The Duals

The Duals were only 2 guys. I don’t know if that’s why there were called The Duals. They both played guitar. I assume that either they got session men to help out, or they added band members. The story is not clear.

They didn’t do much aside from their one hit.

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The Duals:

• Stick Shift – Said to be the first hot rod song. Possibly. What they did here was this: they took an ordinary, serviceable but not stellar, instrumental, added car sounds, and gave it an automotive title. Voila. A hot rod record. From the fall of 1961. Their only hit.

José Jiménez

José Jiménez was not the only fictitious character that reached the top 40. There was The Archies, Ernie, Max Frost & The Troopers. And don’t forget Milli Vanilli. Ha. But they all came later.

José was comedian Bill Dana. He (either way you want to read him) was a one hit wonder, though he was a popular TV comedian for a while.

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José Jiménez:

• The Astronaut – A comedy shtick, not very funny by today’s standards. I don’t know funny it was back in the fall of 1961, when it reached #21 on Billboard. This was later in the year when Alan Shephard became the first American in space, but before John Glenn's historic flight. It is politically incorrect, but Dana actually acknowledged that in 1970, when he retired the character amid much fanfare.

Hayley Mills

Now there you go. I don’t know if she qualifies as a “teen idol,” (probably not) but her paucity of hit records is well explained by the fact that she was an actress, not a singer, and she made dozens of films, for Disney as a child / teen, then others as an adult.

She happened to have 2 hits.

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Hayley Mills:

• Let’s Get Together – Not to be confused with the Chet Powers song (aka Get Together). One listen to this and we know why she did not pursue a singing career. She makes Anette Funicello sound like Joan Sutherland. From the fall of 61. Trivia note: The artist credit on the single read “Hayley Mills and Hayley Mills,” presumably in reference to the double tracking of her voice.

Troy Shondell

I wonder how different my life would have been had my parents named me “Troy.” Come to think of it, I wonder how different Troy Shondell’s life would have been had his parents named him “Troy.” What they named him, in fact, was Gary.

Most of these teen idol types who only had one or two hits have the excuse that music was not their main career. They were movie stars. Think Tab Hunter. Shondell had no such excuse. He was not a movie star, and, good looks notwithstanding, he only had 2 records (3 songs) on the hot 100.

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Troy Shondell:

• This Time – A once-and-for-all breakup song. I hate to think of the real life drama going on behind the lyrics. “This time we’ve said way too much .” It would have happened at some point. From the fall of 1961.

October, 1961

• This Time - Troy Shondel
• Let's Get Together - Haley Mills
• Ya Ya - Lee Dorsey
• Bless You - Tony Orlando
• The Astronaut - Jose Jimenez
• The Way You Look Tonight - The Letternen
• Stick Shift - The Duals
• The Great Imposter - The Fleetwoods
• Gonna Build Me A Mountain - Matt Monro
• Human - Tommy Hunt
• The Time Has Come - Adam Faith
• Big Bad John / I Won't Go Huntin' With You Jake - Jimmy Dean
• I Love How You Love Me - The Paris Sisters
• Sad Movies - Sue Thompson
• Runaround Sue - Dion
• Footstompin' - The Flares
• Candy Man - Roy Orbison
• So Long Baby - Del Shannon
• Water Boy - Don Shirly Trio
• Under The Moon Of Love - Curtis Lee
• The Fly - Chubby Checker
• Sweets For My Sweet - The Drifters
• Don't Blame Me - The Everly Brothers
• Anybody But Me / Fool #1 - Brenda Lee
• The Savage - The Shadows
• He's My Dreamboat - Connie Francis
• I Understand - The G-Clefs
• Tower Of Strength - Gene McDaniels
• Big John - The Shirelles
• Tribute To Buddy Holly - Mike Berry
• I'm A Moody Guy - Shane Fenton & The Fentones
• You're The Reason - Bobby Edwards
• Your Last Goodbye - Floyd Cramer
• Young Boy Blues - Ben E King