Twist Uptown by The Crystals

Twist Uptown is the first album by The Crystals, issued to capitalize upon their success with the Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann composition "Uptown" which was a #13 US hit, and their first top forty hit "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" (#20 US). Twist Uptown notably features the first released version of "On Broadway," a composition written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. The song was later modified by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and became a hit for The Drifters in 1963. Barbara Alston was The Crystals' main lead singer at the time, and the only songs from this album not to feature her on lead are "Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby" on which Patricia "Patsy" Wright sang lead; and "Gee Whiz" and "Frankenstein Twist" which featured Dolores "LaLa" Brooks. During this period, The Crystals appeared as a quintet but this album features the vocals of six Crystals; it contains tracks with original member Myrna Giraud as well as Dolores "LaLa" Brooks who was Giraud's permanent replacement by its release. Recording sessions took place mainly at Aldon Music and Mirasound in late 1961 and early 1962. In 1963, the album was repackaged as He's a Rebel to benefit from their hit of the same name (although the song was really recorded by The Blossoms) and the two tracks that were omitted were "Please Hurt Me" and "Gee Whiz Look at his Eyes (Twist)."