Yeh Yeh by Georgie Fame

Album: Yeh Yeh (1965)

Charted: 1 21

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This song hit #1 in UK due to heavy airplay at Radio Caroline, a pirate radio station broadcasting from ships in international waters that was formed for the expressed purpose of playing this.
In the US, this was featured in a Chrysler commercial.
Georgie Fame's real name: Clive Powell. In 1960 Powell had his name changed by his manager Larry Parnes to Georgie Fame, and was then put in charge of Billy Fury's backing band, the Famous Flames (not to be confused with James Brown's first group). He was 17 at the time.
Georgie Fame (from 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh): "It was recorded originally by Mongo Santamaria. Jon Hendricks put lyrics to it and recorded it live at The Newport Jazz Festival. I played it up and down the country for months before we recorded it. We were wondering what to do as a single and somebody said, 'Why don't you do 'Yeh Yeh?' and it went down well."
Georgie Fame went on to have several more Top 20 hits in the UK through the rest of the 1960s, including two more #1s: "Get Away" and "Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde."

Comments: 6

Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 30th 1965, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames performed "Yeh, Yeh" on the ABC-TV program 'Shindig!'...
Ten months earlier on February 7th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on March 21st, 1965 it peaked at #21 (for 1 week) and spent 8 weeks on the Top 100...
And on January 14th, 1965 it reached #1 (for 2 weeks) on the United Kingdom Singles chart...
It was first recorded by Mongo Santamaría and appeared on 1963 album 'Watermelon Man'...
R.I.P. Jimmy O'Neill (Shindig's host, 1940 - 2013) and Mr. Fame, born Clive Powell, will celebrated his 71st birthday come next June 26th.
Daevid from Glendale, CaOh----i forgot to mention...the sax solo is the Best part!
Daevid from Glendale, CaI LOVE this song! it's got that great "beatnik" groove to it.
Bob from Southfield, MiWhen this song came out in 1965, I recall that his group was titled, "The Blue Flames".
Kevin from Syracuse, UtI heard Georgie Fame perform this in a small 18th Century theater in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, in 1987. It was a charity benefit concert and I had a front row seat. Most of the set was just Georgie Fame playing a well-worn Fender electric piano and singing. I will tell you, he put on a great show. He is an amazing musician.
Frank from Westminster, ScAny truth to the rumor that after this song, he changed his name to Georgie Obscurity?

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