Not only did Neil Sedaka write or co-write most of his own songs, he also wrote hits for other artists. Neil wrote his first piece of music, in Brooklyn, New York City, at the age of thirteen, in 1952, in collaboration with his next-door neighbour, Howard Greenfield.
Neil, who was a student of the classical piano, joined the group, The Tokens, but left it long before it benefitted from its large, instantly recognisable hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”; a revised version of The Weavers’ hit of 1952, “Wimoweh”. Among the artists who recorded songs written by Neil and Howard were The Clovers, Connie Francis, LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, The 5th Dimension, The Captain and Tennille, and Tony Christie.
http://youtu.be/pCBFHj3mRmU
Neil’s personal recording career was doing well until the British Invasion swept the global charts, ending many artists’ careers. It was to be countries such as Australia that were to support his recordings over this long lean period. In Australia, his release of 1968, “Star-Crossed Lovers” went to No.1; followed, in 1970, by “Wheeling, West Virginia” (No.9) and “Standing On The Inside” (No.10), in 1973. Neil actually recorded “Wheeling, West Virginia” during one of his many visits to the land ‘Down Under’.
http://youtu.be/DULHFltFIdk
It was to be 1974 before Neil Sedaka would again have a No.1 hit in his home country. This came in the form of “Laughter In The Rain”. Nineteen seventy-five was also an excellent year, as The Captain and Tennille took “Love Will Keep Us Together” to No.1 and Neil’s recording of “Bad Blood” did likewise. A slow version of his No.1 from 1962, “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”, ended the year off nicely for him by also entering the Top 10 in America.
The names of more recordings by Neil Sedaka can be found in the suggested playlists. Whilst there, why not look at the list of my favourite recordings? I shall be adding to it from time to time.