Virginia Mazarro (born November 2, 1942), known professionally as Ginny Arnell, is an American former pop and country music singer and songwriter who recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, she attended East Haven High School and began making local television appearances as a child. While still at school she won a national competition as "most talented teenager" in the US, following which she made many appearances in TV and radio broadcasts.[1] At the suggestion of manager Martin Kugell she was paired with another local teenager, Gene Pitney, and they recorded for Decca Records in New York City in 1959 as a duo, Jamie & Jane. Two singles were released by the pair, "Snuggle Up Baby", and "Faithful Our Love" (co-written by Pitney and Mazarro),[2] but neither achieved chart success. Both she and Pitney then became solo acts, and she released three singles for Decca as Ginny Arnell – "Mister Saxophone" (written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield),[1] "Carnival", and "Look Who's Talkin'" – but again without success.[3][4][5] "Look Who's Talkin'" was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King,[2] and its B-side, "Tell Me What He Said", written by Jeff Barry, was recorded by British singer Helen Shapiro in 1962 and became a #2 hit on the UK singles chart.[3][6]
In 1961 Arnell moved to Warwick Records, releasing two singles, "Tribute To You" and "He Likes Rock And Roll Better Than Me". Again, neither charted. However, she had more success after moving to the MGM label in 1963. Her first single for the label, "Dumb Head", written by David Hess and Camille Monte, produced by Jim Vienneau, and described at AllMusic as "pathetically self-deprecating",[4] reached number 3 on WLS[7] and number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] She appeared on American Bandstand to promote the record, and also recorded the song in Japanese.[3]
Following its relative success, she recorded at Owen Bradley's studio in Nashville with Vienneau and arrangers including Ray Stevens.[1] She released several more singles in 1964 and 1965, including "He's My Little Devil", "Just Like A Boy" (written and produced by Chip Taylor), and "A Little Bit Of Love Can Hurt" (co-written, arranged and produced by Teddy Randazzo).[2][5] The B-side of "He's My Little Devil" was "I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear", written by Gloria Shayne and Noël Regney. It is described by Bruce Eder at Allmusic as "a classic of the [girl group] genre for poignancy....Arnell's singing projected extraordinary depth of feeling, similar to Lesley Gore, and turned the seemingly superficial song into a moving mini-drama."[4]
The MGM label also released an LP of her recordings, Meet Ginny Arnell. According to reviewer Jason Ankeny, the album "documents with soap opera accuracy the trials and travails of teenage life, when every romantic slight is the stuff of Shakespearian drama and every blemish a terminal disease: hits like "Dumb Head" and "I Wish I Knew What Dress to Wear" document the kinds of existential crises that can only occur when you're young, hormonal, and too goddamn stupid to know what real problems are about."[9] The album was reissued with additional tracks on CD in 2008.[5]
Arnell retired from the music business in 1965 to marry and raise a family, only re-emerging to give short interviews in 2008 and 2010.[1][3][10]
Discographyedit
Singlesedit
Jamie & Janeedit
"Snuggle Up Baby" / "Strolling" (Decca, 1959)
"Faithful Our Love" / "Classical Rock and Roll" (Decca, 1959)
Ginny Arnelledit
"Mister Saxophone" / "Brand New" (Decca, 1960)
"Carnival (Manha de Carnaval)" / "We" (Decca, 1960)
"Look Who's Talkin'" / "Tell Me What He Said" (Decca, 1960)
"Tribute to You" / "No-One Cares" (Warwick, 1961)
"He Likes Rock & Roll Better than Me" / "Married to You" (Warwick, 1962)
"Trouble's Back in Town" / "I'm Crying Too" (MGM, 1963)
"Dumb Head" / "How Many Times Can One Heart Break?" (MGM, 1963)
"Watch What You Do with My Baby" / "You Pulled a Fast One" (MGM, 1963)
"He's My Little Devil" / "I Wish I Knew What Dress to Wear" (MGM, 1964)
"Let Me Make You Smile Again" / "Yesterday's Memories" (MGM, 1964)
"Just Like a Boy" / "Portrait of a Fool" (MGM, 1965)
"A Little Bit of Love Can Hurt" / "B-I-L-L-WHY" (MGM, 1965)
"I'm Gettin' Mad" / "I'm So Afraid of Loving You" (MGM, 1965)
^ abcdMick Patrick, Liner notes to Meet Ginny Arnell CD reissue, Cherry Red Records, 2008
^ abcGinny Arnell, 45cat.com. Retrieved 8 September 2014
^ abcd"Talking with Ginny Arnell", Rare Rockin' Records, 15 March 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2014
^ abcBiography by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 September 2014
^ abcdMichel Ruppli et al., "Ginny Arnell", PragueFrank's Country Music Discographies, 24 May 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2014
^Songs written by Jeff Barry, MusicVF.com. Retrieved 7 September 2014
^"WLS Silver Dollar Survey". 1964-01-03. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
^Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 24. ISBN0-89820-155-1.
^Jason Ankeny, Meet Ginny Arnell, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 September 2014
^"Ginny Arnell- A Photo Parade Tribute". Retrieved 20 November 2023 – via YouTube.
January 01, 1970
ginny, arnell, virginia, mazarro, born, november, 1942, known, professionally, american, former, country, music, singer, songwriter, recorded, late, 1950s, early, 1960s, birth, namevirginia, mazarroborn, 1942, november, 1942, haven, connecticut, genrespop, cou. Virginia Mazarro born November 2 1942 known professionally as Ginny Arnell is an American former pop and country music singer and songwriter who recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s Ginny ArnellBirth nameVirginia MazarroBorn 1942 11 02 November 2 1942 age 81 New Haven Connecticut U S GenresPop country musicOccupation s Singer songwriterYears active1959 1965LabelsDecca Warwick MGM Contents 1 Life 2 Discography 2 1 Singles 2 1 1 Jamie amp Jane 2 1 2 Ginny Arnell 2 2 Albums 3 ReferencesLife editBorn in New Haven Connecticut she attended East Haven High School and began making local television appearances as a child While still at school she won a national competition as most talented teenager in the US following which she made many appearances in TV and radio broadcasts 1 At the suggestion of manager Martin Kugell she was paired with another local teenager Gene Pitney and they recorded for Decca Records in New York City in 1959 as a duo Jamie amp Jane Two singles were released by the pair Snuggle Up Baby and Faithful Our Love co written by Pitney and Mazarro 2 but neither achieved chart success Both she and Pitney then became solo acts and she released three singles for Decca as Ginny Arnell Mister Saxophone written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield 1 Carnival and Look Who s Talkin but again without success 3 4 5 Look Who s Talkin was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King 2 and its B side Tell Me What He Said written by Jeff Barry was recorded by British singer Helen Shapiro in 1962 and became a 2 hit on the UK singles chart 3 6 In 1961 Arnell moved to Warwick Records releasing two singles Tribute To You and He Likes Rock And Roll Better Than Me Again neither charted However she had more success after moving to the MGM label in 1963 Her first single for the label Dumb Head written by David Hess and Camille Monte produced by Jim Vienneau and described at AllMusic as pathetically self deprecating 4 reached number 3 on WLS 7 and number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 8 She appeared on American Bandstand to promote the record and also recorded the song in Japanese 3 Following its relative success she recorded at Owen Bradley s studio in Nashville with Vienneau and arrangers including Ray Stevens 1 She released several more singles in 1964 and 1965 including He s My Little Devil Just Like A Boy written and produced by Chip Taylor and A Little Bit Of Love Can Hurt co written arranged and produced by Teddy Randazzo 2 5 The B side of He s My Little Devil was I Wish I Knew What Dress To Wear written by Gloria Shayne and Noel Regney It is described by Bruce Eder at Allmusic as a classic of the girl group genre for poignancy Arnell s singing projected extraordinary depth of feeling similar to Lesley Gore and turned the seemingly superficial song into a moving mini drama 4 The MGM label also released an LP of her recordings Meet Ginny Arnell According to reviewer Jason Ankeny the album documents with soap opera accuracy the trials and travails of teenage life when every romantic slight is the stuff of Shakespearian drama and every blemish a terminal disease hits like Dumb Head and I Wish I Knew What Dress to Wear document the kinds of existential crises that can only occur when you re young hormonal and too goddamn stupid to know what real problems are about 9 The album was reissued with additional tracks on CD in 2008 5 Arnell retired from the music business in 1965 to marry and raise a family only re emerging to give short interviews in 2008 and 2010 1 3 10 Discography editSingles edit Jamie amp Jane edit Snuggle Up Baby Strolling Decca 1959 Faithful Our Love Classical Rock and Roll Decca 1959 Ginny Arnell edit Mister Saxophone Brand New Decca 1960 Carnival Manha de Carnaval We Decca 1960 Look Who s Talkin Tell Me What He Said Decca 1960 Tribute to You No One Cares Warwick 1961 He Likes Rock amp Roll Better than Me Married to You Warwick 1962 Trouble s Back in Town I m Crying Too MGM 1963 Dumb Head How Many Times Can One Heart Break MGM 1963 Watch What You Do with My Baby You Pulled a Fast One MGM 1963 He s My Little Devil I Wish I Knew What Dress to Wear MGM 1964 Let Me Make You Smile Again Yesterday s Memories MGM 1964 Just Like a Boy Portrait of a Fool MGM 1965 A Little Bit of Love Can Hurt B I L L WHY MGM 1965 I m Gettin Mad I m So Afraid of Loving You MGM 1965 Albums edit Meet Ginny Arnell MGM 1964 Meet Ginny Arnell Poker CD 2008 5 References edit a b c d Mick Patrick Liner notes to Meet Ginny Arnell CD reissue Cherry Red Records 2008 a b c Ginny Arnell 45cat com Retrieved 8 September 2014 a b c d Talking with Ginny Arnell Rare Rockin Records 15 March 2010 Retrieved 8 September 2014 a b c Biography by Bruce Eder Allmusic com Retrieved 8 September 2014 a b c d Michel Ruppli et al Ginny Arnell PragueFrank s Country Music Discographies 24 May 2011 Retrieved 8 September 2014 Songs written by Jeff Barry MusicVF com Retrieved 7 September 2014 WLS Silver Dollar Survey 1964 01 03 Retrieved 2018 05 07 Whitburn Joel 2003 Top Pop Singles 1955 2002 1st ed Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research Inc p 24 ISBN 0 89820 155 1 Jason Ankeny Meet Ginny Arnell Allmusic com Retrieved 8 September 2014 Ginny Arnell A Photo Parade Tribute Retrieved 20 November 2023 via YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ginny Arnell amp oldid 1221861656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
