“Enamorado” (1963) – Keith Colley

“Enamorado” (1963) – Keith Colley * Written by Keith Colley and Paul Rubio * 45: “Enamorado” / “No Joke” * Label: Unical * Charts: Billboard Hot 100 #66
 
In the early sixties Keith Colley was headed toward a Gene Pitney-esque sort of situation – crashing the gates as a teen idol while working behind the scenes as a songwriter and publisher. For Colley, though, the behind-the-scenes stuff won out and he ended up with only one charting single, “Enamorado,” which peaked at #66 in ‘63 (although his “Queridita Mia” did bubble under at #122 later that year). Colley, a non-Spanish-speaking Washingtonian, wound up giving this track the south-of-the-border treatment at the visionary behest of his label. And it sounds, in fact, a bit like Gene Pitney singing in Spanish.

“Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” (1966) – The Johnny Mann Singers

“Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” (1966) – The Johnny Mann Singers * Written by Sol Lake * Produced by Joe Saraceno * 45: “Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle)” / “Rovin’ Gambler” * Label: Liberty * Charts: Billboard Bubbling Under #126

There’s a whole category of records that found airplay and chart listings because of their involvement in TV ads. The Johnny Mann Singers’ “Cinnamint Shuffle” was a notable one from 1966. “Cinnamint,” along with “Teaberry,” were Clark’s chewing gum flavors and commercials for both of these featured consumers popping a stick of it into their mouths and dancing a two-second shuffle before carrying on with their business. The ad campaign’s song was a familiar one: “Mexican Shuffle,” written by Sol Lake, which was a keynote track on Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’s South of the Border, a Billboard top ten album in 1964 (the “Mexican Shuffle” single hit #88). The Johnny Mann Singers’ 1966 version of the song, sporting the new title of “Cinnamint Shuffle (Mexican Shuffle),” managed to squeak into Billboard‘s “bubbling under” chart, peaking at #126. (Johnny Mann had worked as the musical director for the Joey Bishop Show from 1961-1964, incidentally.)

“Lower Level” (1967) – The Beau Brummels

“Lower Level” (1967) – The Beau Brummels * Written by Ron Elliott * Produced by Lenny Waronker * 45: “Magic Hollow” / “Lower Level” * Label: Warner Bros.

Chronically out of print Beau Brummels song—the B-side to their atmospheric and idyllic “Magic Hollow” A-side. This has an airiness to it that suggests sweet oblivion and mind satisfaction within an enormous, bustling public building where open windows send your thoughts drifting out over the traffic. The group was a trio at this point, just Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, and Ron Meagher.