Pretty Girls Everywhere

"Pretty Girls Everywhere"
Single by Eugene Church & the Fellows
B-side"For the Rest of My Life"
ReleasedAugust 1958[1]
GenreSoul
Length2:35
LabelClass 235
Songwriter(s)Eugene Church, Thomas Williams
"Pretty Girls Everywhere"
Single by The Walker Brothers
from the album Introducing the Walker Brothers
B-side"Doin' the Jerk" (Scott Engel)
Released26 February 1965 (UK)[2]
Recorded1964
GenrePop, Beat music
Length2:30
LabelPhilips Records
Smash Records (US)
Songwriter(s)Eugene Church, Thomas Williams
Producer(s)Nick Venet
The Walker Brothers singles chronology
"Pretty Girls Everywhere"
(1965) 		"Love Her"
(1965)

"Pretty Girls Everywhere" is a song written by Eugene Church and Thomas Williams.[3]

The song was first a hit for the American singer Eugene Church with his group The Fellows (including session drummer Earl Palmer[4]) in 1958. Church's recording for Class records was his most popular reaching No. 6 R&B and No. 36 Pop in the US.[5]

Walker Brothers recording

In 1965, "Pretty Girls Everywhere" was later recorded and released by the American pop group The Walker Brothers as their début single. The Walker Brothers' version is notable as it captures the group just before Scott Walker became the lead singer. In his place John Walker is more dominant in a brassy Beat music arrangement. The single is backed with Scott Walker's first composing credit "Doin' the Jerk". The group can be seen miming "Doin' the Jerk" on the 1965 beach party movie Beach Ball. In spite of the movie publicity the single did not chart in any territory.

Track listing

Philips – BF 1401 / Smash Records S-1952
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Pretty Girls Everywhere"Church, Williams2:30
2."Doin' the Jerk"Scott Engel2:25

Otis Spann recording

While touring Britain with the Muddy Waters Blues Band in 1964 piano player Otis Spann recorded a version of the song. The song was released in 1967 on the Decca Records compilation ‘’Raw Blues’’.[6] The band for that session included Spann on piano, Eric Clapton on guitar, Muddy Waters on guitar, Ransom Knowling, on bass and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on drums. The recording occurred on May 4, at the Decca Studios in London, the producer was Mike Vernon and the engineers were Roy Baker and Gus Dudgeon.[7]

References

  1. ^ "45cat – Eugene Church and The Fellows – Pretty Girls Everywhere / For The Rest Of My Life – Class – USA – 235". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-09-20.
  2. ^ "45cat – The Walker Bros. – Pretty Girls Everywhere / Doin' The Jerk – Philips – UK – BF 1401". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-09-20.
  3. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Scherman, Tony, Backbeat: The Earl Palmer Story, foreword by Wynton Marsalis, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., 1999 p. 173
  5. ^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
  6. ^ ’’Raw Blues’’ produced by Mike Vernon, Stereo SCL 1220, 1967
  7. ^ Roberty, Marc, Eric Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions 1963 – 1995, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1993