Who exactly would buy an album like this, aside from collectors of the obscure, is beyond me. Surely no one in the 1960s would have picked this up thinking they were getting the real Santo & Johnny, the duo behind the massive 1959 hit Sleepwalk.
And how does a company make money on something like this? Granted the uncredited musicians were probably paid a pittance, but those are real strings in there, so the session costs must have been fairly substantial. Then there are the costs of manufacturing and distribution. Royalty payments to composers were probably an afterthought.
In any case the results bear some resemblance to the real Santo & Johnny, and the album does have a version of Sleepwalk plus other tunes the duo recorded like Ebb Tide and Enchanted Sea.
Origins of the recording are obscure. The cassette I have is from Spain, on the Senn-Sound label, but the music appears to be licensed from a British company. The album was also released in Italy, where Santo & Johnny had a substantial following. There was a version on LP as well, but the track listing appears to have been slightly different.
The physical quality of the cassette is not the greatest and it appears to have been manufactured very cheaply, so bear that in mind when listening to the sample track, Lady Mary. I believe this is the same traditional tune recorded in the '60s by Joan Baez and The Seekers.
Lady Mary
Lady Mary and other tracks on Sounds Like Santo & Johnny No. 1 have interesting arrangements and I'd love to hear a good quality recording of the album. It apparently sold well enough because there was a No. 2, pictured in the 8-track version below. I have not heard it.
And finally, a taste of the real thing -- Santo & Johnny appearing on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall in 1959. They perform both Sleepwalk and the single's flip side, All Night Diner.
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