RITCHIE VALENS - LA BAMBA

Not Now

£13.05

Format: 180g LP
Catalogue No.: CATLP233
Barcode: 5060397602336
Release Date: Mar 2022
Genre: Rock & Roll

His first single Come On, Let’s Go was recorded in July 1958 at Studio B of the Gold Star Recording Studios. Phil Spector was also recording To Know Him Is To Love Him with the Teddy Bears, and dropped by Studio B to say hello to Ritchie. Released a couple of weeks later, Ritchie’s debut quickly became a number one in Los Angeles. The record went on to be named ‘Pick Of The Week’ in September’s issue of Billboard, soon reaching #42 on the
national charts. Valens’ follow-up was Donna, which went to #2 on the charts in January 1959. Not only was the record a hit, it was almost eclipsed when radio DJs discovered the Bside, La Bamba, which Valens described as “an old Mexican folk song they play at weddings”. This also became a hit, though it only reached #22 – although when La Bamba, the 1987 biopic of Valens was released, the title song went to Number One. From this point on Valens spent most of his time touring the West Coast and beyond, and also managed time for several TV shows and a movie appearance in Go, Johnny Go! So put this record on right now. Let’s go!

SIDE ONE
1. La Bamba
2. Donna
3. That;s My Little Suzie
4. In A Turkish Town
5. Ooh, My Head
6. Bluebirds Over The Mountain
7. Stay Beside Me
8. Boney-Maronie

SIDE TWO
1. Come On, Let's Go
2. Rockin' All Night
3. Hi-Tone
4. Framed
5. We Belong Together
6. Dooby Dooby Wah
7. Cry Cry Cry
8. Fast Freight