Here Comes Summer - Single

It may come as a surprise to many music lovers that two volumes are required to round up the recordings of Jerry Keller, a one-hit wonder who struck in 1959 with a song he wrote, "Here Comes Summer." Keller was a talented composer who continued to enjoy success as a songwriter long after his teen idol aspirations waned, but that isn't to say his recording career was a bust — he was a pleasant vocalist whose teen pop records are enjoyable and sometimes witty. For instance, his only other near-hit was "Be Careful How You Drive Young Joey," an amusing teen tragedy parody in which the surprise ending is that no one dies. Here Comes Summer, Complete Vol. 1 has these two songs as well as 28 other cuts Keller recorded for Kapp, Coral, and Capitol between 1959 and 1964, including tracks from his only album, Here Comes Jerry Keller. The repertoire varies from teen novelties such as the tongue-twisting "Sea Shell Sherry" to Keller's interpretations of traditional pop standards like "Unchained Melody" and "American Beauty Rose." The detailed booklet provides annotation and other details of Keller's career, adding value to a package that illuminates the talents of a lesser-known, but no less worthy, singer and songwriter.