He sang this last Tuesday at the Delancey in New York City with Left Banke founding member the late George Cameron's daughter in the audience. It was a very emotional moment!
George Cameron, an original member of the Left Banke, who scored with their very first single - and biggest hit - in 1966 with “Walk Away Renée,” died on June 24, 2018 at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, of cancer. The announcement was made on the group’s Facebook page. Cameron was 70.
The Left Banke, described as a “baroque pop” group thanks, in part, to the flute solo in “Walk Away Renée,” were formed in New York City in 1965 by keyboardist Michael Brown, vocalist Steve Martin Caro, guitarist Tom Finn, drummer Warren David-Schierhorst and Cameron. Shortly thereafter, David-Schierhorst departed and Cameron replaced him on drums.
I saw Alan Merrill playing for free in Central Park, NYC a couple years ago. Hung around and talked with him and his lovely daughter after the show. Alan told me that he plays for the love of it, never has to work again due to the royalties he receives from "I Love Rock n Roll", which he wrote. Nice, genuine guy, who can really sing.
He also gets lots of royalties from songs he wrote for Lou Rawls, Rick Derringer, Freddie Scott, Felix Cavaliere, Tiny Tim, Runner, The Arrows, Vodka Collins, Phoenix, Catherine Howe and more. The guy is comfortable now.
Alan Merrill sang with the Jon Paris group at Central Park (The Mississippi Day Picnic) at least 6 summers in a row. He did Japan Day last year there in April. Busy guy!~
Sad to discover that all three of these guys have passed on. Their Wiki page suggests that their biggest success was as hosts of their own variety show on British TV, much like The Hudson Brothers were on U.S. TV at the same period of the mid-'70s.
Just found their EP on Amazon.....or *an* EP of some of their tracks, including this one. Cost me a small fortune, but I was happy to pay just to have this gorgeous song. RIP guys......keep rocking, wherever you are!!🥰🥰🥰
Today I've heard this song on the radio again !! Just driving to work on a Saturday!! "Radio-Voice" told me,that the original version is from "Left Bank", but she wanted to play the version of "The Arrows" !! Sorry,but she was right !! Prefer the version of "The Arrows" too !! Anyway its a huge song+track !!! Thanx for sharing !! Best Regards!! Will put it to my fav's at once !!!
The best known version, by the Four Tops, is a cover. It was originally by the Left Banke (whose 16 year-old keyboard player wrote most of it). Alan auditioned for the Left Banke when they were looking for an additional guitarist/singer and was successful but they broke up before he got to record/perform with them. As well as this version with the Arrows, he later recorded a solo version (very similar to this one other than some differences in phrasing and a more mature voice) that is also on here with a lovely animation video accompanying it. Such a sad loss. Such a lovely guy who didn't deserve his ghastly fate.
I love his strong husky voice. Always enjoyed Left Banke's version. But this is just as awesome. I wouldn't choose one vocalist over the other. Both are uniquely beautiful.
Mickie Most, the Arrows producer also recorded a version with Herman's Hermits in the 1960s that wasn't released until recently,Y2K. So he liked the song but was reluctant to release his productions of it. Pity because this could have been a hit for The Arrows.
Yeah, that typing in caps to make a point is obnoxious! Just because you type in caps doesn't make your opinion everybody's. I prefer this version to the Left Banke's.
By the next year, the teenagers had a #5 single on Billboard with “Walk Away Renée” on Smash Records. Brown co-wrote it, inspired when he became infatuated with Finn’s girlfriend, Renée Fladen. “Walk Away Renée” was released in July 1966 and reached #4 on Record World on Nov. 5.
The Arrows recorded and released the original version of "I Love Rock N Roll" a song they also wrote where Joan Jett wounds like the world's best Arrows tribute band. The circle of rock.
