Ace Records began its Girls with Guitars CD series in 2004.  That first volume took its inspiration from a 1989 LP issued by the label and featured 24 tracks from lesser-known American girl groups worthy of attention from garage-rock fans.  The music of Girls with Guitars was diverse, encompassing a variety of sixties sounds from garage to pop and soul.  A second volume, Destroy That Boy: More Girls with Guitars, followed in 2009 ramping up the star wattage with a couple of mind-blowing cuts by Ann-Margret.  Now, Volume 3 – entitled The Rebel Kind after Lee Hazlewood’s song famously recorded by Dino, Desi and Billy and surveyed here by New Zealand’s The Chicks – collects 24 more rockin’ girl rarities from the U.S., the U.K., Italy, Japan and beyond.

The most famous names on The Rebel Kind belong to Jackie DeShannon and Brenda Lee.  Jackie has been a fixture on the Ace scene, with the label offering volumes of her complete Liberty and Imperial singles as well as a collection of her work as a songwriter.  (A second such volume is on the way.)  Girls with Guitars naturally indulges the more rocking side of the “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” and “What the World Needs Now is Love” chanteuse, featuring her 1964 recording of “Dream Boy,” recording during the same London trip that yielded her folk-rock gem “Don’t Turn Your Back on Me.”  Jimmy Page, then a hot session guitar slinger, joins Jackie on the track.  Nashville queen and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” gal Brenda Lee also found herself in London in 1964 with Jimmy Page at her side and on fire.  With producer Mickie Most (The Animals, Donovan), Lee recorded the version of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” heard here.

Donovan himself is represented with “You Just Gotta Know My Mind” from actress, singer and future David Bowie pal and collaborator Dana Gillespie.  The Donovan tune was Gillespie’s first single for Decca Records, and yup, featured the ubiquitous Page!    Donovan isn’t the only famous name here in the songwriting department.  Bob Dylan’s “If You Gotta Go, Go Now” is heard via a 1966 single by The Honeybeats – in Italian!  Brill Building stalwarts Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil’s “Chico’s Girl” was cut in Los Angeles by producer and Wrecking Crew sax man Steve Douglas for a 1966 single reprised here.  L.A. band The Turtles served as the backing group for The Chymes on another sound of ’66 –the Chattahoochee Records single “He’s Not There Anymore,” written and produced by Nita Garfield and her boyfriend, The Turtles’ Howard Kaylan.

Rock on after the jump!

The very first Girls with Guitars featured “Only Seventeen” from The Beattle-ettes; on this volume, the Fab Four is paid homage via the answer song “I’ll Let You Hold My Hand” by (wait for it) The Bootles!  And yes, the girls wore boots – at least the girls in GNP Crescendo’s publicity photos did, as the song was most likely performed by session singers.  New York –formed girl group Goldie and the Gingerbreads also have a long association with Girls with Guitars, going back to that 1989 LP.  They have two tracks here: their Atco recording of “Please Please” produced by Shel Talmy, and their Decca single of “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” produced by Alan Price in 1965 – the same year Herman’s Hermits took the John Carter/Ken Lewis song to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Only one track hails from a decade later than the 1960s – and surprisingly, it’s the 1980s!  The Delmonas reprised Freddie Starr and the Midnighters’ “Peter Gunn Locomotion” – with lyrics by Sammy Cahn set to Henry Mancini’s famous melody! – in 1984 on a Big Beat Records EP.  The quirky cut makes a welcome reappearance here.  More tracks appear here by The Debutantes than by any other group or artist – three.  The Detroit girls shared bills with many of Motown’s brightest stars as well as with Bob Seger and The Kingsmen, and it’s clear to see why based on their recordings of “A New Love Today,” “Love is Strange” and “Strong Foundation.”

The third volume of Girls with Guitars has been compiled and annotated by Mick Patrick; his track-by-track notes can be found in the lavish, 24-page full color book.  This rockin’ and rollin’ addition to your library is available now from Ace Records, and can be ordered at the links below!

Various Artists, The Rebel Kind: Girls with Guitars 3 (Ace CDCHD 1374, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. A Ladies’ Man – Colette and the Bandits (Stateside SS 416, 1965)
2. Please, Please – Goldie and the Gingerbreads (Atco 6427, 1966)
3. Chico’s Girl – The Girls (Capitol 5675, 1966)
4. I’ll Let You Hold My Hand – The Bootles (GNP Crescendo 311, 1964)
5. Putty in Your Hands – Jean and the Statesides (Columbia DB 7287, 1964)
6. A New Love Today – The Debutantes (Lucky Eleven 237, 1967)
7. International Girl – The Beas (Chattahoochee 692, 1965)
8. You Just Gotta Know My Mind – Dana Gillespie (Decca F 12847, 1968)
9. How About You – Mousie and the Traps (Toddlin’ Town 8204, 1966)
10. Love is Strange – The Debutantes (Lucky Eleven 237, 1967)
11. The Girl He Needs – Lydia Marcelle (Manhattan 805, 1967)
12. What’d I Say – Brenda Lee (Brunswick 05915, 1964)
13. Dicci Come Fini – The Honeybeats (Ricordi International SIR 20-025, 1966)
14. I Idolize You – Gail Harris with the Wailers (Etiquette LP ETALB 1, 1961)
15. He’s Not There Anymore – The Chynes (Chattahoochee 716, 1966)
16. Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat – Goldie and the Gingerbreads (Decca F 12070, 1965)
17. Dream Boy – Jackie DeShannon (1964 Liberty recording, issued EMI CD 7243 8 829786 2 6, 1994)
18. The Rebel Kind – The Chicks (Impact 1012, 1966)
19. Peter Gunn Locomotion – The Delmonas (Big Beat SW 102, 1984)
20. Soba Ni Ite – Pinky Chicks (Victor SV-182, 1968)
21. Strong Foundation – The Debutantes (Standout 601, 1967)
22. Stones – The Ace of Cups (1968 recording – issued Big Beat CD WIKD 236, 2003)
23. Fa Come Vuoi – The Honeybeats (Ricordi International SIR 20-025, 1966)
24. Peruvian Wedding Song – The Chantels (1959 End recording – issued Murray Hill LP 000385, 1987)

All track mono except Tracks 8, 12, 17, 19 & 24 are stereo