Voting Station

Gene Pitney

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (February 17, 1940-April 5, 2006)
    Born in Hartford, Connecticut
    Recorded '(I Wanna) Love My Life Away' (1961), 'Town Without Pity' (1962), '(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance' (1962), 'Only Love Can Break a Heart' (1962), 'Half Heaven Half Heartbreak' (1963), 'Mecca' (1963), 'Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa' (1963), 'It Hurts to Be in Love' (1964), 'I'm Gonna Be Strong' (1964), 'Last Chance to Turn Around' (1965), 'She's a Heartbreaker' (1968) and 'Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart' (duet with Marc Almond, 1989)
    Wrote 'He's a Rebel' for The Crystals, 'Hello Mary Lou' for Rick Nelson and 'Rubber Ball' for Bobby Vee
    Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002)
    Died in Cardiff, Wales, during a British tour

Why he might be annoying:

    He dropped out of college to become a songwriter.
    His recording of 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance' was rejected as a theme for the movie.
    He was more popular in Europe than the US.
    Although 'Something's Got a Hold of My Heart' topped the British charts, Pitney's US label refused to release it on the grounds that listeners would think it was a duet by two gay men.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was also a qualified taxidermist.
    His biggest US hit, 'Only Love Can Break a Heart,' reached #2 the same week the Crystals' version of his 'He's a Rebel' topped the charts.
    He was the first rock singer to perform at the Oscar ceremony when he sang 'Town Without Pity.'
    His cover of 'That Girl Belongs to Yesterday' was the first song written by Mick Jaggerand Keith Richards to chart in the US.
    Burt Bacharach said, 'He was a rare talent and his voice was unlike any other.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 17 Votes: 5.88% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 23.08% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 22 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 42 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 44.12% Annoying