Tom & Jerrio/BOO-GA-LOO [[1965). FROM CHICAGO--BY WAY OF MOTWN? The Tune/The Tussle

[Methuselah2]

Reportedly the 1st tune to cash in on the boogaloo craze; and here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGr8vnbp65A

But who got the cash? From various sources, all I've really been able to glean about this great piece of music and recording is:

[[1) Tom & Jerrio were a singing/comedy duo from Chicago;
[[2) The song hit #11 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1965;
[[3) It was written by Jerrio; and
[[4) The duo made no money from the recording due to being sued by Berry Gordy who claimed copyright on it and a backing provided by The Funk Bros.

Regarding Item 4, can anyone corroborate, elaborate, or add any further clarification as to the course this recording took and the conclusion it reached? Or is that basically it? It's been one of my favorites since it was released, so anything you might know or have to say about it would be welcomed and greatly appreciated.

And if not, just sit back and enjoying listening to it. Especially if you're not familiar with it. As they often said where I come from: "It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it. I give it a 98."

[theboyfromxtown]

Methuselah2

Listen to the extract for Do The See Saw and decide for yourself

http://acerecords.co.uk/dance-with-the-contours

[Methuselah2]

Tbfxt - Holy smokes! DO THE SEE SAW and BOO-GA-LOO sure sound the same to me. With different lyrics, naturally. I couldn't get your link to work nor find SEE SAW on YouTube but I was able to locate a brief sample via a Google search. And it was more than enough to hear the match of the two tunes.

What a discovery on your part! According to a SDF thread from 2011, all of the material on The Contours' CD DANCE WITH THE CONTOURS--that includes SEE SAW--was recorded in 1963-4. And according to another site, SEE SAW was written by Billy Gordon and Sylvester Potts.

So now, the questions get complicated:

Was DO THE SEE SAW originally written by Gordon and Potts prior to BOO-GA-LOO that's shown in 1965 as being written by Jerrio?
Or was BOO-GA-LOO originally written by Jerrio long before its 1965 release? And if so, how did Motown get it and use it for The Contours?

Is it a variation of an age-old question: What came first--the SEE SAW or the BOO?

Well, it would certainly seem that the question was answered through the legal system when Gordy sued Tom & Jerrio, and then Tom & Jerrio ended up making no money from their hit version. I don't have all the facts but that's where this all seems to point, doesn't it?

Tbfxt, what a connection you uncovered. WOW. And thank you.

[jsmith]

With something that got as popular as the Boogaloo, you'd think that its origins are well documented.
BUT ..... there is still a big dispute as to whether the sound originated in Chicago with a new 'dance' in the mid 60's
... OR .... if the musical style came out of the fusion of black & Latino teenagers musical preferences in New York at the beginning of the 60's that was picked up on & developed by local Latin jazz musicians.

[Methuselah2]

Jsmith - That's a really interesting aspect that you bring up. Hard to figure sometimes why something will garner attention and another thing barely any attention at all. As you say, the popularity of the Boogaloo in the 60s would seem to have warranted its origins being much more fully documented. And the fact that Tom & Jerrio's BOO-GA-LOO was the first song to get in on the dance craze--and be a hit, as well--and become entangled in a copyright issue with Motown, a company that was in full force and effect--well, I would have expected that in itself to have received a fair bit of attention. Regarding the origins of the Boogaloo musically and culturally, I see that there does seem to be one very well-respected source considered insightful and comprehensive in its coverage and analysis of the issue: Arthur Kempton's book titled BOOGALOO: THE QUINTESSENCE OF AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC. I'm adding it to my list of things to read.

[marv2]

I thought the first was "Boo-ga-loo Down Broadway".

[Methuselah2]

The Fantastic Johnny C's BROADWAY song was actually about two years later. But it certainly had a nice round of popularity of its own, Marv.

[marv2]

The Fantastic Johnny C's BROADWAY song was actually about two years later. But it certainly had a nice round of popularity of its own, Marv.

Thanks Methuselah. I can remember doing the dance ,but when it started I can't really remember. Sometime in the mid to late sixties is all I know.

[jsmith]

Methuselah2 , I didn't know about that book.
I have just ordered a [[cheap) copy from Amazon UK.
Thanks for the pointer.

[marv2]

Here is some very interesting info on Jerry Murray and his career:

http://chancellorofsoul.com/jerryo.html

[Roger Polhill]

Tom & Jerrio performed "Do The Boogaloo" on Swingin` Time on the 10th. September 1966.
Copies can be bought from Eileen Glick at Detroit Memories.

[Methuselah2]

Marv & Roger - Thank you both so much for the info. Greatly appreciated.

And Jsmith - Hope you enjoy the book. From everything I've just recently heard about it, it sounds awfully worthwhile.

[144man]

It says in the sleeve-notes to "Dance With the Contours" that, when Andre Williams left Motown, he took the backing track to the unreleased "Do the See Saw" with him.

[Methuselah2]

144man - That is quite a tidbit! Thanks so much for passing it on. It may be a real chunk of the puzzle as to how SEE SAW moved on from there. Really interesting. Your mention of Williams had me see that he co-wrote The Five Du-Tones' classic SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER. Probably old news to many but a new piece of news to me.

[jsmith]

Jerry O might have faded away in the early 70's ... BUT .... he was going strong down in Miami as 1969 came to an end .....
...... though he seemed to have stopped doing his Boo-Ga-Loo songs and was building his stage show by then around his take on songs like "Tramp" & "There Was A Time" ...

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