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by Doug Schenker
Dion had two official albums released by Columbia Records in 1963 (Ruby Baby and Donna The Prima Donna). No other Dion albums were released while Dion was signed to Columbia. There was mention in the liner notes of The Road I'm On CD anthology that there was enough material for two additional albums.
I started thinking about this and here are my suggested track list for a Summer 1965 and a Spring 1966 album:
1965 LP (produced by Robert Mersey & Dion):
"Drip Drop" [recorded Oct. 11, 1963]
"Spoonful" [recorded Apr. 5, 1965]
"I'm Your Hoochie Koochie Man" [recorded Jan. 7, 1964]
"Johnny B. Goode" [recorded June 19, 1964]
"The Work Song" [recorded Dec. 12, 1963]
"The Road I'm On (Gloria)" [recorded Jan. 7, 1964]
"Baby Please Don't Go" [recorded Dec. 12, 1963]
"Kickin' Child" [single version recorded Apr. 5, 1965]
"Chicago Blues" [recorded Dec. 12, 1963]
"Seventh Son" [recorded June 17, 1965]
"900 Miles" [recorded Dec. 12, 1963]
"No One's Waiting For Me" [probably recorded on Oct. 11, 1963]
Dion does rural and urban blues songs by Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Lieber & Stoller and others.
A lot of this material is probably as a result of John Hammond turning Dion on to the blues.
His two original compositions ["The Road I'm On (Gloria)" about the end of an affair, and "No One's Waiting For Me", about ending a life, are somber spare numbers, accompanied by an acoustic guitar].
1966 LP with The Wanderers* (produced by Tom Wilson) [from sessions on Sept. 20, 1965 & Oct. 4, 1965]
Knowing I Won't Go Back There [recorded Sept 20, 1965]*?
Tomorrow Won't Bring The Rain [recorded Sept. 20, 1965]*
Time in My Heart For You [recorded Sept. 20, 1965]* All I Want to Do Is Live My Life [recorded Sept. 20, 1965]
...Wonder Where I'm Bound [recorded Oct. 4, 1965 original mix]*?
Two Ton Feather [alt.version recorded Sept. 20, 1965/ but single version March 2, 1966 is not credited to Tom Wilson]*
Baby, I'm In the Mood For You [recorded Sept. 20, 1965]
Now [probably recorded Sept. 20 or Oct. 4, 1965] *?
Wake Up Baby [probably recorded Sept. 20 or Oct. 4, 1965]*
Farewell [probably recorded Sept. 20 or Oct. 4, 1965]*
So Much Younger [probably recorded March 2, 1966]*
My Love [recorded Sept. 20, 1966]
You Move Me Babe [probably recorded Sept. 20, 1965]*
This album is more focused as far as song writing, arrangements and production. Background vocals are quite prominent on most of these recordings that Tom Wilson produced (Wilson also produced Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan & The Blues Project). There are a lot of original Dion compositions on this album. Plus a song by Mort Shuman , who in the past had written [with Doc Pomus] several recordings for Dion (A Teenager in Love being the most successful on the charts). Dion would go on in 1969 to cover Mort Shuman's English lyrics to If We Only Have Love. Also on this album Carlo Mastrangelo, formerly of the Belmonts, is co-writing some songs with Dion and is probably one of the key voices on these recordings. Al Kooper played organ on this album and remembers the sessions fondly. Dion also covers two unreleased Bob Dylan songs.
I suggest everyone get out your Bronx Blues (BB) and The Road I'm On (TRIO) CDS along with your Wonder Where I'm Bound (WWIB) LP and create your own cassette versions of Dion's 1965 and 1966 LPS. It is very satisfying listening and good examples of what could have been if Columbia had a clue in the mid 1960s as to the depth of Dion's talent. The only songs not on those albums (BB, TRIO & WWIB) are the b-sides So Much Younger (1966) and You Move Me Babe (1965). By the way, You Move Me Babe is a completely different song from the last song on the TRIO anthology (You Move Me).
Doug Schenker
