It's The Little Things - Cover on TCYR's Showboats & Grandstanders

Some background information on the covers from the new Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers record, Showboats and Grandstanders. 

The three covers on the album are “The Rest of the Night,” “The Little Things,” and "Out of the Blue." 

Track Cover #2: It’s the Little Things

'Cause it's the little things that mean a lot 
It's what you are, not what you got 
- Sonny Bono (1967) 

Up around the way, jokers come and jokers go 
It’s what you are, not who you know 
- Tommy Conwell (1992) 

“It’s the Little Things” is a song written by Sonny Bono. It was released in 1967 as a single from the LP, Good Times, the first soundtrack album by American pop duo Sonny and Cher, in conjunction with the film of the same name. 

"It's the Little Things" was the first single released in the U.S. and reached #50 stateside and #3 in Canada. The soundtrack only reached #73 on the Billboard album charts. 


In an interview with "David Uosikkinen In the Pocket" podcast, Tommy Conwell tells David and Andy Vineberg that his arrangement of “Little Things” is inspired by a version by The Skeletons. 

Their cover version was originally released in 1992 from the album “Waiting” on the Alias Records label. 

Some notes about The Skeletons from an LA Weekly, Dec. 1992, article: 

“The Skeletons (led by bassist Lou Whitney and guitarist D. Clinton Thompson), evolved out of the Morrells, a skewed jumpabilly band that released on indie album a decade ago and themselves evolved out of an earlier band called, among other things, the Skeletons. (On the Waiting album)…songs seem buoyant even while carrying essentially dread-full, downbeat lyrics. In addition to the double-edged originals, the Skeletons triumphantly recut Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” in a way that you can’t ignore the man’s utter two-facedness.”
- Review by John Morthland 

In May 1993, the Ithaca Journal said that “the Springfield, Missouri-based Skeletons have earned the reputation as a ‘must-see’ live band.” 


Another band that has covered Sonny Bono’s “It’s the Little Things” is Redd Kross, from their 1987 Big Time (RCA Records) LP released in 1987, called "Neurotica." 

Observed to be a blend of various genres including garage rock, power pop, punk rock, art rock and pop rock, Wikipedia says “the album was influential to the grunge movement.” The album was produced by ex-Ramones drummer Tommy Erdelyi.

However, the track does not show up until 2002, when two bonus tracks were added to a reissue: Robert Hecker's "Pink Piece of Peace", and Sonny Bono's "It's The Little Things." 


Probably one of my favorite tracks on "Showboats and Grandstanders" -- I really love this song from TCYR! 😍