Velvelettes

The Velvelettes were an American singing girl group, signed to Motown, best known for their singles 'Needle In a Haystack' (1964) and "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" (1965).

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel
The Velvelettes single 'Needle In a Haystack' was a long-time Peel favourite, selected by the DJ for the Peelenium 1964 and his 2002 mix album FabricLive.07. In 2003, when the track was chosen by Nick Hornby for a book about 31 songs with particular emotional resonance for him, Peel noted that it was the only one of the writer's choices that would have been on his own list:

"“I think Nick Hornby and I would agree that you should hear it as soon as you possibly can. Trust us. And don't talk while it's playing.'"

Although the song failed to trouble the UK charts, it was a minor US hit when Peel was living in the States. A cover version of the group's followup, "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'", entered the UK charts for former Peel session artists Bananarama (with the Fun Boy Three) in 1982.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None.

Sessions

 * None


 * 1970s


 * 17 March 1972: Needle In A Haystack (single) Tamla Motown
 * 26 November 1979: (JP: "These are the Velvelettes, an oldie but goodie. No reason for playing it at all, other than the fact that it exists really.") - Needle In A Haystack (7") V.I.P.


 * 1980s
 * 13 August 1981: He Was Really Saying Something
 * 22 June 1982: He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' Tamla Motown
 * 28 May 1984: He Was Really Saying Something


 * 1990s
 * 27 October 1999: Needle In A Haystack (Peelenium 1964)