As requested by musicman1979, a revival of RCA Camden's The Biggest Hits of '59, Vol. 1 and biggest hits of '59, vol. 2. From "The Biggest" to "biggest." And, for some unknown reason, I forgot that I'd already ripped and posted the second volume--this, despite the fact that musicman requested that I "revive" same. It's rather hard to revive/restore something that hasn't already been offered--hence, "revive" is a hint that a given offering has already been offered. Then again, could we conceive of a multiverse in which this wouldn't be true? Great material for a two-hour debate. Or not. Anyway, I done spaced out.
As noted in my previous post, plus my earlier Biggest Hits of '58 entry, by this point RCA was no longer using its own artists (Stuart Foster, Robert Alda, Tex Beneke) for its "Biggest Hits" LPs. Come 1958, this most popular record label of its time was trading tapes with... SPC (Synthetic Plastics Co.), the folks behind Promenade, Prom, Peter Pan, and other rack-jobber operations! And why not, I guess. Furthermore--and I had forgotten this discovery--the tracks of the second 1959 volume also appeared on Eli Oberstein's bottom-of-the-barrel Ultraphonic (Record Distributors of New Jersey) label. Thus, RCA was sourcing its fake hits (as I call them--"hit facsimiles" doesn't have the same ring) from the bottom of the bottom of the barrel. However, pressed on better-quality vinyl than anything offered by the "fake RCA" (Record Corp.) or SPC. With classier cover art, to boot. And, in the case of volume 2, in stereo!
Some excellent fakes between the two volumes--topped by I Need Your Love Tonight, which is graced by terrific Elvis-sound-alike singing--long before that became an industry. And Hawaiian Wedding Song features an expert impersonation of Andy Williams--something that never became a trend. (No cut on Andy, who was a superb vocalist.) And I have a vague memory that this particular Pink Shoe Laces isn't, in fact, the SPC cut. Which, if so, raises the mystery of, "Where did it come from?" Enough to keep fake-ologists busy for years. I, on the other hand, am too lazy at the moment to dig through my record rows and track-compare.
And, though I have two copies of biggest hits of '59 vol. 2 (I'm going with RCA's lowercase font), at least one of them was a thrift gift from Diane, so... thanks again, Diane!
As musicman noted, when I put up the Promenade I Ain't Never at my Lee's Face Hits channel at YouTube, I should have used the stereo cut here. Maybe I should do a second posting.
And, though I have two copies of biggest hits of '59 vol. 2 (I'm going with RCA's lowercase font), at least one of them was a thrift gift from Diane, so... thanks again, Diane!
As musicman noted, when I put up the Promenade I Ain't Never at my Lee's Face Hits channel at YouTube, I should have used the stereo cut here. Maybe I should do a second posting.
Sorry for my recent blog absence. I do intend to offer some Halloween slaylists this month--or one, at the very least. Fresh Halloween sides are tough to dig up (especially if they're been buried for a spell), in distinct contrast to Christmas LPs and singles, which--like Xmas decorations in October--are everywhere.
