I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Cissy Houston

[Ian Dewhirst]

Excellent track and a classic song of course.

Like Sean, I always assumed most people would be familiar with it so it's nice to see it get some more attention.

Funnily enough I'm just reading about how the song was written in an excellent book called "Always Magic In The Air" by Ken Emerson - the story of the Brill Building era in New York. It covers the history of such songwriters as Burt Bacharch, Hal David, Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Classic songwriting era!

It turns out that the original Tommy Hunt version of "I Just Know What To Do With Myself" was ignored by Florence Greenberg as she never liked Tommy Hunt in the first place and Luther Dixon (the guy who signed Tommy to Sceptre) had left the company by then so she never bothered promoting it. Dusty Springfield had the first hit with it in the U.K. in 1964, so Cissy doing a cover circa '69 would suggest that there was probably a bit of competition going on between Cissy and Dusty as suggested earlier.......

Ian D

[Guest Paul]

Funnily enough I'm just reading about how the song was written in an excellent book called "Always Magic In The Air" by Ken Emerson - the story of the Brill Building era in New York. It covers the history of such songwriters as Burt Bacharch, Hal David, Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Classic songwriting era!

It turns out that the original Tommy Hunt version of "I Just Know What To Do With Myself" was ignored by Florence Greenberg as she never liked Tommy Hunt in the first place and Luther Dixon (the guy who signed Tommy to Sceptre) had left the company by then so she never bothered promoting it. Dusty Springfield had the first hit with it in the U.K. in 1964, so Cissy doing a cover circa '69 would suggest that there was probably a bit of competition going on between Cissy and Dusty as suggested earlier.......

Ian D

Hello Ian,

That's a book I haven't read but I'll add it to my list. Maybe we need a thread about good music books on here?

Best regards,

Paul

[Ian Dewhirst]

Hello Ian,

That's a book I haven't read but I'll add it to my list. Maybe we need a thread about good music books on here?

Best regards,

Paul

It's a dead cert read for Publishers Paul! It really goes into the creation of each song and the interaction between the writers, arrangers and producers etc. A cracking read for anyone into the Golden era of New York songwriting.........

Ian D

[Guest SoulRenaissance]

Cissy's version was reviewed as a new release on PYE in a B & S issue from 1970. #48 Dec 4-17.

Reviewed by John Abbey he goes on to say "I'm somewhat confused with the Cissy Houston situation because both of these tracks have already been available on a Major Minor album that she cut for CUR Records. Presumably, Janus Records brought not only her contract but the masters to the album, too. Anyway, here are two Bacharach-David songs. "I just don't know what to do with myself" is usually a dramatic ballad but Cissy attacks it with verve and vigor. Vocally, it is very similar to the way that the old Sweet Inspirations might have done it. The flip, though, is treated as the beautiful ballad that it is and Cissy is far better vocally on this side. It's doubtful whether this will be a big record but it's one that will certainly appeal to R & B fans."***

Came in at no 28 just behind Tyrone Davis "Turn back the hands of time".

[Guest gfarrington]

a big bold brass buckled belter i should say, broke my heart having to sell mine a few years ago, managed to pick up a lovely white demo late this year ,not going to part with it again.my erstwhile but not forgotten friend mark alliss introduced m to tthe tune after a niter at tony,s in blackburn about ten years ago. Funny how i came about gettin a copy,one sunday after the 100 club ,sat in mcdonalds , the guy sat at the end of our table,wish i could remember his flippin name now, short scouse lad , always in record bar, wife had short black hair always dancin, anyway i just happened to ask him completely out the blue, while he was going through the boxes did he happen to notice if anyone had a cop f cissy houston, he thinks for a second and says,eh yeah i did see one for sale a guy from southampton had one in his box, ( good and bad news i thought, he,s probably pissed off home now, and i ,ve no idea what his name is or f*** all, "gloomilly i asked , was he still around at the end of the night?, er well yes ,came the reply , in fact he,s sittin right behind you!SOLD!!heh eh. the best bit though was when i asked what he wanted for it? i,ll take 25 ,he says which was exactly all i had left in me pocket. .which i was tryin to save as id just won a competition to get dinner for two at a restaurant on the strand , that evening. i consoled meself with the vinyl id wanted for three years ,and while i was in such a magnanymous mood, asked me next door neighbour if he fancied taikng his missus there so the prize wasnt wasted , he accepted and the following evening repaid my gesture with a crate of stella, which was as luck would have it the eve of my birthday . One to remember , which ironically, i dont!

sounds like scouse john, kelly , mad as a box of frogs ,he now lives in manchester, not seen him for a while though

[John Benson]

Cissy's version was reviewed as a new release on PYE in a B & S issue from 1970. #48 Dec 4-17.

Reviewed by John Abbey he goes on to say "I'm somewhat confused with the Cissy Houston situation because both of these tracks have already been available on a Major Minor album that she cut for CUR Records. Presumably, Janus Records brought not only her contract but the masters to the album, too"...

That sort of ties in with what I attempted to say earlier

Cheers Martyn!

[Guest Roddy]

i remember it getting played in scotland late seventies early eighties -edinburgh ymca- lochend ywca - the abercorn - thornton -tranent tranmere hotel -and maybe even clouds we all picked up on it as kids from the Chess/janus album-------- Then struggled to aquire the janus single.

REGARDS

Roddy

[Guest]

Hello Ian - Cissy's He/I believe/I'll be there single is one of the greatest Soul 45s ever recorded in my opinion -you're right she is very under rated.

Cheers

Manus

[manus]

Nice one Ken - mine's on Major Minor and sits well next to the Dubliners Seven drunken nights

Cheers

Manus