In 1965 the Radiants said that "IT AIN'T NO BIG THING" but I beg to differ ...........

Their version of the song made the R&B Top 20 (& the bottom of the Pop Hot 100) in early summer 65 ... but it was the impact of the song after that that really impressed me. It became just about one of the most recorded songs back in the day ... I know of versions by the Tempests, Electrons (which escaped on Shock & Date), Calvin Lindsey & Hysterics, Spontanes, Wingtips, Cotillions, Scotty Todd, Embers, Steve Jordan, Bill Murphy + 1, Ricky Vee & Stardusters ... AND OF COURSE the version that I first got familiar with back in 66 from Jimmy James & the Vagabonds.

Are there any other versions of it out there (perhaps cut by none US singers / groups) ??  

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by Roburt

Little jr Jesse & Teardrops did a version on Dynamics

The original version .... 

 

Thanks for the info ....    

 

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by Roburt

Not a bad offering.

Of course, this song ain't to be confused with Patrick Adam's similar effort ....

 

AND another version of the 2nd song ... 

 

Back to the Radiant's number & yet another version ... the Catalinas ...

 

The Tempests - Ain't No Big Thing....(already mentioned).....

 

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by Steve S 60

the sparks did a version on bell

 

flip side to the sparks is also a fantastic soul record.

The Yum Yums disagree.....

 

36 minutes ago, Roburt said:

Back to the Radiant's number & yet another version ... the Catalinas ...

 

Wasn't the Catalinas version an 80's/90's Beach Music type release as opposed to a 60's thing ?, I have it somewhere around the place.

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by Kegsy

The Sapphires agree with the Yum Yums

 

BTW- Little Joe & The Latinaires, Ralfi Pagan & Van McCoy all did versions of 'Ain't No Big Thing' and later Rainbow Brown had a song of the same name that is likely to be the Donna McGee one (I'll check when I have time).

 

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by ThinkSmart

A good version by The Jordan Brothers that Rob Marriott used to play out.

a great take on it all...

Bill Murphy Plus One - Ain't No Big Thing - Martin records

 

9 minutes ago, mike said:

a great take on it all...

Bill Murphy Plus One - Ain't No Big Thing - Martin records

 

ahh just seen the above was already mentioned in first post

but does leads to this one.. on Hit Records

Fabulous Flares ‎– Ain't No Big Thing

 

53 minutes ago, mike said:

ahh just seen the above was already mentioned in first post

but does leads to this one.. on Hit Records

Fabulous Flares ‎– Ain't No Big Thing

 

Girl group could have been re-named the Singing Along Teen Brats and song re-credited 'Say Wah ? My thang ain't big ? B*tch !' with "lumpy arms" in session as drummer.

LOL ! No wonder I still don't dare to listen to those budget "Hit" releases records. Thanks for sharing Mike 'huh'.

Every now and then a song gets so many contemporary covers (imagine how many college band sung it live unrecorded...) for whatever reasons.

My guess is that this one must have been big with the teens as it remained a "classic evergreen" through the late sixties in the USA.

But at least the Radiants (still my favorite version) 'it ain't no big thing' did cash some on it. Finally still better such a cover than 'yesterday' or other songs we try to escape from even when sung by the original artists...

Edited July 12, 20177 yr by tlscapital

Most of the cover versions of this seem to come from the Carolinas and surrounding areas. The Radiants original presumably made a larger impression there than in other markets. It must have become a standard in the live sets of practically every Beach Music act.

Must say I love the Scotty Todd reading and consider it to be one of the very best genuine Blue Eyed Soul 45s of the classic era. Both the topside and the ballad flip—a version of The Magnificent Men's "Cry With Me Baby"—are absolutely top notch with superior arrangements and the most credible of white soul vocals.

 

3 hours ago, chalky said:

A good version by The Jordan Brothers that Rob Marriott used to play out.

Thanks for that Chalky, been wracking my brains for ages trying to remember which version it was that Rob played!

Jimmy James for me!

As mentioned already, this is a great double sider...another i let go

 

Embers is the one in my box that gets most play

 

 

On 12/07/2017 at 12:22, garethx said:

Most of the cover versions of this seem to come from the Carolinas and surrounding areas. The Radiants original presumably made a larger impression there than in other markets. It must have become a standard in the live sets of practically every Beach Music act.

Must say I love the Scotty Todd reading and consider it to be one of the very best genuine Blue Eyed Soul 45s of the classic era. Both the topside and the ballad flip—a version of The Magnificent Men's "Cry With Me Baby"—are absolutely top notch with superior arrangements and the most credible of white soul vocals.

 

Can I echo this, spot on post here re Scotty Todd. Certainly a staple part of a vast number of 60s Carolina / Va bands live and recording repertoire (Todd, Spontanes, Embers, Tempests etc). No doubt due to local plugging of the Radiants by local stations like Big Ways / similar or Nashville's WLAC. 

 

Edited July 19, 20177 yr by Windlesoul

The Radiants 45 was released (& promoted) at the same time as two other Chess 45's ... the Knight Brothers & James Phelps biggest outings.

It seems that, sales wise / radio tip / trade mag tip wise, the other two 45's did better at the time (in both R&B and pop chart terms). It's not that easy to find relevant radio stn charts from that period (around May 65), but again it seems that in many areas, the other two 45's featured more on radio stn charts back then too.

So just maybe, the Radiants song was more of a club hit than a radio / chart success and it was this that spawned all the cover versions.  

 

6 minutes ago, Roburt said:

...It seems that, sales wise / radio tip / trade mag tip wise, the other two 45's did better at the time (in both R&B and pop chart terms)...

Don't know about less air-play action for the Radiants but by the number of copies I have seen on USA and foreign releases through the decades, I'd have thought the other way around.

With the less HIT/sales for the Knight Brothers, then James Phelps and finally the Radiants. But I'm always happy to be proven wrong.

On 19/07/2017 at 11:54, Windlesoul said:

Can I echo this, spot on post here re Scotty Todd. Certainly a staple part of a vast number of 60s Carolina / Va bands live and recording repertoire (Todd, Spontanes, Embers, Tempests etc). No doubt due to local plugging of the Radiants by local stations like Big Ways / similar or Nashville's WLAC. 

 

The Spontanes version is on the flip side of their northern play "Where did I go wrong"

US CHART POSITIONS .......

The Radiants            HIGHEST R&B CHART   # 14    ON CHART FOR   6 weeks     POP CHART    #91

James Phelps           HIGHEST R&B CHART     #12    ON CHART FOR   7 weeks      POP CHART  #66

Knight Brothers      HIGHEST R&B CHART      #12    ON CHART FOR   8 weeks      POP CHART  #70

 

3 hours ago, Roburt said:

US CHART POSITIONS .......

The Radiants            HIGHEST R&B CHART   # 14    ON CHART FOR   6 weeks     POP CHART    #91

James Phelps           HIGHEST R&B CHART     #12    ON CHART FOR   7 weeks      POP CHART  #66

Knight Brothers      HIGHEST R&B CHART      #12    ON CHART FOR   8 weeks      POP CHART  #70

See I got it all wrong. Not by far though. None made the TOP 50 still ! Thanks for pointing that to me out.

On 7/12/2017 at 12:22, garethx said:

Most of the cover versions of this seem to come from the Carolinas and surrounding areas. The Radiants original presumably made a larger impression there than in other markets. It must have become a standard in the live sets of practically every Beach Music act.

Must say I love the Scotty Todd reading and consider it to be one of the very best genuine Blue Eyed Soul 45s of the classic era. Both the topside and the ballad flip—a version of The Magnificent Men's "Cry With Me Baby"—are absolutely top notch with superior arrangements and the most credible of white soul vocals.

 

Agreed, most of the covers I have run by are Carolina's based, William Dell( with a D) also cut a version on Staceys golden wax. The artist sounds black to me, but can't be sure. Has anybody else had anything else by this guy or know anything about him as a recording artist?

Andy 

9 hours ago, Roburt said:

The Radiants 45 was released (& promoted) at the same time as two other Chess 45's ... the Knight Brothers & James Phelps biggest outings.

It seems that, sales wise / radio tip / trade mag tip wise, the other two 45's did better at the time (in both R&B and pop chart terms). It's not that easy to find relevant radio stn charts from that period (around May 65), but again it seems that in many areas, the other two 45's featured more on radio stn charts back then too.

So just maybe, the Radiants song was more of a club hit than a radio / chart success and it was this that spawned all the cover versions.  

 

Can you imagine walking into a record store that week thinking "I only have enough cash to buy 3 45s......."

Cheers Paul

PS Radiants version for me all day/night long

21 hours ago, soul shrews said:

Can you imagine walking into a record store that week thinking "I only have enough cash to buy 3 45s......."

Cheers Paul

PS Radiants version for me all day/night long

Yes totally, but there is no Knight Bros 'tempta'chun' on Artone (Chess) ... What do I do ?

On 21/07/2017 at 13:23, SHSDave said:

The Spontanes version is on the flip side of their northern play "Where did I go wrong"

Also on their 60s released Hit LP  track listing in the story here:

https://a-nickel-and-a-nail.myshopify.com/blogs/news/the-spontanes-e-mark-windle

 

 

Edited July 22, 20177 yr by Windlesoul

Not the best version, but for completeness, the Spontanes reunion version (also included the link for the flipside)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U46PnN6GMc

 

Edited July 22, 20177 yr by Windlesoul

interesting, some versions credit gerald sims as writer and others credit maurice mcalister