When you're young and growing up, like me
Music-mak-ing "Mecca": Gene Pit-ney [1]
"He's a rebel", yes, it's true [2]
Goodbye, "Hello, Mary Lou" [3}
What's a world without Pitney to do?

"Only love can break a heart", if so: [4]
Why am I so sad to see him go?
How "it hurts to be in love"! [5]
"Rubber ball" has bounced above [6]
Even "Lib-er-ty Val-ance" is blue! [7]

His songs: "half-Heaven
And half-heartache"; [8]
"Twen-ty-four hours: Tul-sa, a-way" [9]
"I'm gonna be strong" [10]
'Spite heartbreak song
"Princess in rags?""That girl belongs to yesterday!" [11] [12][13]

How "I wanna love my life away"! [14]
"Every breath I take", "Sting", homage: pay [15][16]
"If I didn't have a dime" [17]
See him "Backstage" every time [18]
"Looking through the eyes of love" at you [19]
"True love never runs smooth": it's so true! [20]

"She's a heart-break-er", he sings [21]
Gone? "I must be seeing things" [22]
His "last chance to turn around," I rue: [23]
What's a world without Pitney to do? [24]

Now, we're "Spear-ed" with trash like Britney!
To the spirit of Gene Pitney:
Tha-a-ank you!


References: (Gene Pitney performances except as noted)
[1] "Mecca"
[2] "He's A Rebel", written by Gene Pitney; a hit credited to The Crystals, although recorded by The Blossoms, as The Crystals were unavailable at the time.
[3] "Hello, Mary Lou", written and performed by Gene Pitney, although most people know only of covers by Ricky Nelson, Creedence Clearwater Revival, or Queen.
[4] "Only Love Can Break A Heart"
[5] "It Hurts To Be In Love"
[6] "Rubber Ball", a hit for Bobby Vee; lyrics credit often given to Aaron Schroeder/Ann Orlowski
[7] "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", intended as the theme song for the 1962 John Wayne/Jimmy Stewart movie of the same name, but, oddly enough, not used in the movie.
[8] "Half Heaven, Half Heartache"
[9] "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa"
[10] "I'm Gonna Be Strong"
[11] "Princess In Rags"
[12] "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday"
[13] The OS line that is replaced here is "Before this clay and granite planet falls apart." How could The Turtle not love anyone who sang phrases such as "granite planet"?
[14] "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away"
[15] "Every Breath I Take"
[16] British singer/songwriter Sting did an homage to this song with The Police's 1983 hit "Every Breath You Take."
[17] "If I Didn't Have A Dime (To Play The Jukebox)"
[18] "Backstage (I'm Lonely)"
[19] "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love"
[20] ""True Love Never Runs Smooth"
[21] "She's A Heartbreaker"
[22] "I Must Be Seeing Things"
[23] "Last Chance To Turn Around"
[24] OS, "Town Without Pity," won the Golden Globe Award for "Best Song in a Motion Picture", and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song. The movie, released in 1961 and of the same name, featured Kirk Douglas, E. G. Marshall, and Robert Blake.