My Big Break (Part 3)

Don Stirling (Petolino) was a very religious man. I remember trying to write a section of the lyric, with all my “Heart & Soul”. Don was very much against the word, “Soul”. Imagine the category of Soul Music never becoming a category similar to R & B??

Our first attempt to write a song, together was a song which was originally titled, “Deadlines”. I am quite sure that it was I who made the change to “Too Many Rules”. This song was the very first song of which, I had any part, published by Connie Francis. Her publishing company was named, “Francon Music, Inc.”. Francon was short for her original name, Franconero.

Connie’s largest, most successful hits had a “Country” flavor about them. This song was exactly in that same style. Don and I got very lucky probably due to the fact that Connie published it. In those days, a 45 single which sold generated royalties for both sides, equally. We shared all the “mechanical” royalties with “A Side” song which was composed in the 1920’s and this song was probably suggested, once again, by Connie’s dad,

Mr. Franconero had also picked, “Who’s Sorry Now” which really started her career.

That song was also written in the early 1900’s.

I was really lucky now …. I was just 17 years old and my very first song was a “flip-side-hit” in the USA.

But the fact is, around the world, .”Too Many Rules” was the HIT SIDE! I understand the behind the Iron Curtain, it was the song, “Too Many Rules” which was smuggled into the Soviet Union of many countries. Today, I believe many Russian Seniors might even remember this song, my very first ever!

With Covid-19 dominating the entire world, we might also use, “Too Many Rules” as a protest song against many state, county and local government attempts to shut down the USA’s attempt to shut down our economy.

More to read:

My Big Break (Part 5)

The first three songs I ever wrote were on Connie's Hits Albums throughout the world. "Too Many Rules", "It's Gonna Take Me Some Time" & "V A C A T ...

My Big Break (Part 4)

I don't remember ever seeing a recording with one name on the label as a composer and another name (of the same person) as the artist. Well, in 1961, it ...

My Big Break (Part 2)

After being asked to join Connie's company, I arrived back home to tell my parents what had transpired with Don Stirling that afternoon. I told them that I met Connie ...

My Big Break (Part One)

I was, first, a performer, then, by a quirk of fate, I became a songwriter. It happened when I quit my job at the New York Stock Exchange in the ...