Hi Hi Hazel

"Hi Hi Hazel" was written by songwriting duo Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. After joining publishing company KPM Music, the two managed to get a number of their songs recorded as album tracks for a range of artists like Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, Los Bravos and Ken Dodd. However, prior to "Hi Hi Hazel", they had yet to write a hit single. Whilst the song became their first success, it became Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band's second hit, following the top-40 single "Water".{{Cite book |last=Dunbavan |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZjFDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT404 |title=An Avid's Guide to Sixties Songwriters |date=2017-02-28 |publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=978-1-5246-3345-5 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Bell |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=trymCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT197 |title=The History of British Rock and Roll: The Beat Boom 1963 - 1966 |date=2016-02-13 |publisher=Lulu Press, Inc |isbn=978-91-981916-6-0 |language=en}} Their version was released as "Hi! Hi! Hazel" and was backed with an instrumental, "Beach Bash", previously recorded by the Mar-Keys and written by Ben Branch, Al Jackson Jr. and Steve Cropper.{{Cite web |title=Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band - Hi! Hi! Hazel |url=https://www.45cat.com/record/7n35329 |website=45cat|access-date=2022-10-10}}{{Cite web |title=The Mar-Keys - |url=https://www.45cat.com/record/s156 |website=45cat|access-date=2022-10-10}}

"Hi! Hi! Hazel" spent four weeks on the Record Retailer chart, peaking at number 45. It charted higher at number 38 on the Melody Maker chart and number 40 on the Disc and Music Echo chart. An edited version of the song was also released as a single in the US, though failed to chart.{{Cite web |title=Geno Washington And The Ram Jam Band - Hi! Hi! Hazel |url=https://www.45cat.com/record/cg273 |website=45cat|access-date=2022-10-10}} In February 1967, an EP by the band entitled Hi!, which included the song, peaked at number 7 on the Record Retailer EP chart.{{Cite web |title=everyHit.com - UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts |url=https://www.everyhit.com/ |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.everyhit.com}}

Record Mirror wrote that "Hi! Hi! Hazel" has a "slow organ intro, then Geno starts in on singing almost Louis-style, in bluesy phrases and punching home just about every word. Very simple backing and a sort of joyous air about it all".{{cite magazine |date=16 July 1966 |title=New Singles |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/66/Record-Mirror-1966-07-16.pdf |magazine=Record Mirror |page=9 |access-date=10 October 2022}} Melody Maker wrote that the band "take a trip through a slow sexy rocker that will insinuate into a lot of hip ears. Listening to Geno's highly impressive vocal style one is reminded of Zoot Money with touches of Steve Marriott. But basically it's all Geno and all good".{{cite magazine |date=16 July 1966 |title=New records |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/60s/66/Melody-Maker-1966-07-16.pdf |magazine=Melody Maker |page=13 |access-date=10 October 2022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Hi Hi Hazel

| cover = The Troggs Hi Hi Hazel.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Norwegian picture sleeve

| type = single

| artist = the Troggs

| album = From Nowhere

| B-side = As I Ride By

| released = {{start date|1967|7|14|df=yes}}{{cite magazine|date=1 July 1967|title=New Troggs disc|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Disc/1967/DISC-&-Music-Echo-1967-07-01.pdf|magazine=Record Mirror|page=6|access-date=10 October 2022}}

| recorded = 1966

| studio = Olympic, London

| venue =

| genre = Pop rock

| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=47}}

| label = Page One

| writer = *Bill Martin

• Phil Coulter

| producer = Larry Page

| prev_title = Night of the Long Grass

| prev_year = 1967

| next_title = Love Is All Around

| next_year = 1967

}}

Prior to Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band's version, the Troggs had supposedly considered releasing their version as a single.{{cite magazine |date=16 July 1966 |title=Geno Washington |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Disc/1966/Disc-1966-07-16-S-OCR.pdf |magazine=Disc and Music Echo |page=15 |access-date=10 October 2022}} In the end, it was included on their album From Nowhere, released in July 1966.

In 1967, the Troggs decided to split from manager Larry Page, although in the end they stayed on his record label Page One.{{cite magazine |date=16 September 1967 |title=No Troggs change |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/60s/67/Melody-Maker-1967-0916.pdf |magazine=Melody Maker |page=3 |access-date=10 October 2022}} During the uncertainty of the band's future at the label, Page, unbeknownst to the Troggs, decided to release their version of "Hi Hi Hazel" as a single, backed with a previously unreleased song, "As I Ride By", written by drummer Ronnie Bond. In an interview in August 1967, guitarist Chris Britton said that they were made aware that it had been released as a single after hearing it on the radio.{{cite magazine |date=19 August 1967 |title=Character studies of the 4 Troggs… |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/67/record-mirror-1967-08-19-s-ocr.pdf |magazine=Record Mirror |page=12 |access-date=10 October 2022}}{{cite magazine |date=November 1967 |title=New Troggs Attack On Charts |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beat-Instrumental/6711-Beat-Instrumental-1967-11-OCR.pdf |magazine=Beat Instrumental |page=12 |access-date=10 October 2022}}

Prior to the release of "Hi Hi Hazel", the Troggs had had a run of six top-20 hits; however, the single only managed three weeks on the Record Retailer chart, peaking at number 42. This was down to a lack of promotion of the single, with Britton saying that they "presume[d] that anyone who liked the song already had it on our LP or had bought the Geno Washington single". The band were not particularly concerned by the lack of success of "Hi Hi Hazel" and they would go on to recapture their previous success with the follow-up top-ten hit "Love Is All Around".

• In October 1966, American band Gary and the Hornets released a cover of the song as a single which peaked at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2008 |publisher=Record Research |year=2009 |isbn=9780898201802 |page=383 |author-link=Joel Whitburn}}
• In December 1966, Australian band Grandma's Tonic released a cover of the song as a single which peaked at number 95 on the retrospective Kent Music Report chart.

{{reflist}}

{{The Troggs}}

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Category:1966 singles

Category:1967 singles

Category:1966 songs

Category:Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band songs

Category:The Troggs songs

Category:Piccadilly Records singles

Category:Songs written by Phil Coulter

Category:Songs written by Bill Martin (songwriter)

Category:Song recordings produced by John Schroeder (musician)