Brand New Cadillac

"Brand New Cadillac"
Single by Vince Taylor and his Playboys
A-side"Pledgin' My Love"
ReleasedApril 1959 (1959-04)
GenreRockabilly[1]
LabelParlophone R4539
Songwriter(s)Vince Taylor
Vince Taylor and his Playboys singles chronology
"Right Behind You Baby"
(1959)
"Brand New Cadillac"
(1959)
"I'll be your Hero"
(1960)

"Brand New Cadillac" (also recorded as "Cadillac") is a 1959 song by Vince Taylor, and was originally released as a B-side. Featured musicians on the released recording were: Joe Moretti (guitars), Lou Brian (piano), Brian Locking (bass) and Brian Bennett (drums). While not successful in the UK, it got a huge surge in popularity in continental Europe, especially the Nordic countries, with acts such as The Renegades and Hep Stars bringing it to number one in Finland and Sweden respectively. Another Swedish act, the Shamrocks brought the song to number one in France.

Vince Taylor's record company eventually learned of these recordings and copyright claims ensued. The case was settled on agreement to add Taylor's name to songwriting credits alongside The Renegades members—sharing the royalties equally.[2] Neither Hep Stars nor Shamrocks were aware of Taylor's original version at the time of recordings. Therefore, it is possible to find their 1960s recordings credited either to (Kim) Brown-(Denys) Gibson- (Ian) Mallet-(Stuart Graham) Johnson or Brown-Gibson-Mallet-Johnson-Taylor. (Denys Gibson should not be confused with Terry Gibson of Downliners Sect.)

  1. ^ Rockabilly: The Twang Heard 'Round the World: The Illustrated History. Voyageur Press. 2011. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7603-4062-2.
  2. ^ Dan-Eric Landen, Carl Magnus Palm 2004, p. 96.