Tell Him No
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| "Tell Him No" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Travis and Bob | |
| B-side | "We're Too Young" |
| Released | March 9, 1959 |
| Length | 2:05 |
| Label | Sandy |
| Songwriter(s) | Travis Pritchett |
"Tell Him No" is a 1959 song by Travis and Bob and was the only Top 40 hit for the duo in the United States while peaking at #1 in Canada and the Netherlands. The song also reached #1 in the Netherlands with cover versions by Dean and Marc, The Mudlarks and The Fouryo's.
Background[edit]
"Tell Him No" was written about a boy telling a girl to watch out for another boy interested in her.[1]
Recording[edit]
"Tell Him No" was planned to be the B-side for Travis and Bob's cover of "All I Have to Do Is Dream" by The Everly Brothers. However, after performing for record producer Henry Bailey in Mobile, Alabama, the duo were offered a record deal. Travis and Bob recorded the track in Gulfport, Mississippi for Sandy Records.[2]
Acquisition[edit]
In March 1959, Dot Records bought the distribution rights for "Tell Him No" from Sandy Records for $12,000. Cameo Records and Liberty Records also competed for the rights of the single.[3]
Reception[edit]
Billboard predicted Travis and Bob's version of "Tell Him No" would become a future hit.[4]
Chart performance[edit]
In the United States, Travis and Bob's version of "Tell Him No" charted at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100[5] while a cover by Dean and Marc reached #42.[6] Other non-charting covers in the US include a Bigtop recording by The Jackson Brothers and Margie Rayburn's rendition of the song produced for Liberty but later retracted.[3]
Outside of the United States, non-charting covers of "Tell Him No" were released in Australia by The Unichords for W&G and Ted & Ray for HMV.[7] Alternatively, "Tell Him No" reached #1 in the Netherlands for Travis and Bob alongside covers by Dean and Marc, The Mudlarks and The Fouryo's,[8] which was released under the name "Zeg niet nee".[9]
Charts[edit]
Travis & Bob version[edit]
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (CHUM) | 1[10] |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 8 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] | 21 |
Dean & Marc version[edit]
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[6] | 42 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] | 1 |
The Fouryo's version[edit]
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 1 |
The Mudlarks version[edit]
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] | 1 |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Howes, Paul; Clark, Petunia (2010). The Complete Dusty Springfield (Revised and expanded ed.). Titan Books. p. 18. ISBN 9781781165409.
- ^ Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard Book of One-hit Wonders (2 ed.). Billboard Books. p. 73. ISBN 0823076229.
- ^ a b Rolontz, Bob (16 March 1959). "Dot Snares Sandy 'Tell Him No' Master With Capping 12G Bid". Billboard. p. 3. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ "The Billboard Spotlight Winners of the Week". Billboard. 9 March 1959. p. 48. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Travis-Bob Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ a b "Dean & Marc Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Laird, Ross (1998). The first wave: Australian rock and pop recordings (1955–1963). National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. pp. 81, 84. ISBN 0642365105. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ "Dutch Single Top 100". Dutch Charts. 3 October 1959. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ^ "Benelux". The Cash Box. Vol. 21, no. 47. 6 August 1960. p. 108.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade Chart: Week of May 4, 1959". las-solanas.com. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ "Travis & Bob – Tell Him No" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Travis-Bob Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Dean and Marc – Tell Him No" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "The Fouryo's – Zeg niet nee" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "The Mudlarks – Tell Him No" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.