Gene developed an interest in music whilst in school and started playing in a local restaurant. However having completed his education, he decided he wanted to see some of the USA and started to travel picking up work as he went but eventually returned to New Hampshire. Here he started to hone his musical skills but it became evident that he was not going to get the break he wanted and so hitch- hiked to Nashville in 1957. He knocked on the doors of many of the record companies but often failed to get past the receptionist. Finally, he managed to get a secretary at Decca Records to listen to him. As luck would have it, Webb Pierce was walking by as he was singing 'Crazy Baby'. Being duly impressed, Pierce contacted Decca president Paul Cohen in New York and an appointment was made for Cohen and Maltais to meet when the latter visited Nashville two days later.
Cohen signed Gene and a session was arranged for the next day, 19th April 1957, following a Brenda Lee recording date. The tracks 'Crazy Baby' and 'Deep River Blues' were laid down and issued on Decca 30387. Backing musicians included Hank Garland on lead guitar and Owen Bradley on piano. These are two great rockin' sides that were eventually issued about six months later but which failed to achieve the predicted chart making impact. In the interim Gene had returned to the Manchester area of New Hampshire and became a 'must see' attraction. When it became apparent that his name was not going to be in lights nationally from the Decca record, Maltais headed out for the West coast. Here he knocked on the doors of several record companies, one of who was Aladdin who got their artists Johnnie & Jackie to record Gene's songs 'Gang War' and 'The Raging Sea'. However, he returned to New Hampshire but then quickly decided to head out west again.
Here he made contact with the Phoenix based Regal Records and on 28th December 1957, he entered the Ramsey Recording Studio and cut 'Lovemakin'/The Bug' (Regal # 7502). There is a mystery as to who played lead guitar on the session. Gene recalls that it was Duane Eddy but the session log states Al Casey. Whist being a very tasty record, it stiffed nationally and so it was again a return to New Hampshire. Gene decided that he should now record his own version of 'Gang War' and 'The Raging Sea' with his Gibson String Band that he released on his own Lilac Records (#2159) but with less than 1,000 copies being pressed. (Much later on, it was re-released on the Massabesic label).
Maltais then carved out a performing circuit for himself, especially in Boston and other East coast cities and carried on performing well into the sixties. Recording-wise, apart from an isolated demo session in 1965, Gene did not return to the studio until 1975 and it was for a session in Belgium supervised by Mac Bouvrie. Three sides were laid down with 'Rock And Roll Beat/The Raging Sea' being issued on Monopole 452 whilst 'Begone Come The Dawn' saw the light of day on Monopole 612.
Gene had set up his own business and had become involved in local New Hampshire politics and charity work. However, he still had the music bug and so in 1994, he recorded 'Voodoo Woman' and 'Little Girl' for Billy Millers New York based Norton Records (#45-029). He has also made several demo sessions through the years. A compilation of his recordings will soon be available on Hydra Records out of Germany.
He is unfortunately another of those stories of a guy with a considerable rockin' talent but who was unsuccessful in achieving the big break.
Little Girl
John & Jackie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never spoke of his name never read her his word
Two non believers walking lost in this world
Took their baby with them what a sad little girl
Her daddy drank all day and mommy did drugs
Never wanted to play or give kisses and hugs
She'd watched the TV and sit there on the couch
While her mom fell asleep and her daddy went out
Just got worse every night
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
Oh what a sad little life
And like it always does the bad just got worse
With every slap and every curse
Until her daddy in a drunk rage one night
Used a gun on her mom and then took his life
And some people from the city took the girl far away
To a new Mom and a new Dad
Kisses and hugs every day!
Her first day at Sunday school
The teacher walked in
And a small little girl stared at a picture of him
She said I know that man
There on that cross I don't know his name
But I know he got off
'Cause he was there in my old house
Held me close to his side
As I hid there behind our couch the night my parents died
In this song, John & Jackie tell the story of a young girl who was neglected and overlooked by her troubled parents. They never talked about religion or mentioned God's name, leaving her feeling abandoned and lost. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother was addicted to drugs, leaving the girl to fend for herself most of the time. She would sit on the couch watching TV as her parents fought and argued, feeling alone and helpless.
The situation only got worse as time went on, and eventually, her father snapped and killed her mother before taking his own life. The girl was then taken in by a new family who took care of her and gave her the love and attention she deserved. It was at Sunday school that she discovered Jesus and felt his presence in her life, realizing that he had been there with her all along, comforting her during the difficult times behind the couch.
This song touches on themes of neglect, abuse, and redemption. It's a sad but ultimately hopeful story of a little girl who finds love and salvation after a tumultuous childhood.
Line by Line Meaning
Her parents never took the young girl to church
The girl's parents never took her to church or taught her about religion.
Never spoke of his name never read her his word
The girl's parents never talked about God or read her the Bible.
Two non believers walking lost in this world
The girl's parents were both non-believers and lacked direction in their lives.
Took their baby with them what a sad little girl
The girl was brought along by her parents, who were not providing a happy life.
Her daddy drank all day and mommy did drugs
The girl's father was an alcoholic and her mother was using drugs.
Never wanted to play or give kisses and hugs
The parents were emotionally uninvolved with their daughter.
She'd watched the TV and sit there on the couch
The girl spent much of her time watching TV and sitting on the couch.
While her mom fell asleep and her daddy went out
The girl's mother would often fall asleep and her father would leave the house.
And the drinking and the fighting
The parents would frequently drink and argue with one another.
Just got worse every night
The situation was getting progressively worse over time.
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
The girl would hide behind the couch during the fights.
Oh what a sad little life
The girl had a very unhappy and tragic life.
And like it always does the bad just got worse
The situation continued to deteriorate.
With every slap and every curse
The parents were physically and verbally abusive towards one another.
Until her daddy in a drunk rage one night
The girl's father, in a state of drunkenness, did something terrible.
Used a gun on her mom and then took his life
The father used a gun to kill the mother before committing suicide.
And some people from the city took the girl far away
The girl was taken away by people from the city.
To a new Mom and a new Dad
She was adopted by a new set of parents.
Kisses and hugs every day!
Her new parents were affectionate and loving towards her.
Her first day at Sunday school
The girl's first day at Sunday school.
The teacher walked in
The teacher arrived.
And a small little girl stared at a picture of him
The girl looked at a picture of Jesus.
She said I know that man
The girl recognized Jesus in the picture.
There on that cross I don't know his name
She did not know Jesus' name at that time.
But I know he got off
She knew that Jesus had gotten off the cross.
'Cause he was there in my old house
She believed that Jesus was present in her house during the traumatic event.
Held me close to his side
She felt that Jesus had protected her and kept her close during the ordeal.
As I hid there behind our couch the night my parents died
The girl hid behind the couch on the night her parents were killed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HARLEY ALLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Anyoxxx
This is surprisingly on 78… I’m gonna find it since it’s a rare one
@caesertullo1824
I want to like this twice so it gets recommended more.
@jackiejoy7276
Sounds like some damn good times
@Tuzotonic
Amazing that this predates The Buzzcock's Orgasm Addict by 20 years. That's the song the moans and wails reminds me of.
@caesertullo1824
I actually had to lower the sound cause it just sounds like porn.
@litespeedga
Oh me garsh...
@geraldthebusdriver3491
This song turns on my fantasies
@jorgedean1
this used to be in rotation in the Los Angeles Rockabilly scene years ago. Time to give it another whirl!
@srercrcr
I suspect the stations didn't play it.... a little risque for its day.
@jackiejoy7276
Yeehaw right on finally some true music of what the 50s in early sixties were really like not everybody waited till they got married there was some people having some good times if you listen to some of the music it said it without words this one it is expressive love it is there any more tunes out there like this I would like to hear them kind of sexy in an innocent 50s way hahaha if it didn't get no play on a radio I'm sure some Preacher Man had to do it because he was trying to save his little girl but guess what that was her singing I'm just saying lot of girls had to leave town and go to the girls school they didn't go there for no reason