Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco (born February 19, 1943), known professionally… Read Full Bio ↴Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco (born February 19, 1943), known professionally as Lou Christie, is an American singer-songwriter best known for three separate strings of pop hits in the 1960s, including "Two Faces Have I" and "Lightnin' Strikes" and his incredible 3 octave vocal range.
Sacco was born in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania[1] and raised in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sacco traveled to New York after graduating from Moon Area High School and found work as a session vocalist.
His sister Susan Christie had a minor hit with the novelty song "I Love Onions", which peaked at #63 on the Hot 100 in 1966.
Robbee and Roulette: 1961-1963
Sacco also recorded a few unsuccessful discs of his own for various record labels in both New York and Pittsburgh, most notably "The Jury" (as by "Lugee & The Lions") on the Pittsburgh-based Robbee label, which achieved local success. "The Gypsy Cried" features the vocal style that would characterize all of Christie's biggest hits: verses sung in his normal register, and then a dramatic shift to his falsetto on the choruses. That song was released in 1962 on the tiny C&C label and unexpectedly credited to 'Lou Christie' without Sacco's permission. Sacco had been working on a list of potential stage names, and he has stated that he hated the name for decades afterwards: "I was pissed off about it for 20 years. I wanted to keep my name and be a one-named performer, just 'Lugee'."
After the C&C release became a Pittsburgh hit, "The Gypsy Cried" was picked up by Roulette Records and charted nationwide, peaking at #24, selling over one million copies, and receiving a gold disc. "The Gypsy Cried" was the first of numerous songs Christie co-wrote with his songwriting partner Twyla Herbert, a self-described eccentric and mystic, who was over twenty years older than Christie but also shared his love of classical music. The two struck up a working relationship after Christie auditioned for her at the age of 15 and began a lifelong friendship which ended only with her death in 2009.
Christie's follow-up single, "Two Faces Have I" in March 1963, was an even bigger hit, peaking at #6 and also selling over a million copies. He joined Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars Tour. A third Roulette release, "How Many Teardrops" (written by Milan), stalled at #46 as Christie's career was temporarily derailed by his induction into the U.S. Army. (A copy of "How Many Teardrops" is included on the Milan compilation album Hell Bent for Leather.) Christie would not have another charting single for two and a half years.
Re-establishment and Rhapsody: 1965-1966
While a stint in the military might have ended the careers of many musicians, Christie's career was quickly re-established after his discharge when he signed with the MGM label. MGM reportedly disliked Christie's first single for the label, with MGM's president reportedly throwing the tape into a wastepaper basket. But Christie's new management promoted the record in California, and when it gained some traction (eventually reaching #2 on KHJ the last two weeks of 1965), MGM released it. "Lightnin' Strikes" reached #1 in the U.S. on Christie's 23rd birthday on February 19, 1966; entered the UK Top 20, becoming his first hit in that country; and peaked at number one in Canada.
But Christie's next release would ignite a firestorm of controversy and censorship. Released in the spring of 1966, "Rhapsody In The Rain" featured a haunting melody inspired by Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet", telling of a teenager's regret over his sexual experience in the back seat of a car during a rainstorm as the windshield wipers made a rhythmic sound of "together, together".[citation needed] Later after the romance ends, the wipers seem to say "never, never".[citation needed] Many radio stations banned the song, and MGM insisted on a re-recorded version that toned down the lyrical content.[citation needed] Despite the edited version, many stations instead played two older songs re-released by other labels Christie had once recorded for: "Outside the Gates of Heaven" (on Co & Ce Records, a successor to C&C) peaked at #45, while "Big Time" (on Colpix Records) managed to hit #95. All three singles hit nationally within three weeks of one another, in March 1966, while "Lightnin' Strikes" was falling off.
Whether it was the controversial lyrics or competition from the other singles released simultaneously, "Rhapsody" only managed to hit #16 in the U.S. and #37 in the UK. Christie's career seemed to be derailed once again as his followup for MGM, "Painter", which also borrowed a melody from classical music - this time from Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly - stalled at #81. Two further MGM releases (produced by Jack Nitzsche) from 1966 missed the Billboard Hot 100 entirely, even though "If My Car Could Only Talk" (peaking at #118) seemingly revisits the ill-fated lovers from Rhapsody.
Resurgence and Romeo: 1969-1970
After being dropped by MGM and an unfruitful stint with Columbia Records in the late 1960s, Christie teamed up with Buddah Records (a move prompted by his business manager Stan Polley) and bubblegum music record producer Tony Romeo and had a surprise Wall of Sound constant uptempo hit "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" (which Romeo wrote) in the early autumn of 1969. Helped by two promotional videos distinctly different from each other, the song peaked at #10 in the U.S. but across the Atlantic climbed to #2 on the UK Singles Chart and thus became his biggest hit there. A follow up, "She Sold Me Magic" charted only in the UK, peaking at #25, and was later covered by Elton John. Conversely, "Are You Getting Any Sunshine?" only charted in America, where it reached #73.
Recoveries and Remakes: 1971 to present
Christie spent the early 1970s in London, largely outside of the music industry and battling drug addiction. In 1971 he released a concept album called Paint America Love and was married in London to former UK beauty queen Francesca Winfield. In 1974, Christie would try another new musical style, going country on his Beyond The Blue Horizon album. The title track, a remake of a hit song from 1930, written for the film Monte Carlo, features one of Christie's strongest non-falsetto vocal performances.[citation needed] The song missed the Country charts entirely, and only made #80 on the pop chart, but managed a respectable showing at #12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song has been used in several film soundtracks, most notably in 1988's Rain Man.
After getting clean at a London drug rehabilitation clinic, he dropped out of the music industry, working variously as a ranch hand, offshore oil driller and carnival barker.[1]
Christie became active on the oldies circuit starting in the early 1980s, even scoring a final U.S. chart hit, credited as "Summer '81 medley" by The Cantina Band (featuring Lou Christie), in 1981 - and, coincidentally, peaking at #81, performing a medley of Beach Boys classics. In 1999 Christie recorded his first all-new album since the 1970s entitled Pledging My Love. In 2004 Christie released his first concert album, Greatest Hits Live From The Bottom Line, which featured studio recording "Christmas In New York" as a bonus track. In addition to the occasional new release, Christie remains a popular concert act on the oldies circuit in the U.S. and UK. He has also hosted a series of programs on SiriusXM radio for the 60's channel.
Sacco was born in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania[1] and raised in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sacco traveled to New York after graduating from Moon Area High School and found work as a session vocalist.
His sister Susan Christie had a minor hit with the novelty song "I Love Onions", which peaked at #63 on the Hot 100 in 1966.
Robbee and Roulette: 1961-1963
Sacco also recorded a few unsuccessful discs of his own for various record labels in both New York and Pittsburgh, most notably "The Jury" (as by "Lugee & The Lions") on the Pittsburgh-based Robbee label, which achieved local success. "The Gypsy Cried" features the vocal style that would characterize all of Christie's biggest hits: verses sung in his normal register, and then a dramatic shift to his falsetto on the choruses. That song was released in 1962 on the tiny C&C label and unexpectedly credited to 'Lou Christie' without Sacco's permission. Sacco had been working on a list of potential stage names, and he has stated that he hated the name for decades afterwards: "I was pissed off about it for 20 years. I wanted to keep my name and be a one-named performer, just 'Lugee'."
After the C&C release became a Pittsburgh hit, "The Gypsy Cried" was picked up by Roulette Records and charted nationwide, peaking at #24, selling over one million copies, and receiving a gold disc. "The Gypsy Cried" was the first of numerous songs Christie co-wrote with his songwriting partner Twyla Herbert, a self-described eccentric and mystic, who was over twenty years older than Christie but also shared his love of classical music. The two struck up a working relationship after Christie auditioned for her at the age of 15 and began a lifelong friendship which ended only with her death in 2009.
Christie's follow-up single, "Two Faces Have I" in March 1963, was an even bigger hit, peaking at #6 and also selling over a million copies. He joined Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars Tour. A third Roulette release, "How Many Teardrops" (written by Milan), stalled at #46 as Christie's career was temporarily derailed by his induction into the U.S. Army. (A copy of "How Many Teardrops" is included on the Milan compilation album Hell Bent for Leather.) Christie would not have another charting single for two and a half years.
Re-establishment and Rhapsody: 1965-1966
While a stint in the military might have ended the careers of many musicians, Christie's career was quickly re-established after his discharge when he signed with the MGM label. MGM reportedly disliked Christie's first single for the label, with MGM's president reportedly throwing the tape into a wastepaper basket. But Christie's new management promoted the record in California, and when it gained some traction (eventually reaching #2 on KHJ the last two weeks of 1965), MGM released it. "Lightnin' Strikes" reached #1 in the U.S. on Christie's 23rd birthday on February 19, 1966; entered the UK Top 20, becoming his first hit in that country; and peaked at number one in Canada.
But Christie's next release would ignite a firestorm of controversy and censorship. Released in the spring of 1966, "Rhapsody In The Rain" featured a haunting melody inspired by Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet", telling of a teenager's regret over his sexual experience in the back seat of a car during a rainstorm as the windshield wipers made a rhythmic sound of "together, together".[citation needed] Later after the romance ends, the wipers seem to say "never, never".[citation needed] Many radio stations banned the song, and MGM insisted on a re-recorded version that toned down the lyrical content.[citation needed] Despite the edited version, many stations instead played two older songs re-released by other labels Christie had once recorded for: "Outside the Gates of Heaven" (on Co & Ce Records, a successor to C&C) peaked at #45, while "Big Time" (on Colpix Records) managed to hit #95. All three singles hit nationally within three weeks of one another, in March 1966, while "Lightnin' Strikes" was falling off.
Whether it was the controversial lyrics or competition from the other singles released simultaneously, "Rhapsody" only managed to hit #16 in the U.S. and #37 in the UK. Christie's career seemed to be derailed once again as his followup for MGM, "Painter", which also borrowed a melody from classical music - this time from Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly - stalled at #81. Two further MGM releases (produced by Jack Nitzsche) from 1966 missed the Billboard Hot 100 entirely, even though "If My Car Could Only Talk" (peaking at #118) seemingly revisits the ill-fated lovers from Rhapsody.
Resurgence and Romeo: 1969-1970
After being dropped by MGM and an unfruitful stint with Columbia Records in the late 1960s, Christie teamed up with Buddah Records (a move prompted by his business manager Stan Polley) and bubblegum music record producer Tony Romeo and had a surprise Wall of Sound constant uptempo hit "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" (which Romeo wrote) in the early autumn of 1969. Helped by two promotional videos distinctly different from each other, the song peaked at #10 in the U.S. but across the Atlantic climbed to #2 on the UK Singles Chart and thus became his biggest hit there. A follow up, "She Sold Me Magic" charted only in the UK, peaking at #25, and was later covered by Elton John. Conversely, "Are You Getting Any Sunshine?" only charted in America, where it reached #73.
Recoveries and Remakes: 1971 to present
Christie spent the early 1970s in London, largely outside of the music industry and battling drug addiction. In 1971 he released a concept album called Paint America Love and was married in London to former UK beauty queen Francesca Winfield. In 1974, Christie would try another new musical style, going country on his Beyond The Blue Horizon album. The title track, a remake of a hit song from 1930, written for the film Monte Carlo, features one of Christie's strongest non-falsetto vocal performances.[citation needed] The song missed the Country charts entirely, and only made #80 on the pop chart, but managed a respectable showing at #12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song has been used in several film soundtracks, most notably in 1988's Rain Man.
After getting clean at a London drug rehabilitation clinic, he dropped out of the music industry, working variously as a ranch hand, offshore oil driller and carnival barker.[1]
Christie became active on the oldies circuit starting in the early 1980s, even scoring a final U.S. chart hit, credited as "Summer '81 medley" by The Cantina Band (featuring Lou Christie), in 1981 - and, coincidentally, peaking at #81, performing a medley of Beach Boys classics. In 1999 Christie recorded his first all-new album since the 1970s entitled Pledging My Love. In 2004 Christie released his first concert album, Greatest Hits Live From The Bottom Line, which featured studio recording "Christmas In New York" as a bonus track. In addition to the occasional new release, Christie remains a popular concert act on the oldies circuit in the U.S. and UK. He has also hosted a series of programs on SiriusXM radio for the 60's channel.
Hey You Cajun
Lou Christie Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Lou Christie:
A Teenager In Love Each time we have a quarrel It almost breaks my heart 'Cause…
All That Glitter Never be foolish and na've When someone wants you to believ…
All That Glitters Never be foolish and na've When someone wants you to believe…
All That Glitters Isn't Gold Never be foolish and na've When someone wants you to believ…
Back To The Days Of The Romans Let me save thee, save thee from the den of…
Beyond the Blue Horizon Beyond the blue horizon Waits a beautiful day Goodbye to thi…
Big Time [Chorus:] Big time (big, big time) I'm gonna make it to the …
Cryin Cryin' (oh ah-ah ah-ah) in the streets Cryin' (oh ah-ah…
Cryin' In The Streets Cryin' (oh ah-ah ah-ah) in the streets Cryin' (oh ah-ah…
Gypsy I had some trouble with my baby So I had my…
Gypsy Cried I had some trouble with my baby So I had my…
Have I Sinned I don't want the world to know I don't want my…
HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Hold me, hold me Never let me go Until you've told me,…
Hold Me Till The Morning Comes Two broken hearts Neither one knows what to say Both falling…
How Many Teardrops How many teardrops must I cry till you believe in…
I I don't want the world to know I don't want my…
I'm Gonna Get Married Kind of love, just a very special kind of love Just…
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me I'll try every trick in the book With every step that…
If I Fell If I fell in love with you Would you promise to…
If My Car Could Only Talk She met me at the station 'cause I'm coming home…
I´m gonna make you mine I'll try every trick in the book With every step that…
Lightening Strikes Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand You're old enough t…
Lightin Strikes Listen to me, baby, you got to understand You're old enough…
Lightin' Strikes Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand You're old enough …
Lightnin Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand (ma-me-aah, ooh) Yo…
Lightnin' Strike Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand You're old enough …
Lightnin' Strikes Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand (ma-me-aah, ooh) Yo…
Lightning Strikes Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand (ma-me-aah, ooh) Y…
Lightnin’ Strikes Listen to me, baby, you gotta understand (ma-me-aah, ooh) Yo…
Love In A Limousine Each time we have a quarrel It almost breaks my heart 'Cause…
MACK THE KNIFE Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear And it shows…
Money The best things in life are free But you can keep…
Mr Tenor Man They talk about the bass man, he had success Oh what…
NEVER MY LOVE Forever my darling our love will be true Always and forever…
O Holy Night O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the…
Outside the Gates of Heaven Where is heaven? (In your heart) Outside, outside, outside, …
Paint America Love trapped by old ways distant music plays painted faded signs …
Painter Painter Put my hurt on paper Make the colors lonely From gol…
Pledging My Love Forever my darling our love will be true Always and forever…
Red Sails in the Sunset 'Twas down where fisher folk gather, I wander'd far from th…
Rhapsody in the Rain Baby the raindrops play for me A lonely rhapsody 'cause on…
Ronda Sha pu ah hah, do Ronda, sha pu ah hah,…
Shake Hands And Walk Away Crying Rumors gettin' 'round, my sweet baby put me down Ain't a…
She Sold Me Magic Maybe So it's maybe, maybe, maybe I love you My thanks it'…
Shy Boy Shy, shy, shy yi yi yi boy Shy, shy, shy…
Stay Ah-uh Just a little bit longer (Stay, yeah-yeah) Oh! Please,…
Summer Snow Summer snow oh oh oh oh, falling, falling Snow (sha ooo…
Tears On My Pillow If you try hard enough you'll see day light at the…
The Gypsy Cried I had some trouble with my baby So I had my…
To Be Loved To be loved and not to be alone This is our…
Trapeze (Trapeze, sha la la, baby you'll never fly with me Trapeze,…
Two Faces Have I I don't want the world to know I don't want my…
Watch Your Heart After Dark Don't, don't After dawn, don't stir up someone's emotions It…
When You Dance When you dance be sure to hold her, hold her…
You and I I got chills. They're multiplyin'. And I'm losin' control. C…
You've Got Your Troubles I see that worried look upon your face You've got your…
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countrypaul
From the Three Brothers Records THB 2000, from 1974; this was an attempt for CTI, a jazz label, to "go pop." This is a surprisingly credible performance, especially considering that it was produced by Tony Romeo, famous/notorious for his production work with The Partridge Family and numerous middle-road hits, and especially for writing and releasing (by himself and others) about 150 songs including the Partridges' "I Think I Love You." Christie and Twyla Herbert wrote this one which, to my ear, deserved a better fate than obscurity.
flomurdock
Lou Christie is surprisingly versatile, and has sounded good at everything he's tried.
Joseph Pingel
I met Lou while working at a Peaches Record Store in St. Louis in 1976. I had a number of questions for him and then his interest turned to my thoughts of his latest LP release on Brother Records where this song comes from. "What do you think of Cajun?" he asked. Without missing a beat, "Best song on the album" was my reply. He seemed rather pleased because I think it is the only song on that album he actually wrote. I got a nice autographed picture and left with happiness in my heart meeting and talking with him.
Bob leroy
I remember several country radio stations played this song in Pittsburgh
I.F. Horus
How did he know about that tattoo?
Wanda Dees
HERE have another beer
Wanda Dees
I will look better with a 6pks