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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZPOMUS, Doc, and Mort ShumanSongwriters. Jerome 'Doc' Pomus (b Jerome Solon Felder, 27 June 1925; d 14 March 1991 NYC) and Mort Shuman (b 12 November 1938; d 2 November 1991, London) were the most successful songwriting team in R&B/rock after Leiber and Stoller, peaking in the '60s. Though handicapped by polio, Pomus worked as a blues singer in the Mose Allison mode (recorded on Apollo '45 with the Tab Smith Septette, and a couple of years later with his own piano trio, on 'Alley Alley Blues' sounding like a young Ray Charles); also wrote or co-wrote songs such as 'Boogie-Woogie Country Girl' for Joe Turner, 'Lonely Avenue' for Ray Charles; he helped Leiber and Stoller on 'Young Blood' for the Coasters. The first Pomus/Shuman hit was 'A Teenager In Love' (Dion and the Belmonts, no. 5 '59); they influenced others in the Brill Building, writing 'Hound Dog Man', 'I'm A Man' and 'Turn Me Loose' for Fabian, but wrote for much better artists: 'Can't Get Used To Losing You' and 'Wrong For Each Other' for Andy Williams, 'No One' for Charles, 'Plain Jane' for Bobby Darin, 'Go Jimmy Go' for Jimmy Clanton, 'Seven Day Weekend' for Gary 'US' Bonds, 'Spanish Lace' for Gene McDaniels. Pomus's label had recorded the Crowns before they became the Drifters, and Pomus and Shuman wrote 'Save The Last Dance For Me' (no. 1 '60), 'Sweets For My Sweet', 'I Count The Tears' and 'This Magic Moment' for them (the last also recorded by Jay and the Americans), then collaborated together and separately with Leiber and Stoller on several songs for Ben E. King after he left the group. They wrote 'Surrender', 'She's Not For You', 'Viva Las Vegas', 'Little Sister', 'His Latest Flame', 'A Mess O' Blues', 'Kiss Me Quick' and 'Suspicion' for Elvis Presley; Pomus co-wrote 'She's Not You' for Presley with Leiber and Stoller, and also co-wrote songs with others for Chubby Checker, Andy Williams, Roger Williams; Shuman co-wrote 'Little Children' for Billy J. Kramer with J. Leslie McFarland; Jerry Ragavoy (b 4 September 1930, Philadelphia; d 13 July 2011) co-wrote 'Piece Of My Heart' for Erma Franklin, then 'Get It While You Can' for Janis Joplin, 'What's It Gonna Be' for Dusty Springfield, 'Look At Granny Run, Run' for Howard Tate with Shuman (soul singer Tate d 2 December 2011 aged 72). Pomus later collaborated with Mink De Ville, co-wrote B. B. King album There Must Be A Better World Somewhere with Mac Rebennack. Shuman co-wrote 'If We/You Only Have Love' (recorded by Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick), others with Eric Blau for the show Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris '68, then relocated to Paris himself. |