Diane Renay – Watch Out, Sally!

11th August 2022 · 1960s, 1964, Music

If anyone remembers Diane Renay’s brief 15 minutes of fame, it’s as the teenage one-hit wonder who sang Navy Blue.

Back in 1963 the sight and sound of a sweet 17-year-old girl pining for her sailor boyfriend away at sea caught the imagination of America and Navy Blue soared to No.6 in the pop charts.

Despite having them written and produced by Bob Crewe – the hitmaker behind The Four Seasons – Diane never had another of her own.

Not even her marine-themed follow-up Kiss Me Sailor. And Renee Diane Kushner, the daughter of a Jewish jeweller in Philaelphia, disappeared from view as fast as she had arrived.

But before that she briefly tried a more raunchy makeover and produced this gem, Watch Out, Sally!

With its fuzztone guitar, fingerclicks, Bo Diddley beat and bad-girl lyric, it’s way ahead of its time for 1964. Too far, apparently.

Radio stations and audiences who knew her as a wholesome blonde pining for her sailor boyfriend(s), just weren’t ready for this, and it peaked at a lowly No.101 in the chart.

More fool them.