They All Had Their Own Story

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It should’ve happened… multiple hits, a massive career, world recognition and all the rest.

Marathons

As the Vibrations, they were in heavy demand

in 1961 due to their Checker label, top 40 dance

disc, “The Watusi;” previously as the Jayhawks

with a near identical lineup–they made the national

charts big-time in 1956 with the original rendition

of “Stranded in the Jungle.”

 

Hollywood-based Arvee Records were hungry for yet

another hit out of the Olympics—known for “Western Movies,” “Shimmy Like Kate,” “(Baby) Hully Gully,”

“Big Boy Pete”—but the unit was on the road. H.B. Barnum, the Olympics tunesmith and producer, offered

the Vibrations/Jayhawks some side money if they would record “PEANUT BUTTER” as Olympic sound-

alikes, as the MARATHONS. It work…too well. The disc went top 20.

Chess/Checker Records got wise to the groups violation of contract and won in the courts the rights to

rerelease the hot “Peanut Butter” disk. Arvee kept the name and with a mystery group or two issued further

singles and a collectable album. Sonny Bono—later of Sonny &–wrote and produced some of the tunes;

including one about an overly endowed vixen who should have known better than to wear that “Tight

Sweater.”

No vibrations were present at the sessions.