JAMMIN' JEFF - the songs

PARTY EVERYDAY (Dick Barry)

A #1 hit in the Northwest on Bob Cardenas' RC Records, the national release on Columbia River Records peaked at #103, surpassed by the Kinksmen's #3 showing. Jeff: "That's the ultimate party song, it's an anthem that never dies".The complete story of "Party Everyday"

TALES TO HERE (Jeff Fowler - Ron Fowler)

The song that began their string of national hits, released in 1965 just as the "High Action" tv series began it's daily airings on tv. It peaked at #40. Jeff: "We used to open our shows with that song every night." Ron: "We wrote that between sets at the Spanish Castle".

HEIDI (Jeff Fowler - Ron Fowler - Bob Hartley)

Jeff and the RF's bolted into the top twenty for the first time with this song, released November 1965. Jeff: "That's another straight rock 'n' roll song, just a good danceable party song. It's still one of our best songs live." Manager Bob Hartley got co-writer credit, but Jeff claims that was "merely a ploy to get more money from us".

SUMMERTIME LOVE (Ron Fowler)

Ron: "That's about a couple childhood crushes". This folk/rock-influenced song became their first top ten hit, reaching #4 in 1966. Jeff: "During the 'High Action' period it was like we could do no wrong."

HERE COME THE TWO RF'S (Ron Fowler)

This songevolved out of a "High Action" skit. Ron: "Me and our guitarist Paul Savanka were masked crimefighters like the Green Hornet and Kato, or Batman and Robin. Jeff and our drummer Jimmy Coin would usually be the bad guys." It became the theme song for the show, and even made a showing on the pop charts at #17. The RF's also recorded their version of the Neal Hefti "Batman Theme" around this time for their second Columbia River album.

WORK FOR THE MONEY (Ron Fowler - Jeff Fowler - Jay Donahue)

Ron: "That's a Kinks type of song, they were a big influence on us at the time". It hit #20 in mid-'66.

WAR GAMES (Ron Fowler - Jay Donahue)

This 1966 single peaked at #6, despite it's anti-war lyrical stance, and a dirty lyric controversy. Ron: "That line 'blow the suckers heads off' got us into trouble, people thought I said the f-word instead of suckers."

EARTHQUAKE (Ron Fowler - Jay Donahue)

Ron: "That's a scary song. Our producer Jay Donahue turned it into a great production, but I got paranoid about it, a small earthquake happened in the area just after we recorded it, and I didn't want the song out after that. I snuck into the studio late one night and tried to shake the tapes out of existance. I failed." It hit #7, but a followup, "Tornadoes and Hurricanes" was never released, because Ron blew the tapes out of the studio.

SANCTUARY/NO DATE FOR THE PROM (Ron Fowler - Jay Donahue)

Ron: "Jeff and I were still teenagers, so it was easy to write about school and stuff teens could relate to. It's actually two songs stuck together, I wrote them seperately. Jay decided to run them together, as they were similar sounding songs." It hit #5 in spring 1967, despite it being their longest single to that point.

COMMINICATION (Part 1 & 2) (Ron Fowler - Jay Donahue)

Ron: "That was about a girl I was sort of dating, it was a long distance relationship, so we didn't see each other very much. The song was pretty different for us, there's no drums till halfway through. Dennis Hardin, who was new in the band, sang the high harmony." It reached #15 in the summer of love.

MAKING DREAMS REALITY (Ron Fowler)

Ron's first production, a #11 hit in early 1968, helped by a promo film shown on their new tv show "Sup '68". Ron:"It's kind of a spiritual feel, it's a love song, kind of sad and happy at the same time. It took three sessions to record."

YOU REALLY GET TO ME (Ron Fowler)

Ron: "That was inspired by my girlfriend. The guitar solo in the middle is Dennis Hardin and Jerry Coal trading licks. I think it's one of my best productions, we tried three different versions before I decided on that one." A #22 hit in summer '68.

YOU'RE SUCH A PRETTY GIRL (Ron Fowler)

An upbeat, innocent, sweet pop song that hit #40 at the end of '68. Ron: "I like it, it sounds so happy, it took a long time to write, though."

THE AIRPLANE SONG (Ron Fowler)

Ron: "I wanted to sound like the Everly Brothers on this one. My girlfriend Sherry liked it." Some reviewers were beginning to feel that the RF's had gotten too soft, but it hit #17 in early '69.

WALL OF SILENCE (Ron Fowler)

Jeff: "That's a good piece of rock 'n' roll junk." Good enough to hit #20 in summer '69. Eon: "That's one of our hardest rockers, I did the guitar on it." Ron's first solo release "For Jennifer" and Dennis Hardin's solo debut "I've Got a Friend" were also on the charts at this time. "It helped us to diversify" claims Jeff. "These guys were all so talented, they could play so many different styles."

SAFE FROM HARM (Ron Fowler) While Ron enjoyed solo success in 1970 with "One More Chance", "Where You Belong" and "In My Dreams", the RF's as a band had a dry spell until "Safe from Harm" returned them to the charts in the summer of '71. Their only #1 hit, it sold three million copies. Jeff: "That song took forever to take off, but I bugged radio stations all over the country to play it, bribing them with boxes of Chips Ahoy. I spent over $50, 000 on cookies alone that summer, bicycling to various radio stations." Ron: "It's a song about spiritual love. I can't take much credit for the writing, it was like a gift from heaven."

LOVE SONG (Ron Fowler)

The followup to "Safe from Harm", it peaked at #15 in fall '71. Ron: "It was nice to be on the radio again. Our sound had really changed, soft rock was in, so it gave us a chance to release more ballads as singles. I think I sing those better, anyway. My solo records were all ballad-type material."

OLD RECORD (Ron Fowler)

Ron: "A psychic told me of a strange future in which vinyl records were obsolete, and it scared me like crazy. I finally understand it now." Although it reached #30, most fans were baffled by its message.

ROCK CRITIC (Ron Fowler)

Ron: "That's my response to those who called us 'bubblegum' or wimps." It barely made the charts, scraping in at #77. Ron: "Not the best way to get airplay, complaining about critics, it was our last hit."

liner notes by Ralph Frederick

special thanks to Jeff Fowler, his daughter Megan, and road manager Aaron G. for their help

thanks to Ron Fowler and Dr. Gene Laundry for their help

extra special thank you's to the RF's: Jimmy Coin, Steve Youngs, Paul Savanka, A.J. Thordarson, Chuck DeLauro, Dennis Hardin, Patrick Wyman, Chris Johnson all all those too numerous to mention.

Also the current band: Denny Hart, Joe Anderson, Rob Jones, Alan Fowler, and Gary Becker

Remix production by Ron Fowler, Jay Donahue, Stuart Grainger with Dr. Gene Laundry

mixed at the Brookside, Lakewood, WA; The Den, Seattle, WA; the Bunker, Burien, WA

Jeff & the RF's

"High Action" Tour info

7602 Grange St. W. #c

Lakewood, WA 98499

Ron Fowler's Tales to Here

5124 Seattle Ave. S.W. #15

Seattle, WA 98166

Articles about the original RF's
Where Are They Now?
Articles about the current RF's
Complete RF's discography