Can't Get Enough Of You Baby

Was out somewhere the other day and heard this song playing, the recording done by the California band Smash Mouth in 1999. I was looking for a short subject quickie for this blog and that seemed like a good fit. 

Can't Get Enough Of You Baby was written in 1965 by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, two guys who mainly worked with musician/writer/producer Bob Gaudio and producer/writer Bob Crewe. Gaudio was a member of the Four Seasons and also wrote many of their big hits. Randell originally joined the production team as an arranger and eventually joined up with lyricist Linzer to write or co-write songs such as Working My Way Back To You, Let's Hang On, Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'bout Me). In 1965 they were assigned a new project of writing/producing for a new act, a trio of young ladies from Queens, New York City, called The Toys. Their first hit, A Lover's Concerto, came in Autumn 1965 and was followed up by the song Attack.

In January 1966, three different recordings of Can't Get Enough Of You Baby were released. The first by The Toys and it also found its way onto the Four Seasons LP Working My Way Back To You and also was released on a single by Sue Darby.  

 The Toys

 

The Four Seasons

 

 Sue Darby

I don't know much about this Sue Darby record (other than it's very good!) but I think she might be the same Sue Darby out of Dayton, Ohio that was in the Mark V in the mid-60's and also in the Green Lyte Sunday in the late 60's/early 70's. I seem to have read once that in between those two bands she went to Vegas to try to establish a solo career, so the timing would be right. It was her sole release on ABC. Green Lyte Sunday had a LP in 1970 that received airplay on many FM stations. It was never re-released in any form but if you search youtube for Green Lyte Sunday you can listen to about 5 or 6 of the 10 tracks on the LP. Sue has an excellent voice.

? & The Mysterians were out of Michigan and had a massive hit in the summer of 1966 with 96 Tears. That autumn they followed up 96 Tears with I Need Somebody and in early winter 1967 they issued their recording of Can't Get Enough Of You Baby. It was only a minor hit, but of the 4 releases between January 1966 and January 1967 it was the biggest hit. Rudy Martinez was the lead singer and his vocal performance was nothing special, but what made the "sound" of ? & The Mysterians was the Vox organ playing of 14 year old Frank Rodriguez and that set their recording apart from the others and inspired the hit cover versions by Britain's The Colour Field in 1985 and Smash Mouth in 1999.

 

? & The Mysterians

In 1967 legendary session drummer Sandy Nelson closed out his LP The Beat Goes On with Can't Get Enough Of You Baby, but I don't have it. It's never been re-issued but original pressings can be easily found on ebay.

About 18 years later UK band The Colour Field found inspiration in the ? & The Mysterians recording and had a hit with it themselves.

 

The Colour Field

...and in 1999 Smash Mouth did the same. Not sure if they took their inspiration from The Colour Field recording or ? & The Mysterians.