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THE
MEXICAN AND THE RHUMBA
Not
too much is known about Mitchell Torok, apart from songs
he's recorded and his association with the great country
singer Jim Reeves. We know that Mitchell was born in
Houston in Texas on October 28, 1929.
He
became known as Mexican Joe and became a popular and
best selling star in the US charts. In 1996 a boxed
set of his recordings was released and is still available.
It's called Mexican Joe In The Caribbean.
Also
available via the official Jim Reeves Fan Club is "Jim
Reeves, Me And Mexican Joe," a book which claims
to tell the "amazing, untold story of the song
that skyrocketed Jim Reeves into international stardom
in 1953." It also includes details of "a song
Mitchell had written for Jim shortly before his plane
crash in 1964. It's titled I HATE ME ( for loving you)."
The
book also relates how Jim missed out on recording on
Mitchell's song aribbean, which made Mitchell Torok
famous across the US.
According
to Dave McAleer in his book Hit Parade Heroes, Torok
toured with Johnnie Ray in the UK in 1957 alongside
the John Barry Seven.
If
you find out anything more about Mitchell Torok, please
email us and we'll add your information.
Below
is a photo of a sample copy of Mitchell Torok's only
British hit on record, and the lyrics from the song,
which made No.6 in the UK charts. Red Light, Green Light
was a minor hit for him in Britain the following year.
Down
in Mexico, at each high noon
Siesta is the thing
You can find me sleepin' out in the shade
While the birds softly sing
But from the radio, there comes a U.S. show
And the disc-jockey's playin' the blues
Before they know what's happened
They're up and clappin'
To the tune of the blue suede shoes
One,
two, and then rock
It's the funniest thing ever told
The day that Mexico gave up the rhumba
To do the rock and roll
In
the middle of town, the pecker bullring stands
It reaches to the sky
Inside's a matador, he's got his sword in hand
And a bull is fixing to die
But from the phonograph, there comes a frantic sound
And the sword drops from his hands
The bull begins to dance, around in the dust
To the beat of a picker brass band
One,
two, and then rock
It's the funniest thing ever told
The day that Mexico gave up the rhumba
To do the rock and roll
In
the summertime, the tourists come
Expecting to see the scenes
Of the quiet places and the quiet faces
They read of in magazines
But in their amazement, when they find this craze
Is not in the U.S. alone
They used to dance `neath the stars to the Spanish guitars
But now they do it to a saxophone
One,
two, and then rock
It's the funniest thing ever told
The day that Mexico gave up the rhumba
To do the rock and roll
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