5/21 - Mickey Lee Lane

I suppose I owe my debt to the Detroit Cobras circa 2001 for introducing me obliquely to Mickey Lee Lane, though I didn't know it at the time. On their Life, Love and Leaving album (their best, if you ask me), they open with a floorshaker called "Hey Sailor" on the track list, which was a fast favorite of mine. I listened and actually still listen the shit out of that CD, and marvel at whoever in the band has the taste to pick such gems out of the vaults of rock and roll, girl groups, and '60s soul to cover. When I found that "Hey Sailor" is a cover of Mickey Lee Lane's "Hey Sah Lo Ney," I looked the fella up and found a picture of a hepcat looking dude that resembled a bit of a blonde Phil Spector blended with a space alien version of Roy Orbison, sunglasses and all.

Lane worked in the Brill Building as a teenager as an engineer and sometime songwriter, and floated around the late '50s, early '60s New York music scene always somewhat on the fringe of success and recognition. Many of the songs he cut for himself were shelved and only appeared somewhat recently remastered by Mickey and his brother on a compilation CD, but the few sides he cut for Swan records are almost all frantic, danceable soul-a-billy gems. I've noticed a glut of copies of "Shaggy Dog" on eBay lately, and managed to pick up a couple for only a buck or two each. Anytime I put the needle to that song, whoever is in the room wants to know "what the hell is this?" I'm going to assume that they are asking that in a good way, but you can decide for yourself...