Rooftop Singers/Carroll Hester.

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

1st Rooftop Singers: the song Mama don't Allow, was that the 1st time around for that song or did somebody else have it before them? and and don't know if this is the exact title to this other song by them Tom Cat. was that song a follow up to Walk Right In? both songs sound simaller and a lot of b-side and or follow ups in the 60s sounds simalier to the ones before them. (2nd.Carrol Hester: anyone here have heard the name? just heard tonight for the 1st time and i think the song i heard was called Sally Free & Easy.when was that 1 realeased?

[Borderstone]

Hey Mike! Boy did you come to the right place with that question! A bit o' history 1st. The group formed around the very early start of the folk movement and played a few places here & there until they got a label deal.

In late 1962 they recorded,"Walk Right In" & other songs for their debut album. "W.R.I." was released as a single and became the second #1 song of 1963,with three weeks at #1! (For the further story of that song consult,"The Billboard Book Of #1 Hits.) The song was a 1920's hillbilly/country song,which is a few steps faster.

The follow up single,"Tom Cat" barely even made it into the top 40. One of the members of the group stated that after the success of "Walk",they really couldn't find as good a song again,so by the late 60s,they broke up. Singer Carroll Hester passed away in 1982.

Lastly,I found at my local oldies store a full casstte of,"The Best Of The Rooftop Singers". It has those hits & "Mama Don't Allow" (a honkey tonk piano classic) ...and lots of other songs by them too.

Hope that ans's your Q. Mike! Later!

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

I heard Tom Cat today on the radio. It was a radio show counting down the tp 20 songs here in the Chicago area in 1963, The DJ mentioned that many stations banned because it was too sugesstive. Hearing the whole song through and didn't hear anything that sounded off. Just sounded like a fun goofy song unless I missed a few lines or didn't get them.

[DJ in MJ]

Would these be the lyrics?

I've got an old Tom Cat
And when he steps out
All the other cats in the neighborhood
They begin to shout

There goes a ring tail Tom
Struttin' round the town
And if you got your heat turned up
You better turn your damper down

Ringtail Tom is a star
He's a boss around this town
He don't allow no other Tom Cats
Come pussy footin' around

Ringtail Tom on the fence
Little pussy cat on the ground
Ringtail Tom com-a-off-a that fence
They start rousin around

Ringtail Tom is a star
He's a natural born crack shot
He finds a new target every night
And he sure does practice alot

And if you got your heat turned up
You better turn your damper down

--------------

Sign of the times, I suppose. What was suggestive or innuendo 40 years ago is hardly a blip on the radar today.

[Borderstone]

Oh my,how shocking! Not!

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

Originally posted by miketouhy:
1st Rooftop Singers: the song Mama don't Allow, was that the 1st time around for that song or did somebody else have it before them? and and don't know if this is the exact title to this other song by them Tom Cat. was that song a follow up to Walk Right In? both songs sound simaller and a lot of b-side and or follow ups in the 60s sounds simalier to the ones before them. (2nd.Carrol Hester: anyone here have heard the name? just heard tonight for the 1st time and i think the song i heard was called Sally Free & Easy.when was that 1 realeased?

I recently looked though the allmusic.com site about Miss. Hester and it mentioned that she auditioned to have teamed up with Peter Yarrow and Paul Stooky. Naturally had didn't happen and Mary, Can't remember her last name, of course joined them.

The Song Sally Free and Easy was recorded for Columbia about 1966-1967 but for whatever reasons wasn't officially released till the 90s on some compliation, CD or something.

[Borderstone]

Touhy,Mary's last name is Travers.

No relation to 70s rock & blues singer Pat Travers by the way,for those of you that may recall him.

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

Originally posted by Borderstone:
Touhy,Mary's last name is Travers.

No relation to 70s rock & blues singer Pat Travers by the way,for those of you that may recall him.

Thanks.