“sweets For My sweet” / “It’s one Thing To say” (Mercury 72669) June 1967
The Riddles | Sweets For My Sweet | Mercury | 1967 | This teen beat group from Illinois proved to be a popular attraction on their local music scene but sadly only released one single.
Originally issued on Quill Records, March 1967, the jangling pop of “Sweets For My Sweet”, based on the Searchers hit demonstrated their hit potential. Mercury signed them up and re-issued both sides a few months later in June.
Over the years “Sweets For My Sweet” has received little attention but the flip, “It’s One Thing To Say” has become a sought after side. The tune is fairly basic, as is the production, and I suppose that’s probably the reason why ’60s garage fans have added it to their collections.
THE RIDDLES | Sweets For My Sweet | Mercury | 1967
“An enigma propounded for solution by guessing . . . “
Although that’s how one dictionary defines “riddle”, in the case of the recording industry and pop music there’s nothing enigmatic about the RIDDLES, one of the most promising quartets to emerge in recent months.
The Mercury Records group, which is based in Chicago, HAS all the answers. Each member of the RIDDLES is an accomplished performer and can take charge of the rest of the group at any given moment. Their excellence on stage is accented by the fact that most of the material performed – whether original or not – is meticulously arranged.
The group as now made up grew out of another combo originally organized by leader Rick Harper under the name of the Stereos. Three of the RIDDLES began playing together during high school and then continued after graduating.
The name and sound of the RIDDLES became well known around Chicago, and it wasn’t long before they were asked to record for one of the windy city’s best known producers. Their first single “Sweets For My Sweet”, was a smash hit. The RIDDLES were on their way!
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