Biography
The Donays released only a single record, a solid girl group and pop outing whose existence would almost certainly have slipped into total obscurity without an unexpected development. That development came when the Beatles located the song and cut their own version for the 1963 album With the Beatles, assigning lead vocals to George Harrison.
Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, a former Motown artist, produced the Detroit session that yielded both “Devil in His Heart” and its B-side, “Bad Boy.” The A-side shares traits with Motown’s early-1960s girl-group material and the Shirelles, yet stands firmly on its own through a memorable melody whose riffs and rhythms draw from Latin sources. Although strong enough for chart success, the single never broke through nationally, even after Brent Records in New York picked it up and it gained traction locally in Michigan. How the disc crossed the Atlantic and reached the Beatles is unknown; George Harrison may have been the one who discovered it, given that he sang the lead. The Beatles retitled the track “Devil in Her Heart” and reshaped it into a driving rocker notable for its forceful call-and-response backing vocals and inventive guitar work. Their version is stronger overall, but the Donays’ original retains its own appeal with a slightly slower tempo, solid harmonies, and production oriented toward soul-pop.
A further puzzle is why the Donays, still enrolled in high school, never recorded again. The original “Devil in His Heart” remained scarce and little heard until reissues began appearing in the 1980s. Both sides appear on the 2000 Ace CD compilation Rockin’ on Broadway: The Time, Brent, Shad Story. Richard Drapkin, who wrote the A-side, also composed “Bad Boy,” which, though not as strong, still offers a capable early Motown-styled performance in the manner of the first Marvelettes and Supremes recordings.
Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, a former Motown artist, produced the Detroit session that yielded both “Devil in His Heart” and its B-side, “Bad Boy.” The A-side shares traits with Motown’s early-1960s girl-group material and the Shirelles, yet stands firmly on its own through a memorable melody whose riffs and rhythms draw from Latin sources. Although strong enough for chart success, the single never broke through nationally, even after Brent Records in New York picked it up and it gained traction locally in Michigan. How the disc crossed the Atlantic and reached the Beatles is unknown; George Harrison may have been the one who discovered it, given that he sang the lead. The Beatles retitled the track “Devil in Her Heart” and reshaped it into a driving rocker notable for its forceful call-and-response backing vocals and inventive guitar work. Their version is stronger overall, but the Donays’ original retains its own appeal with a slightly slower tempo, solid harmonies, and production oriented toward soul-pop.
A further puzzle is why the Donays, still enrolled in high school, never recorded again. The original “Devil in His Heart” remained scarce and little heard until reissues began appearing in the 1980s. Both sides appear on the 2000 Ace CD compilation Rockin’ on Broadway: The Time, Brent, Shad Story. Richard Drapkin, who wrote the A-side, also composed “Bad Boy,” which, though not as strong, still offers a capable early Motown-styled performance in the manner of the first Marvelettes and Supremes recordings.