1963 Jan and Dean – Linda
Jack Lawrence started writing songs while still in school and sold his first song when he turned twenty in 1932. A few years later, he wrote If I Didn’t Care, which the Ink Spots released in 1939. Their single sold over 19 million copies, which currently ranks it as the ninth best-selling single of all time.
Jack began using Lee Eastman as his attorney. While in the military in 1942, he wrote a song using the name of Lee’s one-year-old daughter, Linda. The song was published in 1946 and recorded by singer Buddy Clark with the Ray Noble Orchestra. His single topped the charts in 1947.
Linda grew up and married Paul McCartney in 1969 and was a founding member of his second group, Wings.
Jan and Dean had a few hits between 1959 and 1962. They became friends with Brian Wilson and he even sang backup vocals on a few of the songs on their 1963 album, Jan And Dean Take Linda Surfin’. The title song from the album was a cover of Linda that they released as their first single that year.
The single peaked at #28. Jan produced their next single, Surf City, which he co-wrote with Brian. That single topped the Hot 100 a few months later. They rode the surf rock wave until a car wreck nearly killed Jan in 1966.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_(1946_song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_and_Dean
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