The Fontane Sisters

Rock Love was a collection of hits and non-hits by The Fontane Sisters, named after one of their biggest records, which wasn’t on it. To give credit to the company that re-issued this stuff (Charly Records) they came out with a volume 2, called Rock Again Love, which had the song, and an explanation as to why it hadn’t been on the first volume (got dropped by accident).

I got these two albums at Records On Wheels, not at the same time, and it must have been on two separate special occasions, because they were not cheap. And I can't find a picture, so make do with this one.

You don’t remember The Fontane Sisters and neither do I, but they recorded for Dot, and they put 18 songs on the top 100 during the four years 1955 – 1958. 15 of which are here. Missing are “Voices,” “Adorable,” and “Nuttin’ For Christmas.”

(Allmusic.com lists has an entry for Rock Again Love, and the tracks listed are the tracks on Rock Love)

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The Fontane Sisters:

· Seventeen – Their version hit number 3 in the autumn of 1955. The original was by Boyd Bennett And His Rockets, and their version reached number 5. It is a bit weird for girls to sing this I think…
· I’m Stickin’ With You – The original of this was by Jimmy Bowen and I don’t have it. This was from the spring of ’57.
· Please Don’t Leave Me – This was by Fats Domino. His version doesn’t seem to have been on the charts, but the F sisters hit the charts in the autumn of ’56.
· I’m In Love Again – Another Fats songs. It was on the top 40 in the spring of ’56. Fats’ version reached number 3.
· Love Like A Fool
· Playmates – This was from before the time when the word was irrevocably associated with Playboy Magazine. This was from the spring of ’55, and was the flip of “Rollin’ Stone.”
· Hearts Of Stone – The Charms’ hit. This reached number one early in January 1955.
· You Are My Sunshine – Did I say that I don’t like this song so much? They don’t salvage it.
· Eddie My Love – Here it is, We’ve heard this by The Chordettes, now here it is by The Sisters. It’s ok, but the other versions are better.
· Billy Boy – This one is kind of silly. Who are the boys singing on it??
· The Rock ‘N’ Rolla – I think that this is based on song that has something to do with Coca Cola. They attempt to affect an accent, Jamaican possibly, but it’s hard to tell
· Daddy-O – The dude of his day. From the Christmas season of 1955.
· Jealous Heart – From the fall of ’58, their last hit, and it only reached #94
· Most Of All – not the B.J. Thomas song
· Banana Boat Song – aka Day-O. This was, of course, famous by Harry Belafonte, and by The Tarriers. The Sisters’ version, which lacks a certain authenticity, notwithstanding their undoubtedly sincere attempts at a Carribean patois, managed to reach number 18, in early 1957. They may have been playing this on the radio at the exact moment that I was born…
· Echoes Of Love
· Rock Love – From winter / spring of ‘55, and the title track of the album on which it wasn't...
· Fool Around – “I’m sick and tired of being blue…I’m wasting no more love on you…”
· You’re Mine – Not the Elvis Presley song.
· Listen To Your Heart
· Ragtime Rock ‘N’ Roll
· The Old Piano Roll Blues
· Rollin’ Stone – Not the Muddy Waters song. Summer ‘55
· Still – Not the Bill Anderson song. The original was by LaVerne Baker. From the fall of ’56, the flip of “Please Don’t Leave Me.”
· Chanson D’Amour – From the spring of ’58. Also a hit by Art & Dotty Todd, and covered much later by Manhattan Transfer.
· Got You On My Mind
· You Always Hurt The One You Love – A hit for the Mills Brothers
· Lonesome Lover Blues – From summer ’56, the A side was called “Voices” and was a bigger hit.
· I Understand – Not the G-Clefs’ song.
· If I Could Be With You