Teach Me Tiger

Artist: April Stevens

Song: Love Kitten (a-side) (b-side is You And Only You)

Label: Imperial 5761 (Black label silver printing)

Number: IM-2993
Songwriter: Nino Tempo

Time: 2:08

Released: 1961

Many people will recognize the name of April Stevens, especially if the name Nino Tempo is connected with it. Together, they had the smash 1963 hit Deep Purple. What many people don't realize is that this dynamic duo are brother and sister. They were born with the names of Nino and Carol Lo Tempio, and were from Niagara Falls, New York before they relocated to California. Their careers were seemingly always intertwined - working together, working apart, recording together, recording separately - and even though Nino wasn't on this track, he did write it, along with it's flipside You And Only You.

April's solo career goes back to 1951 when she was approached by the owner of Laurel Records, while still in school. Before long, she had changed her name to April Stevens and recorded a few songs for Tony Sepe's small independent label out of Hollywood, California. Early hits of hers from the 1950's included Don't Do It, Gimme A Little Kiss, Will Ya Huh? and Teach Me Tiger, all slightly suggestive sounding in nature, and a couple of them even being banned from the radio! Love Kitten is another song in the same vein. April's voice literally purrs in this song, with her sensuous, alluring vocals and singing in a throaty half-whisper. Who could doubt that she generated a lot of fan mail back in the day?

Both Love Kitten and it's b-side You And Only You have never been included on any of her albums and that is a mistake indeed. With her sexy, come-hither voice, one has only to wonder how much bigger of a star she could have been had her hair been blonde instead. Listen to April Stevens purring Love Kitten, and see if you don't agree!