The Music Of Tommy James Sounds Almost As Good In Chinese

Tommy James

Tommy James by Jim Pietryga

Longtime Essex County resident Tommy James has had a string of hits a mile long. His music has been used in countless movies, TV shows and commercials. It’s timeless. His compositions sound as vital and fresh now as they ever did. One of his songs, “Mony Mony,” originally released in the U.S. 57 years ago in 1968, a #1 in England and #3 in the U.S. and Canada, was released in Indonesia 47 years ago in Chinese. The song was included on the various-artists Mandarin Disco Volume #6 compilation, on the Surya Emas label. “Money,” as they called it, was by an act named Ervinna.

The song has had various permutations. Billy Idol’s 1981 studio version made it to #7 on the Billboard Dance Chart. His live version, six years later in 1987, topped the charts at #1. Weird Al covered it as “Alimony.” The Beach Boys, Status Quo, The Pretty Things, Alvin & The Chipmunks, Boyz II Men, 98 Degrees, New Kids On The Block, Celia & The Mutations, The Boston Pops and The Stranglers have all covered the song.

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Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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