage nameRick Derringer.The single was issued onBang Recordsand entered the chart on August 14, 1965. It reached the top position on October 2. Contrary to the Strangeloves' expectations, the Dave Clark Five version was never even released.

Originally written and recorded with three verses, the retitled "Hang On Sloopy" was edited down to two verses for the single and resultingHang On Sloopyalbum.Record Worldresponded positively: "Teens will hang on to this new Bang slice, since the rhythmic song about a hard luck girl is riveting."[8]The unedited three-verse version, at 3 minutes, 50 seconds, first appeared on the 1970 Bang various artists compilationBang & Shout Super Hits(BLPS-220), then again on the 1991Rhino Recordsvarious artists compilationGrandson of Frat Rock! Vol. 3and the 1995Legacy RecordingscompilationHang On Sloopy: The Best of the McCoys.

Legacy

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The Yardbirds

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In 1964,Eric Clapton,who was then lead guitarist forthe Yardbirds,introduced the group to the Vibration's "My Girl Sloopy".[citation needed]Before they could record the tune, however, Clapton left the group. During his second recording session on April 13, 1965, with the Yardbirds, new guitaristJeff Beckand the group recorded the song at theAdvision Studiosin London.[9]Their 5:36 rendition was considered unusual for a studio recording at the time;AllMusic's Bruce Eder called it "the first extended jam to emerge on record from a band on theBritish blues scene".[10]Group chronicler Greg Russo also commented on the group's "humorous take [in which they] used out of control vocal buildups", which was part of their live performances, such as at the fifth RichmondNational Jazz and Blues Festivalon August 6.[11]

When looking for material for the Yardbirds' first American album, managerGiorgio Gomelskyincluded "My Girl Sloopy" and two other tracks recorded at Advision with Beck.[11]The hastily produced album was released on July 5, 1965, to generate interest for the group's upcoming first US tour. On August 11, the three songs formed the Yardbirds' firstextended play(EP) release in the UK, where it reached number two on the record chart.[11]

Other charting versions

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  • Little Caesar and the Consulsreleased a version of the song in 1965 that reached No. 50 on theBillboardpop chart and No. 3 in Canada.[12]
  • TheRamsey Lewis Triorecorded the song for their 1965 live albumHang On Ramsey!;it reached No. 6 on the US R&B chart, No. 11 on the US pop chart, No. 18 on the US adult contemporary chart, No. 37 on the Canadian pop charts,[13]and No. 2 on the Canadian AC charts.[14]
  • "Es Lupe", a Spanish-language cover version byLos Johnny Jets,was released in 1965. Ittopped the Mexican chartsfor 13 weeks.[15]
  • Leno e Lílian,a Brazilian vocal duo, released a cover version in Portuguese ( “Pobre Menina” ) in January 1966 that topped the Brazilian charts.[16]
  • The Lettermenreleased a version of the song in 1970 that reached No. 18 on the US adult contemporary chart and No. 93 on theBillboardHot 100.
  • Rick Derringerreleased a version of the song in 1975 that reached No. 94 on theBillboardHot 100 and No. 81 in Canada.[17]The 1975 version, a track on Rick Derringer's album "Spring Fever" and also a 45 RPM single, omitted some of the original lyrics and added steel drums and vibes. This 1975 release was also made into an early music film/video: It featured a sexy blond dancing girl. The video has had millions of views on social media. In 1921, the mystery dancing girl was finally identified as Lisa Leonard Dalton, 19 years of age at the time she was the 1974 dance champion at Gazzarri's club on the Sunset Strip. Solving another related mystery, Dalton has revealed that her performance was filmed at the classic MGM Studio's Hollywood Backlot -- the set then known as the New York streets. Dalton lived in LA, at the time she danced to "Hang on Sloopy," having recently graduated from high school. She currently resides in Tennessee. Despite false online rumors to the contrary, Lisa Leonard Dalton is not British, nor was she ever married to Rick Derringer -- she only met him that one time.[18]
  • The Sandpipersreleased a version of the song in 1976 that reached No. 32 on theUK Singles Chart.[19]

The Ohio State University

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The song gained an association withOhio State Universityafter itsmarching bandbegan playing it atfootballgames. It first played the song October 9, 1965, after a staff arranger, John Tatgenhorst, begged the director to try playing it. After finally convincing the director, Tatgenhorst prepared an arrangement and the band played the song in front of the stadium.[20]After the crowd reaction, the band began to play it at every game. The song is traditionally played during the transition from the 3rd quarter to the 4th quarter[21]atOhio Stadium.Since then, "Sloopy" has been appearing on the band's CDs and was available as a free download on its website.[22]A vocal performance excerpt is also available for download on the university's website.[23]

Home games of professional sports teams throughout Ohio also feature the song. As is the case at Ohio State, fans usually chant the letters "O, H, I, O" during the pauses in the chorus while mimicking the shape of the letters with their arms.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Bandcovered this song live in concert at the university's Schottenstein Center in 1999. Whenthe Rolling Stonesplayed Ohio Stadium on May 30, 2015, as part of theirZip Code Tour,they also performed the song.

When the marching band performed the song pregame during the 2016 College Football Playoff semifinal, then-band announcer Dave Carwile introduced the song by saying, "It's just a part of who we are."[24]

Official rock song of the State of Ohio

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Later it became the official rock song of theState of Ohioand Ohio State University. In April 1985, Joe Dirck, columnist for theColumbus Citizen-Journal,saw awire servicestory about a proposal to designate "Louie, Louie"as the official State song ofWashington,and he subsequently wrote a series oftongue-in-cheekcolumns. He even registered as alobbyistfor the resolution. Dirck played bass guitar in rock bands and knew the McCoys, particularly Rick Derringer. He said it was a good fit because the McCoys were from the Dayton area, and Ohio State marching band had adopted it as an unofficial anthem. Both the public and its elected officials—most importantly, the 116thOhio General Assemblybecame aware their State lacked an official song as a result of the exposure from his commentary. They designated "Hang On Sloopy" as the state rock song by House Concurrent Resolution 16 on November 20, 1985, with clauses including:[25]

WHEREAS, "Hang On Sloopy" is of particular relevance to members of thebaby boom generation,who were once dismissed as a bunch of long-haired, crazy kids, but who now are old enough and vote in sufficient numbers to be taken quite seriously...

and

WHEREAS, Adoption of this resolution will not take too long, cost the State anything, or affect the quality of life in this State to any appreciable degree, and if we in the legislature just go ahead and pass the darn thing, we can get on with more important stuff

Professional sports

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"Hang On Sloopy" is also a signature song forMajor League Baseball'sCleveland Guardians,who play atProgressive FieldinCleveland,Ohio,typically played during the middle of the 8th inning.[26]The song also plays at the end of the 3rd quarter atFirstEnergy Stadiumduring everyCleveland Brownsgame, and is also played atCleveland Cavaliersgames atRocket Mortgage FieldHouse.During games it is common for fans to yell "O-H-I-O!" following the chorus.[27]

References

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  1. ^Whitburn 1988,p. 425.
  2. ^Hicks 2000,p. 37.
  3. ^Joy, Kevin (September 26, 2013)."Mystery surrounds Steubenville native who inspired 'Hang On Sloopy'".The Columbus Dispatch.Archived fromthe originalon July 23, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 8,2020.
  4. ^Davies, Bren (September 2005)."Jim Czak: NOLA studios: From Steinways to Streisand..."tapeop.Tape Op.Retrieved30 August2022.
  5. ^Talevski, Nick (May 8, 2006).Knocking on Heaven's Door: Rock Obituaries.Omnibus Press. p. 273.ISBN9781846090912.
  6. ^Hoffmann, Frank W. (November 1, 2005).Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-Hop.American Popular Music. Facts on File. p. 141.ISBN9780816073412.
  7. ^Liner notes toThe Best of The McCoys
  8. ^"Sleepers of the Week"(PDF).Record World.July 31, 1965. p. 1.Retrieved2023-07-21.
  9. ^Russo 2016,p. 36–37.
  10. ^Eder 2003,p. 631.
  11. ^abcRusso 2016,p. 37.
  12. ^"RPM Top 40 Singles - August 16, 1965"(PDF).
  13. ^"RPM Top 40 Singles - November 22, 1965"(PDF).
  14. ^"RPM Top 25 AC - January 3, 1966"(PDF).
  15. ^"Billboard Hits of the World".Billboard.December 18, 1965. p. 36.RetrievedMarch 3,2016– via Google Books.
  16. ^'No Embalo da Jovem Guarda', 1999, by Ricardo Pugialli. Ampersand editors, RJ, Brazil.
  17. ^"RPM Top 100 Singles - May 10, 1975"(PDF).
  18. ^Smith, Steven (2024-10-09)."Deconstructing A Myth:" Sloopy Girl "Lisa Leonard Dalton".QZVX - Broadcast History & Current Affairs.Retrieved2024-10-10.
  19. ^Betts, Graham (2005).Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2005.London: Harper Collins.ISBN0-00-720076-5.
  20. ^Guerrieri, Vince (September–October 2020)."How 'Hang On Sloopy' Became Ohio's Anthem".Ohio Magazine.Cleveland, Ohio: Great Lakes Publishing Company.RetrievedAugust 30,2020.
  21. ^"Traditions: Hang On Sloopy".osumarchingband.Archived from the original on July 18, 2015.RetrievedJuly 21,2021.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^"Hang On Sloopy".tbdbitl.osu.edu.Ohio State University. Archived fromthe originalon January 16, 2006.RetrievedJuly 21,2021.
  23. ^"Hang-on-Sloopy.mp3".OSU.edu.Ohio State University.RetrievedJuly 21,2021.
  24. ^"Pregame at the Playstation Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 31, 2016)".YouTube.5 January 2017.
  25. ^"Ohio's State Rock Song - Hang On Sloopy".ohiohistorycentral.org.Ohio History Central.RetrievedNovember 12,2017.
  26. ^"Stadium Songs: Cleveland Indians".Espn.25 July 2012.RetrievedNovember 12,2017.
  27. ^"Ohio State University celebrates 50 years of 'Hang on Sloopy'".Fox8.Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. September 7, 2015.RetrievedNovember 12,2017.

Bibliography

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