Dizzy by Tommy Roe

Album: Dizzy (1969)

Charted: 1 1

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In this song, Tommy Roe gets a touch of vertigo every time he is near a girl who captivates him. At first, he's not sure what to do because other guys are always after her, but when he gets his chance and tells her how he feels, she kisses him and melts his heart. At this point, he's so dizzy he might need medical help.
This was a rare pop song with strings. The Beatles used strings on their 1965 hit "Yesterday," but it wasn't until the disco era when strings became common in pop.
Roe wrote this with Freddy Weller, who went on to become a country singer after a spell as one of Paul Revere's Raiders.
In 1962, Roe had his first, and only other US #1 hit with "Sheila," which he wrote when he was 14. He had another hit in 1970 with "Jam Up Telly Tight," then started recording country songs.
Tommy Roe (from 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh): "Freddy Weller and I had known each other in Atlanta. I was on a TV show with Paul Revere & The Raiders. They had lost their guitarist and I suggested Freddy as a replacement. He moved to California to be with them, and we started writing together. I showed him 'Dizzy.' I had written the chorus but couldn't complete it. Freddy loved it and said, 'Let's finish it,' and we did that on a tour bus late at night. Jimmy Haskell wrote the string arrangement and we had Hal Blaine on drums, Joe Osborn on bass, Ben Benay on guitar and Larry Knechtel on keyboards. You can't get better than that. It sold 6 million copies, 4 million of them in the States, and it was my biggest hit of all."
In 1991 British comedian Vic Reeves teamed up with the band The Wonder Stuff to record a cover version of this. In Britain it topped the charts for two weeks, one more week than Tommy Roe's original version.

Comments: 22

David from ReadingThe girl dancing in the video.
https://youtu.be/9DQ_9GfrYDA
Mike from Pearl Riverwho is the girl in the Dizzy video?
Mac Corry from Shiremoor North East EnglandI look back over 50years and still hear how clear and crisp they sound as just recorded yesterday
Barry from Sauquoit, NyFifth years ago today on March 9th, 1969 "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe peaked at #1 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, it remained in the top spot for four weeks and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the Top 100...
It also reached #1 in Canada and the United Kingdom, and in Australia it peaked at #2* {for 2 weeks}...
Between 1962 and 1973 the Atlanta, GA native had twenty-two Top 100 records, six made the Top 10 with two peaking at #1, "Sheila" for 2 weeks in 1962 and and the above "Dizzy"...
Besides "Sheila" and "Dizzy", his four other Top 10 records were "Everybody" {#3 in 1963}, "Sweet Pea" {#8 in 1966}, ""Hooray for Hazel" {#6 in 1966}, and "Jam Up Jelly Tight {#8 in 1970}...
Thomas David Roe will celebrate his 77th birthday in two months on May 9th, 2019...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department; the two weeks that "Dizzy" was at #2 in Australia, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Where Do You Go To My Lovely" by Peter Sarstedt...
Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {02-10-2018}...
With Elton John and Paul Simon announcing farewell tours, Tommy Roe quietly announced his retirement Thursday (February 8th, 2018).
The 75 year-old issued a statement saying, "...I am stepping out of the spotlight from scheduled concerts and interviews. Thank you again for your loyal support. I love you all, and may God Bless you."
Between 1962 and 1973 Tommy Roe had twenty-two records on the Top 100 chart, six made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "Sheila" for 2 weeks in 1962 and "Dizzy" for 4 weeks in 1969...
Besides "Sheila" and "Dizzy", his four other Top 10 records were; "Everybody" {#3 in 1963}, "Sweet Pea" {#8 in 1966}, "Hooray For Hazel" {#6 in 1966}, and "Jam Up Jelly Tight" {#8 in 1970}...
Thomas David Roe will celebrate his 76th birthday on May 9th {2018}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 20th 1969, "Heather Honey" by Tommy Roe entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #87; five weeks later on May 25th, 1969 it would peak at #29 {for 1 week} and spent 8 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #6 on the Canadian RPM Singles chart and #9 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
His #1* record, "Dizzy", preceded "Heather Honey" on the Top 100, and it was at #9 when "Heather Honey" entered the Top 100 on April 20th...
* "Dizzy" had peaked at #1 {for 4 weeks} on March 9th, 1969...
Thomas David Roe will celebrate his 73rd birthday in nineteen days on May 9th {2015}.
Rick from Belfast, MeI grew up in the era of 8 track tapes and 45's and albums....my older brother had this 45 and I think I wore out the grooves....always a good song to hear when you think of your present or past honey
Matthew from Melbourne, AustraliaSorry, but I have heard countless 50's/60's pop songs with strings (even a handful by Buddy Holly). Certainly rare in ROCK music, but as far as POP is concerned, It's been done since the 30's.
Jules from Nottingham, United KingdomI have a 45 vinyl copy of Dizzy which has "The You I need" on the B-side. This is my favourite song ever but I cannot get a download for my MP3 anywhere or find any reference to this song. Can you help
Matthew from Melbourne, AustraliaThis song got me interested in oldies.
James from Yucaipa, CaExcellent song.One of my all-time favorites.
AnonymousI saw Tommy Roe in concert once in the nineties and he played guitar .He was very good. I definitely loved the drums in Dizzy.
Doug from Gold Coast, AustraliaTommy Roe was a drummer and played on his records.
It the song Dizzy that taught me the 2/4 on drums as a child. I later went on to a professional career... thanks Tommy.
-Doug,Gold Coast,Australia
Henry from Kingston, NyThe strings in this song are what make it so good. They give it a really manic feel.
Fyodor from Denver, Codirk, My Girl, Just My Imagination, The Long and Winding Road, Be My Baby, I Only Want To Be With You, jeeze why bother, eh? Yeah, I thought that was rather odd claim as well!! Maybe they mean strings but no other orchestral instruments? Who knows...
Johnny from Los Angeles, CaA mix of pysadellic music and disco. Good job!
Dirk from Nashville, TnI bet if we all think for three minutes we can come up with a few hundred Pre-Disco recordings with strings on them. I'll go first: Patches by Clarence Carter. To Sir with Love by Lulu.... Your turn.
Phil from Borrego Springs, CaI liked this song when I was a kid. He also did a song called Sweet Pea that was good.
Gary from Albertville, AlWhat wasTommy Roe's drummer name?
Jonnie from St. Louis, MoPS: Tommy was with ABC/Dunhill when he recorded "Dizzy". Steve Barry was one of the labels best and hottest producers, and, Jimmy Haskell (who's career went back to the Big Band Era) was the arranger. He was responsible for ALL of the 'String Sweetening' that permeated many of ABC/Dunhill's biggest hits including "Dizzy".
Jonnie from St. Louis, Mo"Dizzy" was one of the Most Played records of 1969
and was the BILLBOARD 'Record of the Year' in 1969.

I was at KAAY Radio in Little Rock at the time, and while on a vacation to L.A. in 1972 met Tommy Roe. A really nice guy who was very appreciative of every one in the Broadcast Industry. He was especially considerate of the 'in the trenches'
Music Directors and Air Personalities.
Clarke from Pittsburgh, PaIn an interview, Tommy Roe once said that "Dizzy" sold six million records.

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