David Hess RIP

[elvisbot]

David Hess, best known for his role as a crazy slasher in the 1972 Wes Craven film "Last House on the Left" died unexpectedly at the age of 75.
How does that pertain to Elvis?
In the 1950's, he began his showbiz career as a songwriter and he wrote 2 songs for Elvis, one of them being "I Got Stung".
He also wrote Pat Boone's hit "Speedy Gonzalez"

[thefunkyangel]

Does ColinB know about this?

[drjohncarpenter]

David Hess, best known for his role as a crazy slasher in the 1972 Wes Craven film "Last House on the Left" died unexpectedly at the age of 75.
How does that pertain to Elvis?
In the 1950's, he began his showbiz career as a songwriter and he wrote 2 songs for Elvis, one of them being "I Got Stung".
He also wrote Pat Boone's hit "Speedy Gonzalez"

David Hess wrote at least three for Elvis Presley:

1958: "I Got Stung" (Aaron Schroeder, David Hill)
1965: "Come Along" (David Hess)
1965: "Sand Castles" (Herb Goldberg, David Hess)


As "David Hill" he also cut the first cover of "All Shook Up," issued about a month after Presley's RCA 45:


..

David Hill "All Shook Up" (Aladdin 3359, April 6, 1957)
Note prominent use of saxophone.



He released other pretty cool rock 'n' roll tunes under his stage name as well:


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David Hill "Keep Me In Mind" (RCA 7112, December 9, 1957)



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David Hill "That's Love" (RCA 7112, December 9, 1957)



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David Hill "Wild Child" (RCA 7181, March 3, 1958)



..

David Hill "Big Guitar" (RCA 7181, March 3, 1958)



For RCA in 1961, as "David Dante," he cut the original of this novelty number:

..

David Dante, "Speedy Gonzales" (RCA 7860, March 13, 1961)
In 1962, Pat Boone would hit #6 covering this Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee and David Hess tune.
RCA quickly reissued Dante's 45 as RCA 8056, but it still didn't chart.
Note the similarity, especially on the chorus, to the 1973 Elton John hit "Crocodile Rock"!



Among other songs in 1961, "David Dante" issued this pop single, the B-side a cute, original Jeff Barry, Ben Raleigh pop ballad:


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David Dante "See You In September" (RCA 7897, June 5, 1961)



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David Dante "I'm Getting Married" (RCA 7897, June 5, 1961)



Hess went on to have a varied and successful life in the entertainment business:


David Hess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hess


David Hess, Corte Madera songwriter and actor, dies at 75
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_19116641


R.I.P., David.

[TCB-FAN]

Does ColinB know about this?

[rickeap]

Thanks for the info and links.

David was truly menacing in the original Last House film (which was much more disturbing than the recent remake). He continued to make movies in recent years, mostly in the horror genre.
He was a talented man. RIP

[colonel snow]

David Hill recorded All shook up on 7 nov. 1956; note that Elvis is not mentioned as songwriter.

colonel snow

[greystoke]

Thanks for the info and links.

David was truly menacing in the original Last House film (which was much more disturbing than the recent remake). He continued to make movies in recent years, mostly in the horror genre.
He was a talented man. RIP

Yes, indeed -- along with Mario Bava's A Bay of Blood, Wes Craven's original Last House on the Left was pivotal in shaping the modern slasher film . . . It's one of Craven's and Sean S. Cunningham's finest moments, and Hess was very effective here, whilst his knowledge of the genre, and of popular music, is sound. I was at a screening of Last House on the Left at the Glasgow Film Theatre just over a year ago, where David participated in a Q&A after the film. He was entertaining, informative and seemed like a nice guy.

[George Smith]

'Sand Castles' may be just about the best original song Elvis recorded during his 2 year Hollywood holiday, in my opinion.

[drjohncarpenter]

David Hill recorded All shook up on 7 nov. 1956; note that Elvis is not mentioned as songwriter.

What is your source for this date? Both David Hess and Otis Blackwell were connected with the Shalimar Music publishing house, and it may well be that Otis got Hess, as "David Hill," to cut the track as a demo. In any event, after it found Elvis and was recorded by him the following January, Presley's management added his name to the credits prior to its release in March 1957. The David Hill single on Aladdin, his second for the label after releasing "Jelly Bean" at the end of 1956, followed in April.

'Sand Castles' may be just about the best original song Elvis recorded during his 2 year Hollywood holiday, in my opinion.

Indeed, the strict soundtrack diet Elvis followed for sessions between March 1964 and February 1966 resulted in scores of abysmal tunes. "Sand Castles" was not only well-sung by Elvis, but he actually cut it live with the rhythm section at the August 1965 sessions for "Paradise, Hawaiian Style," an aberration at that time.

"Sand Castles" was not a part of the July 1965 tracking sessions for the film, so perhaps it was a late submission. Lucky David Hess!

[colonel snow]

the recording date by David Hill can be found here:

http://www.originalsproject.us/index.html?s

Also to be find on other sources. It was recorded before the Elvis recorded his version otherwise his name should be mentioned as songwriter. With your explanation about the music publisher of David Hill and Otis Blackwell it is clear now.


colonel snow

[elvisalisellers]

'Sand Castles' may be just about the best original song Elvis recorded during his 2 year Hollywood holiday, in my opinion.

Fully agree George.... Moreover, there are some really nice electric guitar lead variants of Sand Castles that still remain unissued. And as with the likes of I Need Somebody To Lean On, Tender Feeling, I Slipped I Stumbled I Fell, Am I Ready, C'mon Everybody, All I Needed Was The Rain, Let's Forget About The Stars and others, it was yet another superior track that was criminally omitted at the expense of a lot of pure unadulterated pap, from the "essential" and highly questionable 1995 RCA/BMG release below.

[drjohncarpenter]

the recording date by David Hill can be found here:

http://www.originalsproject.us/index.html?s

Also to be find on other sources. It was recorded before the Elvis recorded his version otherwise his name should be mentioned as songwriter. With your explanation about the music publisher of David Hill and Otis Blackwell it is clear now.

It looks like a slightly better link for the Aladdin single is this one:
http://www.originalsproject.us/contents/i.html#AllShookUp

Too bad that site is misleading in its listing of the David Hill single. It does not make clear that Elvis' 1957 RCA single was the first release of "All Shook Up." Maybe I am once again the first to find and publish this information.

You should send them this link:
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64956&p=966712#p965875

[greystoke]

The Rough Guide to Elvis, by Paul Simpson, mentions two 1956 recordings of All Shook Up -- by David Hill, as mentioned; and by Vicki Young.

[colonel snow]

All shook up by Vicky Young seems to be another song.

colonel snow

[drjohncarpenter]

The Rough Guide to Elvis, by Paul Simpson, mentions two 1956 recordings of All Shook Up -- by David Hill, as mentioned; and by Vicki Young.

This is another error, as Vicki Young's single is a completely different song, a bouncy swing jazz number co-written by her husband at the time, drummer extraordinaire Hal Blaine:



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Vicki Young with Big Dave and His Orchestra "(I'm) All Shook Up" (Capitol 3425, May 12, 1956)
"(I'm) All Shook Up" (Bellman, Blaine) b/w Let There Be You (Young, Cavanaugh)

Billboard May 19 1956 p30.jpg

Billboard - May 19, 1956



It's also available on this terrific online blog:

Versión AC3 Mix #6 Swing, Jump Blues, Mambo & R&B - 1951-1962
http://www.dediscosymonstruos.com/blog/2011/10/2/mix-6-octubre-swing-jump-blues-mambo-rb-1951-1962.html

01. Buddy Greco - The Lady Is a Tramp 1960 / Epic 9387 US
02. Peggy Lee - Halleluja I Love Him So 1959 / Capitol 4189 US
03. Sarah Vaughan - Hey Naughty Papa 1955 / Mercury 70693 US
04. Dash & Dot - Dance With Me Henry 1961 / Skyla 1115 US
05. Joe Reisman & His Orchestra - Bo Diddley 1955 / RCA 6121 US
06. Johnny Otis Show - Telephone Baby 1959 / Capitol 4168 US
07. Dinah Washington - TV Is The Thing 1953 / Mercury 126030 HO
08. Kay Starr - Voodoo Man 1958 / RCA 7338 US
09. Billy May - Loop de Loop Mambo 1954 / Capitol 2948 US
10. Tex Williams - They Were Doing the Mambo 1954 / Bell 1057 US
11. Rosemary Clooney - Come On-A My House 1951 / Columbia 39647 US
12. Louis Prima - Oh Marie 1957 / Capitol 3-755 SP
13. Priscilla Wright - I Wanna Dance The Mambo Combo 1955 / Unique 303 US
14. Georgia Gibbs - Mambo Baby 1954 / Mercury 70437 US
15. Louis Jordan - Texarkana Twist 1962 / Tangerine 924 US
16. Ray Anthony - Tequila Twist 1962 / Capitol 4728 US
17. Joe Harnell - Fever 1961 / Medallion 604 US
18. Vicki Young - (I'm) All Shook Up 1956 / Capitol 3425 US
19. Ella Mae Morse - Honey Love 1954 / Capitol 2882 US
20. Julie London - It's Catchin' Up 1959 / Liberty 55182 US

Listen to Vicki's track (#18) by fast-forwarding to 37:19:
http://www.dediscosymonstruos.com/storage/posts/octubre/2011_10_02_mix/Mix_2011_10.mp3

Enjoy!

[elvis-fan]

Next to Pat Boone's stellar interpretation of the 1955 Little Richard classic Tutti Frutti, this is about the worst recording I've ever heard...

..

[drjohncarpenter]

Next to Pat Boone's stellar interpretation of the 1955 Little Richard classic Tutti Frutti, this is about the worst recording I've ever heard...

Hess recorded his version before Presley's, so the comparison is a bit unfair. There is also a strong possibility this is how his fellow songwriter at Shalimar Music, Otis Blackwell, envisioned his new song.

On the other hand, Boone took Richard's earth-shattering 1955 Specialty single and removed the gonads.

[JimmyCool]

Next to Pat Boone's stellar interpretation of the 1955 Little Richard classic Tutti Frutti, this is about the worst recording I've ever heard...

Hess recorded his version before Presley's, so the comparison is a bit unfair. There is also a strong possibility this is how his fellow songwriter at Shalimar Music, Otis Blackwell, envisioned his new song.

On the other hand, Boone took Richard's earth-shattering 1955 Specialty single and removed the gonads.

Otis Blackwell's version:
..

[Bodie]

'Sand Castles' may be just about the best original song Elvis recorded during his 2 year Hollywood holiday, in my opinion.

I agree with you on that.

One of my favourite Elvis recordings.

There is something magical about this song.

[drjohncarpenter]

Next to Pat Boone's stellar interpretation of the 1955 Little Richard classic Tutti Frutti, this is about the worst recording I've ever heard...

Hess recorded his version before Presley's, so the comparison is a bit unfair. There is also a strong possibility this is how his fellow songwriter at Shalimar Music, Otis Blackwell, envisioned his new song.

On the other hand, Boone took Richard's earth-shattering 1955 Specialty single and removed the gonads.

Otis Blackwell's version:

..

That is a 1960 recording of the song by Otis Blackwell, so it does not reveal his original intent, and so we cannot infer whether David Hess took anything from the original arrangement laid down by Otis.

Interestingly, the track incorporates some of Elvis' hit stylings. It was released in early 1961 on this MGM LP:

610220_MGM E 3912_We Wrote Em.JPG

V/A, We Wrote 'Em & We Sing 'Em! (MGM 3912, January 9, 1961)

Side 1
1. Otis Blackwell - All Shook Up
2. Eddie Cooley - Fever
3. Winfield Scott - Tweedlee Dee
4. Ollie Jones - Send For Me
5. Lincoln Chase - Jim Dandy
6. Billy Dawn (Smith) - The Angels Listened In

Side 2
1. Billy Dawn (Smith) - When I Saw You
2. Lincoln Chase - Hot Biscuits And Sweet Marie
3. Ollie Jones - Come On, Come On
4. Otis Blackwell - Music And Fire
5. Winfred Scott - Some Cold Night Now (That's All Right Now)
6. Eddie Cooley - Lay It On



Here's the Billboard review:

Billboard Feb 20 1961 p24.jpg

Billboard - February 20, 1961

[elvisbot]

it is amazing to me that, David Hess aka David Hill's musical career is a relatively unknown quantity, even amongst Elvis fans. Several die-hard Elvis fans i spoke to, actually thought that i was mistaken when i gave them this little tid-bit of information after reading Hess' obituary.
As a horror fan, it is also amazing that demand for Hess' work in horror films has been ongoing since his role in the 1972 "Last House on the Left"
At the time of his death, he was in posession of no less than four scripts for upcoming horror films he was to appear in. Including a sequel to the second most popular Hess movie "House at the Edge of the Park" where, of course, he played a psycho very similar to his "Last House" role.
i met Hess once, mentioned i was a fan of horror films. He asked me what other type of stuff i was interested in and i said "oldies rock and roll Music". His reaction was that he scrunched up his face a little, then changed the subject.
Perhaps...the rock n' roll biz did him no favors and that's why he abandoned it.

[Jove]

For me The Last House on the Left is "so bad it had to be good' sort of a film.

[likethebike]

It's one of the most divisive films ever made. Many critics feel it is repellent in its violence and embrace of that violence. Others feel it's an unflinching look at the ugliest edge of humanity. Roger Ebert gave it three and a half stars, but the Steven H. Scheuer Film Guide, for a long time a real rival to the Maltin book refused to provide even a half star rating, the only film to merit such a designation in the entire book. The contention was that the movie was so beneath contempt that even a half star was too much.

Thanks for posting Otis' version Jimmy and thanks for illuminating where and when it came from Dr. Carpenter. Otis may have been trying to set himself apart from Elvis' hit, but this version and the demos I've heard show that the idea that he copied every single nuance of Blackwell's style may be a wee bit exaggerated.

[elvis-fan]

Elvis' 1957 recording of All Shook Up IMO is one of the finest recordings in music history... and it's all Presley.

[Daryl]

'Sand Castles' may be just about the best original song Elvis recorded during his 2 year Hollywood holiday, in my opinion.

Agreed. Elvis' recording of "Sand Castles" has a very eerie Peter, Paul & Mary-esque feeling to it.