#9: Heartaches by Clyde McPhatter

City: Dauphin, MB
Radio Station: CKDM
Peak Month: August 1957
Peak Position in Dauphin ~ #8
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Heartaches”
Lyrics: “Heartaches”

Clyde McPhatter was born in the historic African-American district of Hayti in Durham, North Carolina, on November 15, 1932. Starting at the age of five, he sang in his father’s Baptist church gospel choir along with his three brothers and three sisters. When he was 10, Clyde was the soprano-voiced soloist for the choir. When his family moved to Harlem after he graduated, Clyde formed a gospel group, the Mount Lebanon Singers. In 1950, after winning the coveted Amateur Night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater contest, McPhatter returned to his job as a grocery store manager. He was discovered singing the choir in the Holiness Baptist Church of New York City by Billy Ward of Billy Ward and his Dominoes and was recruited into the group.

McPhatter was present for the Dominoes 1951 recording of “Sixty Minute Man”. The single topped the R&B charts in the USA for 14 consecutive weeks, and crossed over to the pop charts where it climbed to #17. Clyde McPhatter’s tenor vocals were a strong influence on other singers including Sammy Turner, Marv Johnson, Smokey Robinson and Ben E. King. In Bill Millar’s book, The Drifters, the author states “McPhatter took hold of the Ink Spots’ simple major chord harmonies, drenched them in call-and-response patterns, and sang as if he were back in church. In doing so, he created a revolutionary musical style from which—thankfully—popular music will never recover.”

Clyde McPhatter remained with Billy Ward and his Dominoes for their number-one hit in 1952, “Have Mercy Baby”. The single topped the Cashbox R&B chart for a dozen weeks. It was based on the gospel tune “Have Mercy Jesus”. Late in ’52, McPhatter took the lead on the Dominoes single “The Bells”, which reached #3 on the R&B chart in early 1953. Later that year, McPhatter was on the Dominoes recording of “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)”, which peaked on the R&B chart at #1.

As a member of the Dominoes, McPhatter did not earn much money. Billy Ward paid him $100 a week, minus deductions for food, taxes, motel bills, etc. In an interview in 1971, McPhatter told journalist Marcia Vance, “whenever I’d get back on the block where everybody’d heard my records—half the time I couldn’t afford a Coca-Cola.” Clyde McPhatter left the Dominoes on May 7, 1953.

In June 1953, he was approached by Atlantic Records executives and signed to the label. A group was formed called the Drifters, featuring Clyde McPhatter. On November 14, 1953, “Money Honey” cracked the Top Ten on the Cashbox and Billboard R&B charts. The following week it began an eleven-week run on the top of the R&B chart. Next, the Drifters released “Lucille” which reached #7 on the US R&B chart. However, the B-side “Such A Night” climbed to #2 despite being banned by some radio stations as too “racy.” It was kept out of the number-one position by Roy Hamilton’s single “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. In the summer of ’54, “Honey Love” was a number-one hit for Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters for seven consecutive weeks. In the winter of 1954-55, the group covered the Bing Crosby chestnut, “White Christmas”, which reached #2 on the Billboard R&B chart.

In late 1954, McPhatter was inducted into the U.S. Army and assigned to Special Services in the continental United States, which allowed him to continue recording. After his tour of duty, he left the Drifters and launched a solo career.

In 1955, McPhatter recorded a duet with Ruth Brown titled “Love Has Joined Us Together” which peaked at #8 on the R&B charts. The following year, “Seven Days” climbed to #2 and “Treasure Of Love” reached the number-one spot. In 1957, Clyde McPhatter had a #4 hit on the R&B chart titled “Without Love (There Is Nothing)”. It was successfully covered by Tom Jones in 1969 and became an international Top 5 hit. A follow up was “Just Hold My Hand”, which peaked at #6. A third single, “Long Lonely Nights” was a cover of Lee Andrews and the Hearts original. Both versions were wrestled for attention of DJs across the USA. Lee Andrews and the Hearts original version climbed to #45 on the Billboard pop chart, and #11 on the Most Played by R&B Jockeys list. While Clyde McPhatter’s “Long Lonely Nights” reached #49 on the Billboard pop chart, and number-one on the Most Played R&B by Jockeys survey, and #9 on Billboard‘s chart of R&B Best Sellers in Stores. The single was also covered by traditional pop singer Kitty Kallen, whose version climbed to #33 on the Billboard pop chart.

“Heartaches” was the B-side to “Long Lonely Nights”. It was given a spin by DJs in Dauphin, Manitoba.

“Heartaches” was cowritten by Al Hoffman and John Klenner. Hoffman was born in 1902 in Minsk, Russian Empire. (Minsk is currently the capital of Belarus). At the age of six, his Jewish family moved to Seattle. After high school, Hoffman formed a band and learned drums, moving to New York City in 1928. In addition to playing in clubs, Hoffman sold bagels door-to-door on Broadway. The first hit he penned was with a Top 20 hit in 1930 titled”On A Blue and Moonless Night” by Wayne King and His Orchestra. This was followed by a #12 hit in 1931 for Guy Lombardo titled “Heartaches”, which was later a #1 hit in 1947 for Ted Weems, and a Top Ten hit in 1961 for The Marcels.

Hoffman penned numerous Top Ten hits including “I Apologize” by Bing Crosby, and “Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear” by Jack Denny (1931); “Fit As A Fiddle” by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians (1932); “I Saw Stars” a number-one hit with Freddy Martin and His Orchestra, and “Little Man, You’ve Had A Busy Day” by Emil Coleman & His Orchestra (1934); “She Shall Have Music” by Bud Gluskin & His Orchestra (1936); “I’m In A Dancing Mood” by both Russ Morgan, and Tommy Dorsey (1936); “I Ups to Her and She Ups to Me” by Guy Lombardo (1939); “Close To You” by Frank Sinatra (1943); “Mairzy Doats” by The Merry Macs, and the Pied Pipers (1944); “I’m A Big Girl Now” which was a number-one hit in 1945 for Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye; “Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba” which was a number-one hit for Perry Como in 1946; “There’s No Tomorrow” by Tony Martin (1949); “If I Knew You Were Coming (I’d’ve baked a cake)” which was a number-one hit for Eileen Barton in 1950; and “One Finger Melody” for Frank Sinatra in 1951.

Al Hoffman also wrote the novelty tune, “Everything Stops For Tea”, sung by Jack Buchanan in the 1935 British film Come Out of the Pantry. He also wrote the ear-worm novelty tune in “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” for the animated 1950 movie Cinderella. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1951.

Al Hoffman and Dick Manning started working together, and 1952 wrote a #7 hit for Pearl Bailey titled “Takes Two to Tango”. There other notable hits the songwriting team wrote include “Papa Loves Mambo” by Perry Como (1954); “Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)” by David Whitfield (UK – 1954); “Gilly Gill Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea” by Max Bygraves (UK – 1954); “Hot Diggity” by Perry Como (1956); “Allegheny Moon” by Patti Page (1956); “Oh-Oh! I’m Falling In Love Again” by Jimmie Rodgers (1958); “Secretly” by Jimmie Rodgers (1958); “Are You Mine” by Jimmie Rodgers (1958); “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” by Andy Williams (1959); and “O Dio Mio” by Annette (1960). Al Hoffman died at the age of 57 in 1960 of prostate cancer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.

John Klenner was born in Germany in 1899. He used his training in piano and composition to write a number of classical compositions as well as the music and/or lyrics for dozens of popular songs. In jazz circles Klenner is best known for the song “Just Friends”, a Top 20 hit for Russ Columbo in 1931. His first hit record was “Japansy”, a #16 hit for Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians in 1928. In 1929, “Lonely Troubadour” was a #2 hit for Rudy Vallée and His Connecticut Yankees, and a #3 hit for bandleader Ted Lewis.

Other Klenner songs include “Down the River of Golden Dreams” for Will Osbourne and his Orchestra in 1930, “Round the Bend of the Road” by Paul Robeson in 1932, “On the Street of Regret” By Connie Boswell, Eddy Duchin, and also Sammy Kaye, in 1942; And “Smoke Dreams” for Jo Stafford in 1947. John Klenner died at age 56 in 1955.

“Heartaches” was a #12 hit for Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians in 1931. The song was also covered that year by Jack Hylton and his Orchestra, Sid Phillips and his Melodians, Jack Leon and His Band, Joe Morgan & His Palais D’ Or Orchestra, and Will Osbourne and His Orchestra. A 1938 cover by Ted Weems and His Orchestra was rediscovered in 1947, and became a number-one hit record. Harry James and His Orchestra had a #4 hit with the song. And both covers by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and by Eddy Howard, climbed to #11 in 1947. In 1961, the Marcels had a #7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Heartaches”. The song has also been covered by Patsy Cline,  Frankie Laine, the Four Aces, Connie Francis, Pat Boone, and Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen.

“Heartaches” opens with these lines:
Heartaches, heartaches.
My loving you meant only heartaches.
Your kiss was such a sacred thing to me.
I can’t believe it’s just a burning memory….
I should be happy with someone new,
but my heart aches for you…

In 1963, comedian Allan Sherman released his album My Son the Nut. It was on the Billboard 200 album chart for 140 weeks, and topped the chart from August 31 to October 25, 1963. One of the tracks from the album was a spoof on “Heartaches” titled “Headaches” (“Headaches, headaches. Aspirin commercials give me headaches. Just when I’m feeling chipper as you please, that’s when they show me all my sinus cavities.”)

“Heartaches” by Clyde McPhatter peaked at #8 in Dauphin (MB) in August 1957.

In 1958, Clyde McPhatter was still a hot seller on the R&B circuit. “Come What May” climbed to #3 and “A Lover’s Question” topped the R&B charts for three weeks on the Cashbox Rhythm and Blues Top 50 in December ’58. The single also climbed to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. He left Atlantic Records and signed with MGM, managing to crack the Top 20 on four occasions in 1959. He switched labels again in 1960 and had a #7 hit titled “Ta Ta” on the Mercury label.

In 1962, Clyde McPhatter released his last notable hit single, “Lover Please”. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #3 for three weeks on the Cashbox Top 50 in R&B locations survey. In January 1964, McPhatter had one last Top Ten hit on the Billboard R&B chart with “Deep in the Heart of Harlem”. His final charting single was in 1965 with “Crying Won’t Help You Now”, which reached #22 on the R&B charts. This was his last effort on the Mercury label.

In 1966, Clyde McPhatter moved over to Amy Records. But the five non-album singles he released were not commercially successful. Between 1968 and 1970, he released five more singles variously on the Deram, B&C and Decca Record labels. But again he got passed over by both DJs and record buyers. In 1968, he moved to the UK where there was still an interest in his recordings from the early rock era.

McPhatter returned to the U.S. in 1970, making a few appearances in rock-and-roll revival tours, but lived mostly as a recluse. Hopes for a major comeback with a Decca album were crushed on June 13, 1972, when he died in his sleep at the age of 39, of complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse – behavior fueled by a failed career and resentment he harbored towards the fans he felt deserted him. In his interview with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter said, “I have no fans.” He died at 1165 East 229th Street, in the Bronx, where he had been living with Bertha M. Reid. They were traveling together as he tried to make a comeback.

At the time of his death, Clyde McPhatter had one daughter, Deborah L. McPhatter, born in April 1953. Ruth Brown acknowledged in her later years that McPhatter was the father of her son Ronald, born in 1954. Ron now tours with his own group named after his father – Clyde McPhatter’s Drifters.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1993 the United States Postal Service issued a stamp in McPhatter’s honor. The original Drifters, including Clyde McPhatter, were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. The song “Money Honey” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

In October 2020, Clyde McPhatter’s exhibit opened in the North Carolina Museum of History, named “The Beach Music Exhibit”. This exhibit was completed with interviews and memorabilia supplied by his daughter Deborah, board chair of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. And in 2022, Rolling Stone ranked Clyde McPhatter as #99 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

September 4, 2024
Ray McGinnis

References:
Johan Ramekers, “Clyde McPhatter 6/1972,” rockandrollparadise.com, October 21, 2016.
“Clyde L. M’Phatter,” New York Times, June 15, 1972.
“Al Hoffman – His “Mairzy Doats” was a national craze,” Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1984.
Allan Sherman, “Headaches“, My Son the Nut, 1963.
Linda Hillshafer, “Stories of Standards—”Just Friends” KUVO 89.3 FM, Denver, CO.

CKDM -AM Dauphin (MB) Top Ten | August 10, 1957