OTHER 1964-1965 RECORDINGS
These are genuine Isley Brothers recordings that just don't seem to feature Hendrix. The tracks in question are "The Last Girl", "Looking For A Love", "Simon Says" & "Wild As A Tiger". The tracks were originally released on two singles (and later, in different mixes, on the "In The Beginning" -lp), and recorded in New York City during two sessions at times when Jimi was not a member of the Isley Brothers or even in New York City.
The Last Girl 45
The Isley Brothers recorded "The Last Girl" and "Looking For A Love" at Atlantic Studios in New York City on Wednesday 23 September 1964 3.
Ronald Isley, from the "In The Beginning" -lp liner notes:
"That tune on side two, 'The Last Girl', the one with the strings on it.. Rudy, Kelly, Jimi, Dionne Warwick and I did that. We all put it together. It was a lot of fun." 2
I can't hear any female vocals on these tracks. Jimi is not a member of the Isley Brothers at this point, in a postcard stamped five days after the date of the recording session Jimi says that he`s halfway through a 35 day tour so he wouldn`t have been in New York City on the day of the session:
Postcard to Al Hendrix, stamped Monday 28 September 1964 in Columbus, Ohio
(Postcard depicts Port Columbus airport):
" Dear Dad. I hope everything's fine. Well here I am again, traveling to diffrent places. I'm on a tour which lasts about 35 days we're about 1/2 through it now. We've been through all the cities in the midwest east & south I'll write soon Jimmy" 1
The US single was reviewed in Cash Box issue 5 December 1964 and Billboard issue 5 December 1964 suggesting a late November release date. The 45 had however been released in the UK already on 30 October 1964 (the date is listed on the labels of a Atlantic UK promo 45). The most likely explanation for this is that as the Isley Brothers were on tour in the UK in October - November 1964 the single was first released in the UK to coincide with the tour and was released in the USA after the tour when the band was back home.
Released in UK
Title: The Last Girl / Looking For A Love - 7" single
Composers:
The Last Girl - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Looking For A Love - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Release date: 30 October 1964 6
Label: Atlantic
Catalog number: AT.4010
Exists in 2 different versions:
- Stock copy
- Yellow label: "Demonstration Sample"
Stock copy:
Matrix A: on label: MSM.7083 on vinyl: 45-MSM-7083-IT
Matrix B: on label: MSM.7084 on vinyl: 45-MSM-7084-IT
Released in US
Title: The Last Girl / Looking For A Love - 7" single
Composers:
The Last Girl - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Looking For A Love - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Producer: A T-Neck Production
Release date: late November 1964 6
Label: Atlantic
Catalog number: 45-2263
The single was reviewed in the Cash Box 5 December 1964 issue:
Side A:
"The Isley Brothers seem sure to grab some spins with this extremely slow-moving, shuffle-beat blues ode about a guy who claims that he`s finally found that very special girl of his dreams. Eye it."
Side B:
"Raunchy, shufflin`traditional blues weeper."
And in Billboard, 5 December 1964:
"Big sound and emotional dramatic reading. The opus should register well both in the pop and r&b areas. Flip: "Looking for a Love""
SIMON SAYS 45
The Isley Brothers recorded "Simon Says" and "Wild As A Tiger" at Atlantic Studios in New York City Friday 29 January 1965. 3 Jimi was not involved as he was on tour with Little Richard at the time:
Thursday 28? January 1965 with Little Richard
Dallas, Texas
Jimi sends a postcard to Al Hendrix, stamped 28 January 1965 in Dallas, Texas (Postcard depicts the San Ann Motel in Dallas, Texas):
" Dearest Dad
Well - we just left Houston and we're now in Dallas. we'll play around here and Ft. Worth, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Louisiana for awhile, then we'll head for California - Little Richard left Seattle not too long ago - I wished I could've been with him then But we'll make it up there again soon. Tell Ben & Ernie that Houstons swinging, Jimmy" 5
Released in US
Title: Simon Says / Wild As A Tiger - 7" single
Composers:
Simon Says - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Wild As A Tiger - (O´Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley)
Producer: A T-Neck Production
Release date: late February / early March 1965 4
Label: Atlantic
Catalog number: 45-2277
The single is reviewed in the Cash Box 6 March 1965 issue:
"The Isley Bros. should find their way back to the pop charts with this powerful rock take-off on the children`s game. A strong multi-dance beat and a bevy of commercial gimmicks should create excitement with the rock set. The flip side is a fast-paced rocker in the "Shout" vein. Eye this deck carefully."
And in the 6 March 1965 issue of Billboard:
"Wailer based on the kids` game and incorporating all the pop dances. Flip: "Wild as a Tiger""
Exists in at least 3 different versions with stock copy and white label promo copy variations.
SOURCES
1 Reproduced in the book "Jimi Hendrix A Visual Documentary" by Tony Brown.
2 liner notes on the lp The Isley Brothers & Jimi Hendrix - In The Beginning (T Neck TNS 3007) USA 1971
3 Atlantic Records Discography Vols. 1 & 2 (compiled by Michel Ruppli)
4 the "Simon Says" 45 is reviewed as a new release in Billboard issue 6 March 1965 and in Cash Box issue 6 March 1965
5 Reproduced in Univibes #17. The date on the postal stamp is impossible to read in the small pic except for "JAN". The date is given as 28 January 1966 in Univibes but the card is clearly from 1965. Caesar Glebbeek of Univibes cleared this up via an email 28 December 2018: "The 1966 year error originates from Al Hendrix, he wrote the year "1966" on the postcard [next to the postal date stamping]. The year is VERY hard to read as that postal stamp ended up stamped slightly over Jimmy's writing. But it is indeed 1965 [the 8 cents for stamps also fit the period]."
6 the US single was reviewed in Cash Box issue 5 December 1964 and Billboard issue 5 December 1964 suggesting a late November release date. The 45 was released in the UK on 30 October 1964 (the date is listed on the labels of an Atlantic UK promo 45).