"Love Is Strange" was a 1957 Top 40 hit for Mickey & Sylvia, originally released on Groove Records, a division of RCA. It reached #11 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, becoming their only Top 20 hit. The song features a sinuous guitar riff and provocative verbal byplay between Mickey and Sylvia as well as a Latin American beat and a strong melodic hook. Mickey & Sylvia was an R&B duo composed of Mickey "Guitar" Baker and Sylvia Vanderpool Robinson. They were the first big seller for Groove Records. Mickey was a music instructor and Sylvia one of his pupils. Baker was inspired to form the group by the success of Les Paul & Mary Ford. The duo eventually bought their own nightclub, established a publishing company, and formed their own record label. |
