Sometime (Gene Thomas song)

"Sometime"
Single by Gene Thomas
B-side"Everynight"
Released1961
Recorded1961
StudioGold Star (Houston, Texas)
GenrePop
Length2:15
LabelVenus Records
Songwriter(s)Gene Thomas
Producer(s)Bill Quinn
Gene Thomas singles chronology
"Sometime"
(1961) 		"Lamp Of Love"
(1961)

"Sometime" is a song written by Gene Thomas, originally released by Venus Records in 1961. After it enjoyed regional success, it was reissued on the United Artists label. The song became a top 100 hit on the national chart. The song was later covered by Doug Sahm and by the Flamin' Groovies.

Recording and release

"Sometime" was recorded during Gene Thomas' first session at Gold Star Studios in Houston, Texas, produced by Bill Quinn.[1] Thomas wrote the lyrics,[2] while his performance was influenced by the contemporary success of Joe Barry and Rod Bernard.[3]

The song was credited to "Thomasson" (the real surname of Thomas) and published by Grand Prize Music. The flipside featured another Thomas original, "Everynight".[4] It was released on United Artists Records' subsidiary Venus Records in April 1961 (VR 1439), and soon became a local hit throughout Texas.[1] In late July, the Baytown Sun noted it in its rank as the most played in Baytown, Texas and described it as "simple and slightly draggy".[5]

Critical reception

Following its regional success, it was reissued on the United Artists label (UA 338). The reissue entered the market in October 1961 and peaked at number fifty-three on the Billboard.[1] The song peaked at number sixty-two on the Cashbox pop singles chart.[6] Gene Summers recorded a 45rpm single of the song in 1971 on Maridene Records. Doug Sahm covered the song in his 1976 album Texas Rock For Country Rollers in a medley that included the Thomas song "Cryin' Inside". A review in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times described both songs as "two obscure Texas hits".[7]

The song became the first of two Thomas songs that would turn into national chart hits featuring him as a solo act, before forming with Debbe Neville the duo Gene & Debbe.[8]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger 2010, p. 92.
  2. ^ Jancik, Wayne 1998, p. 233.
  3. ^ Cotten, Lee 2002, p. 308.
  4. ^ Venus Records staff 1961.
  5. ^ Baytown Sun staff 1961.
  6. ^ Downey, Paul; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank 1994, p. 348.
  7. ^ Marsh, Dave 1976.
  8. ^ Larkin, Colin 1998, p. 164.

References

  • Baytown Sun staff (1961). "Platter Chatter". The Baytown sun. Vol. 42, no. 291. Morris Communications. Retrieved January 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger (2010). House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-78324-9.
  • Cotten, Lee (2002). Twist and Shout: The Golden Age of Rock 'N Roll 1960-1963. Pierian Press. ISBN 978-0-964-65884-4.
  • Downey, Paul; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank (1994). Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 978-1-563-08316-7.
  • Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard Book of One-hit Wonders. Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0-823-07622-2.
  • Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music. Virgin. ISBN 978-0-753-50236-5.
  • Marsh, Dave (1976). "Duo As Strong As Ever". Rolling Stone. Vol. 68, no. 30. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. p. 7C. Retrieved January 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  • Venus Records staff (1961). Sometime (7" single). Gene Thomas. Venus Records. VR 1439.