The Harden Trio "Tippy Toeing" (Columbia Records, 1966) (LP)
This perky family act from out Arkansas way was sort of like a modernized version of the Browns -- two sisters and a brother, but with more rockin', popped-out arrangements on a couple of tunes. The catchy title track, "Tippy Toeing," had a pop-rock kookiness to it, as did a couple of other tunes on here, though for the most part it's a softened country-folk vibe that predominates. The band put out at least one other record that I know of; sister Arlene Harden also had a fairly successful solo career, in which she pursued a more serious artistic image, albeit in a soft, weepy kinda way.
The Harden Trio "Sing Me Back Home" (Columbia Records, 1968) (LP)
Arlene Harden "What Can I Say" (Columbia Records, 1968) (LP) (LP)
A solo album from Arlene Harden (who also spelled her name "Arleen"), one of the "girl" singers from the family band known as The Harden Trio. For more info on the band, see below...
Bobby Harden "Nashville Sensation" (Starday Records, 1969) (LP)
(Produced by Ralph Davis & Al Gore)
After his sisters left The Harden Trio in 1967, Bobby Harden tried replacing them with two other gals... When that fizzled out, he went solo as well, releasing this solo album which had a high proportion of cover tunes... Throughout the 'Seventies, he released a string of singles on various labels but nothing really clicked until the song, "One Step" broke into the Top 50 in 1975. Harden's main success came as a songwriter -- in addition to his early crossover hit, "Tippy Toeing," he placed songs with Top Forty stars such as Mark Chesnutt, George Jones, Kenny Rogers and Reba McEntire. I think this was his only solo album...in all honesty, it's a little bland and unremarkable, but that may have been due to the style of the times as much as Harden's limitations as a singer. Hard to say... but this one didn't do much for me.
Arlene Harden "...Sings Roy Orbison" (Columbia Records, 1970) (LP)
Arlene Harden "I Could Almost Say Goodbye" (Capitol Records, 1975) (LP)
The Harden Trio "Tippy Toeing/Sing Me Back Home" (Collectables Records, 2002) (CD)
As Nashville back-benchers, the Harden Trio have been poorly served in the digital era, this being the lone CD reissue in decades. It's basically a straight reissue of the group's two albums, pleasantly enough without the usual missing track or two that normally define reissues on the Collectables label. Alas, it's no Bear Family-style mega-collection encompassing their many non-album singles, or any of the family's solo work. But if you wanna hear "Tippy Toeing" or any of their other pop-country perkiness, this disc'll do ya.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Seminole Fever: A Nashville Musical Salute" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
Well, I guess a paycheck is a paycheck... This is a set of football-themed anthems, written in honor of the Florida State Seminoles, whose coach Bobby Bowder is identified on the back as "the great white chief." Man, those were the days. Anyway, the material was written by the duo of Tom Cook and L. L. Hart, whose company, All-Pro Records, recorded a number of semi-generic athletic souvenir discs, for whatever teams would hire them. The label had a slow ramp-up, originally releasing 7" singles back in the 'Seventies, but for the 1981 season, they really hustled up some big business, recording a couple dozen full LPs for various teams, mostly throughout the South. The sessions were produced by the Gusto label, and the Hardens were hired as vocalists for most of the sessions. After their stars had dimmed in the early 'Seventies, the Hardens moved into studio work, and their names frequently pop up as backup singers on albums all along the indie-to-major spectrum. I would consider these to be some of their less prestigious efforts, but then again, I'm not that into football, so what do I know? And actually, if you add them all up, these All-Pro discs represent the bulk of their recorded work. All-Pro released a slew of these disc, including a few singles and other LPs featuring artists such as Urel Albert and Jim Hurley, though in '81 the Hardens were the main performers. Other than the writer-producers, the other studio musicians are not identified. Alas. By the way: I'm not into sports, so I will take the opportunity here to make fun of all of these sports teams. Like I really care.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Tarheel Fever: A Nashville Salute" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
Tarheels... Tarheels... I think I've heard of these guys... UNC... That's, um, North Carolina, right? Oh yeah, I think there was some guy there who learned basketball when he was in Kansas, then brought it back East. They did okay, I guess, though let's be honest: they're no Jayhawks. This album includes "North Carolina, You're Almost Like Heaven" (recycled below, for the state university) along with the hallmark of this series, songs written in honor of the team coaches, in this case, "Ode To Coach Crum" and "Coach Smith's War." Go, team!
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "The Mighty Wolfpack: A Nashville Salute" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
Hey! Is that Bucky Badger on the cover? No? Oh, right. It's a wolf... the mascot of... a sports teams from... um... Oh, wait! There's a song called "North Carolina, You're Almost Like Heaven," so unless these guys were from, like, Utah, and they were threatening to annihilate the NC team and send them to heaven, I'm gonna guess the NCSU was from somewhere in... uh... North Carolina? Also, because I'm really smart and everything, I'll go out on a limb and guess that this was a basketball team, judging from the song "A Slam Dunk Everywhere." As with other albums in this series, there are shout-outs to the sidelines, with "Ode To Coach Kiffen" and "Ode To Coach Valvano." Also kind of neat is how the song "Ref, I Didn't Do It" can be used for both football and basketball teams. Other sports, too, I suppose.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Blue Devil Country: A Nashville Salute" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
I honestly have no idea who the Blue Devils are, or what school they play for. And I'm not going to look it up. Even if you wrote to me and said it was Duke University, I wouldn't add that information: I hate football. Anyway, apparently these "teams" have something called "coaches," and sometimes they even have more than one, as heard on this albums twin anthems, "Ode To Coach Wilson" and "Ode To Coach Krzyzewski." Oh, wait... Mind. Blown. Some of these All-Pro albums celebrated both the football and basketball teams! These guys were brilliant.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Tiger Fever: Ode To The Paws And Claws" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
Wait. This is for the Nashville team... but they used the same "paws and claws" theme for the Louisiana State album below? How dumb did they think these jocks were? Like, no one's ever gonna check? Includes local shout-outs like "Big Orange Fan" and "Ode To Coach Ford," as well "Push 'Em Back," "Ref I Didn't Do It" and "Armchair Football Superstar." But recycling the song "Paws And Claws" on both albums? That's just askin' for trouble!
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Razorbacks Fever" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
The Razorbacks... were a, um, football? team? from... uh... the South somewhere? This disc includes "Ode To Billy Ray" as well as regionally-themed tracks such as "Arkansas, You're Where I Want To Be" and "Thank God I'm A Razorback" along with a few more generic songs like "Six More Points" and "The Brutal War" that are recycled on several of these All-Pro albums.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "LSU Tigers: Ode To The Paws And Claws" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, L. L. Hart & Mike Stone)
LSU... LSU... um, gimme a moment, let me look... Oh! Here it is: that would be Louisiana State University. I think. Anyway, for some reason there was no song about their coach (maybe he was too modest?) although "Tigers, Tough And Mean" sounds pretty groovy, as do "Enter The Snakepit" and "Push 'Em Back." This album also includes, "Ref, I Didn't Do It," a song that appears on other All-Pro albums.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Ode To The Eagles" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, Tommy Hill & Mike Stone)
Um, no, that would not be an homage to Don Henley and his pals but rather to the early 'Eighties edition of the USM Eagles, a football team that I guess was from... uh... Mississippi? Their coach got two songs in his honor, "Coach Collin, Squeeze The Charmin," and "Ode To Coach Collins." Other highlights include "Six More Points," "My Eagle Cheerleader," and "Ref, I Didn't Do It." The All-Pro label partnered with some odd sponsors -- Coca Cola backed a couple of discs, while this one (along with others) was underwritten by (and sold at) the Napa auto parts store chain.
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "The Mighty Wildcats" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, Tommy Hill & Mike Stone)
I guess since there's a song called "A Slam Dunk Everywhere," this is a souvenir of Nashville's basketball team? Special shout-out: "Coach Hall Will Lead Us On."
Arlene Harden & Bobby Harden "Love Ya, Shockers" (All Pro Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Tom Cook, Tommy Hill & Mike Styles)
This one's actually a basketball-related rah-rah album, made for the Wichita State Shockers, whose mascot is a pile of wheat. I guess the Shockers have done okay over the years, but notice that their neighbors, the KU Jayhawks, didn't need to overcompensate by getting one of these albums made...
The Hardens (Columbia Records, 1968) (#4-44675) (7")
A: "Who Loves Who" (c: Curly Putman)
B: "This Is Where You Get Off" (c: Curly Putman)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
A "solo" single by sisters Arlene and Fern ("Robbie") Harden, of the hitmaking family band, The Harden Trio. Initially, Robbie and sister Arlene set out as a sister act called "The Hardens" after leaving the trio, though that arrangement didn't last long; some of their work together wound up on Arlene's first solo album, although not these two tracks, which probably came out afterwards.
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1967) (#4-44001) (7")
A: "Money, Money, Money" (c: B. Bowen)
B: "You And Only You" (c: J. Rhodes)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
This appears to have been the first solo single from sister Arlene: two non-album tracks, with a distinctly pop-crossover feel. She's personable and bright, although the fuzzed-out, Beatles-y electric guitars plus the manic pop-vocals orchestrations on "Money" might be a bit much. The B-side, "Only You," is more standard-sounding late 'Sixties country material, with a nice, simple, loping arrangement reminiscent of Wynn Stewart's work of the same vintage... And she sounds great; fans of Lynn Anderson should dig this one.
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1967) (#4-44133) (7")
A: "Fair Weather Love" (c: Wayne P. Walker & Jan Crutchfield)
B: "Don't Ask For Tomorrow" (c: S. James & B. Tubert)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1967) (#4-44310) (7")
A: "You're Easy To Love" (c: D. Burgess)
B: "What Has The World Done To My Baby" (c: J. Rhodes)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
This was possibly the first solo single from sister Arlene, a fairly groovy single, with hip, slinky arrangements and swell, girl-group-ish vocals. This precedes her first solo album and both songs are non-album tracks. Don't forget this one when that box set finally comes out!
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1968) (#4-44461) (7")
A: "He's A Good Old Boy" (c: Harlan Howard)
B: "When" (c: Ben Peters)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Both songs were included on her first album... So, no need to go nuts tracking this disc down.
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1968) (#4-44581) (7")
A: "What Can I Say" (c: Ray Griff)
B: "Like You Love Me Now" (c: Shirl Milette)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Two more album tracks... I mean, sure, if you own a jukebox, or something...
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1969) (#4-44783) (7")
A: "Too Much Of A Man (To Be Tied Down)" (c: L. Kingston)
B: "When True Love Walks In" (c: W. Walker)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
An in-between albums kinda thing, so two more tracks you won't hear elsewhere...
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1970) (#4-45120) (7")
A: "Lovin' Man (Oh Pretty Woman)" (c: Roy Orbison & B. Dees)
B: "When True Love Walks In" (c: Harlan Howard)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Her second album was a Roy Orbison tribute, so make of that what you will. This initial single features her "answer song" to "Pretty Woman," as well as a non-album track from the pen of the fabled Harlan Howard. So, worth tracking down? Sure!
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1970) (#4-45203) (7")
A: "Crying " (c: Roy Orbison & J. Melson)
B: "It's Over" (c: Roy Orbison & B. Dees)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Both songs are included on the Orbison tribute album. Which is a pretty good record, by the way... just maybe you don't need this disc if you already have the LP? The picture sleeve is groovy, though.
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1970) (#4-45275) (7")
A: "Coming Home Soldier " (c: Bobby Vinton & G. Allen)
B: "Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feeling" (c: Mickey Newbury)
(Produced by Frank Jones & Billy Sherrill)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1970) (#4-45287) (7")
A: "True Love Is Greater Than Friendship " (c: C. Perkins)
B: "Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feeling" (c: Mickey Newbury)
(Produced by Frank Jones & Billy Sherrill)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1971) (#4-45365) (7")
A: "Married To A Memory" (c: A. Harvey)
B: "Coming Home Soldier" (c: B. Vinton & G. Allen)
(Produced by Frank Jones & Billy Sherrill)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1971) (#4-45420) (7")
A: "Congratulations (You Sure Made A Man Out Of Him)" (c: J. Barr, I. Garman & C. Hoffman)
B: "Sing Me Some Sunshine" (c: Dave Kirby & Curley Putman)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1971) (#4-45489) (7")
A: "Ruby Gentry's Daughter" (c: Curley Putman, Jr.)
B: "With Pen In Hand" (c: Bobby Goldsboro)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1972) (#4-45577) (7")
A: "A Special Day" (c: Bobby Harden)
B: "What A Woman In Love Won't Do" (c: John D. Loudermilk)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1972) (#4-45708) (7")
A: "It Takes A Lot Of Tenderness" (c: A. Harvey)
B: "It's Over" (c: J. Rodgers)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1973) (#4-45795) (7")
A: "Coming Home Soldier" (mono) (c: B. Vinton & G. Allen)
B: "Coming Home Soldier" (stereo) (c: B. Vinton & G. Allen)
(Produced by Frank Jones & Billy Sherrill)
Arlene Harden (Columbia Records, 1973) (#4-45845) (7")
A: "Would You Walk With Me Jimmy" (c: S. D. Shafer & A. L. Owens)
B: "You Can Always Have Me" (c: Bobby Harden)
(Produced by Frank Jones & Billy Sherrill)
Arlene Harden (Capitol Records, 1974) (#3911) (7")
A: "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" (c: Linda Laurie)
B: "It's So Good With You" (c: Freddie Hart)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
The B-side, "It's So Good With You," was a non-album track...
Arlene Harden (Capitol Records, 1975) (#4014) (7")
A: "I Could Almost Say Goodbye" (c: Robert S. Parsons)
B: "Papa's Sugar" (c: Sonny Throckmorton)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
The B-side, "Papa's Sugar," was a non-album track...
Arlene Harden (Capitol Records, 1975) (#4088) (7")
A: "The Teddy Bears' Picnic " (c: J. W. Bratton & J. Kennedy)
B: "Country Sunday" (c: Rob Parsons)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Both tracks were also included on her lone Capitol LP
Arlene Harden (Capitol Records, 1976) (#4217) (7")
A: "Misty Mountain Rain" (c: Linda Hargrove)
B: "You Just Loved The Leavin' Out of Me" (c: Linda Hargrove)
(Produced by Pete Drake)
This was her last Capitol single, and apparently the only one to come out after her Capitol LP... And I guess if you're gonna go out, a single with two Linda Hargrove songs on his is a fairly high note to go out on. "Misty Mountain Rain" seems to be unique to this single, though the B-side was previously recorded by Linda Hargrove on her 1975 album, Love, You're The Teacher.
Arlene Harden (Elektra Records, 1977) (#E-45401) (7")
A: "Southern Belle" (c: M. Durham & B. Lindsey)
B: "All The Way" (c: )
(Produced by Johnny MacRae)
Arlene Harden (Elektra Records, 1977) (#E-45434) (7")
A: "A Place Where Love Has Been" (c: Dennis Linde & M. McDaniel)
B: "Lady In Waiting" (c: L. Kingston)
(Produced by Johnny MacRae)
Arlene Harden (Elektra Records, 1978) (#E-45463) (7")
A: "You're Not Free And I'm Not Easy" (c: H. Coleman & B. Morrison)
B: "Do You Ever Dream?" (c: B. Whitaker)
(Produced by Johnny MacRae)
Bobby Harden (Columbia Records, 1968) (#4-45322) (7")
A: "My Heart's Caught In The Door" (c: Sonny Throckmorton)
B: "After Having You" (c: E. Harden)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Bobby Harden (Columbia Records, 1968) (#4-44001) (7")
A: "The Texarkana" (c: E. M. Harden & Sonny Throckmorton)
B: "Don't Drive Me" (c: F. Rhodes)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
Some swell, twangy steel guitar opens this single, with "Texarkana" sounding like a duet, though I think it was actually Bobby Harden doubletracking his own harmonies. He had kind of a Charlie Louvin vibe on this one.
Bobby Harden (Starday Records, 1969) (#45-875) (7")
A: "Except For One" (c: William Ellis & Dexter Shaffer)
B: "The Wild Ones" (c: Bobby Harden)
(Produced by Ralph Davis)
His move to Starday found Bobby Harden immersed in a more direct, old-school twang, particularly on this single's A-side, a good, old-fashioned Texas shuffle very much in the style of early Ray Price hits like "Crazy Arms." The flipside, "The Wild Ones," was a Harden original with a more distinctive sound, a folk-country anthem with the kind of flowery, rock-flavored arrangement that someone like Doyle Holley might record. Both songs were included on his Nashville Sensation album
Bobby Harden & Karen Wheeler (Starday Records, 1969) (#45-879) (7")
A: "We Got Each Other" (c: J. Smith & W. Smith)
B: "The Love For A Child" (c: Ralph Davis)
(Produced by Ralph Davis)
An interesting pairing of "solo" Bobby Harden with hard-country gal Karen Wheeler, the daughter of hillbilly old-timer Onie Wheeler. The A-side duet finds them clearly aiming for a Conway & Loretta vibe, on a twangy, uptempo, packed with tinny rock-flavored guitar -- and she's a real belter on this one, with forceful backwoods vocals that give the song an explosive feel. The flipside, which was a non-album track, has a slower, more loping feel, with Bobby Harden sounding an awful lot like Porter Wagoner; she still sounds like Loretta Lynn, though, albeit in a mellower mode. Not bad! They were an interesting pair... kinda makes you wish they'd kept at it and seen whether they could have come up with a sound that was more their own.
Bobby Harden (Mega Records, 1970) (#615-0006) (7")
A: "Tulsa" (c: Wayne Carson Thompson)
B: "Little Boy Wonder" (c: Bobby Harden)
(Produced by Jim Malloy)
Bobby Harden (Mega Records, 1971) (#615-0018) (7")
A: "Mama's Song" (c: Buddy Bule & J. R. Cobb)
B: "i Wanted Love From You Mary" (c: Lindy Leigh & Marie Wilson)
(Produced by Jim Malloy)
Bobby Harden (Mega Records, 1971) (#615-0028) (7")
A: "Just Because He Loved Her" (c: Roger Murrah & Norman Stephens)
B: "St. Vincent Motor Hotel" (c: Walter Woodward)
(Produced by Jim Malloy)
Bobby Harden (Mega Records, 1971) (#615-0053) (7")
A: "Someone Write A Perfect Melody" (stereo) (c: Bobby Harden & Ben Peters)
B: "Someone Write A Perfect Melody" (mono) (c: Bobby Harden & Ben Peters)
(Produced by Jim Malloy)
Bobby Harden (Papa Joe Records, 1972) (#PJ-709-A/B) (7")
A: "Hit In The Head With A Nite Club" (c: Jerry Smith & Walter Smith)
B: "Want You Be My Baby" (c: Bobby Harden)
(Producer not identified)
Bobby Harden (Metromedia Records, 1973) (#BMB-0-0068) (7")
A: "Mrs. Willingham" (c: Bobby Harden)
B: "The Greenest Grass In Town" (c: Earl Conley)
(Produced by Rex Collier & Dick Heard)
Bobby Harden (United Artists Records, 1974) (#UA-XW459-W) (7")
A: "Please Come To Boston" (c: Dave Loggins)
B: "It's A Long Way Back To Little Rock" (c: Bobby Harden)
(Produced by Johnny Slate)
Bobby Harden (United Artists Records, 1975) (#UA-XW597-X) (7")
A: "One Step" (c: L. Keith & S. Pippin)
B: "Holding On" (c: Rafe Van Hoy)
(Produced by Larry Hensley, Johnny Slate & Neil Wilburn)
Bobby Harden (United Artists Records, 1975) (#UA-XW622) (7")
A: "All The King's Horses (And All The King's Men)" (c: Bobby Harden & A. Moore)
B: "A Song I Couldn't Write" (c: E. Wood)
(Produced by Larry Hensley, Johnny Slate & Neil Wilburn)
Bobby Harden (United Artists Records, 1975) (#UA-XW714-Y) (7")
A: "Flashing, Screaming, Silent Neon Sign" (c: Red Lane & Bob Morrison)
B: "A Song I Couldn't Write" (c: E. Wood)
(Produced by Larry Hensley, Johnny Slate & Neil Wilburn)
Bobby Harden (United Artists Records, 1976) (#UA-XW859-Y) (7")
A: "White Silver Sands" (c: G. Hart & C. G. Matthews)
B: "White Silver Sands" (c: G. Hart & C. G. Matthews)
(Produced by Larry Hensley, Johnny Slate & Jim Cotton)
Robbie Harden (Plantation Records, 1970) (#PL-58) (7")
A: The Service" (c: Naomi Martin)
B: "Still Wanting You" (c: Ben Peters)
(Produced by Shelby S. Singleton)
For whatever reasons, Fern ("Robbie") Harden never really made much of a go as a solo artist, and seems to have seen herself (or was typecast) as more a demo singer... Case in point, an early Plantation single called "The Service" which was an awkward, demo-ish novelty number about a gal attending the funeral of her recently-departed lover, who after their last tryst was going to tell his wife it was all over, but died in a car wreck on the way back home. It's not a great song, and the minimalist musical backing doesn't do much to elevate it from its hackneyed origins.
Robbie Harden (Papa Joe Records, 1972) (#PJ-711) (7")
A: "Salt In My Tears" (c: Throckmorton & Barton)
B: "You're Driving Me Out Of My Mind" (c: Jerry Smith)
(Producer not identified)
The Harden Trio was a family band from England, Arkansas, originally consisting of sisters Arlene and Robbie Harden, and their brother Bobby Harden (1935-2006), who sang backup on countless Nashville sessions and were stars in their own right for a few years in the late 1960s. They are best known for their 1966 smash hit, "Tippy Toeing," and for their generally perky, poppy sound, which reflected Nashville's musical detente with the youth culture of the time. The trio dissolved at the decade's end, however, with Arlene and Bobby going into studio work while briefly pursuing solo careers, and Robbie Harden joining the Johnny Cash Show as a singer in the revamped Carter Family lineup. A third act in the family's history was the slightly bizarre sideline that Bobby Harden cooked up performing on souvenir albums for various college football teams, a surprisingly large number of LPs cut for the All-Pro label. (See below.)
I do dig the Hardens, though, and enjoy their albums.... I also get a kick out of it every time I see one of their names turn up in the liner notes on some random album. All three siblings recorded solo singles, though these have mostly been lost to the tides of time. (Again, see below...)
