There have been plenty of naff TV spin-off singles, and
although Don’t Cha Cry by Jerry
‘Beaver’ Mathers is hardy among the absolute worst, methinks it is still worthy
of inclusion here.
Released in August 1962, the record itself is pretty
innocuous, but Jerry’s flat vocal delivery is simply dreadful. The vaguely Spanish
Harlem-sounding instrumental backing – Ben
E. King’s version of the Jerry Leiber & Phil Spector composition had been a
hit the previous year – cannot save it , and although Billboard called
it a ‘sweet Latinish ballad that has a sentimental touch’, it’s hardly
surprising that this would be Mathers’ only pop outing.
The single’s B-side, Wind Up Toy, is much more fun, and the peppy tune much better
suited to young Jerry’s limited range. Billboard called it a
‘cute novelty item’, adding that ‘the lad sings it aggressively against medium
tempo beat from a combo and chorus of chicks’. Ahh: such innocent times. I’ve
included both sides here for your entertainment.
Gerald Patrick ‘Jerry’ Mathers (born June 2, 1948) is an
American television, film, and stage actor best known for his role in the US TV
sitcom Leave It to Beaver, which was
first broadcast from 1957 to 1963. Jerry played Theodore ‘Beaver’ Cleaver, the
younger son of the suburban couple June and Ward Cleaver and the brother of
Wally, and he appeared in all 234 episodes of the series. Jerry, who began his
career at the age of two with an appearance as a child model in a department
store advert, was the first child actor ever to get a percentage of the
merchandising revenue from a television show.
After the series ended he retired from the screen and
returned to school (while in High School he fronted his own band Beaver and the
Trappers) and later served in the United States Air Force Reserve, reaching the
rank of Sergeant. He returned to University, earning a BA in philosophy, and
after a break of more that a decade and a half, returned to the entertainment
industry in 1978. He has since appeared in many US TV shows, on stage (in Hairspray) and in movies.
Enjoy!
Download Toy HERE
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