Parade of Hits a' Poppin'--Loren Becker, Artie Malvin, more (prob. 1954)

"Fine records needn't be expensive"--Back jacket.  Now we know where Synthetic Plastics Co. got this logo.  Anyway, I love Discogs, but they goofed with this series and with this LP.  They gave this a year of 1951, which can't be, since the Eddie Fisher hit Oh, My Papa was recorded in December, 1953 and hit the charts in 1954.  Also, Discogs calls "Hit A' Poppin" a sublabel of Parade, which would only have been the case had the words "Hits A' Poppin'" been used as the label name, and "Parade" is quite clearly displayed on the jacket and label.  Or, Parade Reocrds.  Take your pick.  And the full series title, which I hand't noticed until today, was actually "Parade of Hits A' Poppin'"--so, as ever, life in the cheap-label lane is more complicated than many would think.  Anyway, I'm giving this LP a date of 1954.  There was some light mildew on the hard-cardboard jacket, but I cloned it out, so you won't even know it was there.  Unless I tell you.  (D'oh!!)

This is a request from Eric, and I hope he enjoys it--that goes for everyone else, too.  These are really quite well done, which is likely because this was an Enoch Light label (at the time).  Sound is acceptable.  I used my 1.0 mil stylus and some light hiss filtering.  Had to cut out a few pops.  The usual.  Get a few prints, then book 'em.  Wait--wrong show.

These eight "full length HITS" are credited to Enoch Light and his Orchestra, featuring "The Light Brigade."  I guess I always thought the "Brigade" was his orchestra, and not a subsection thereof, but who knows.  Enoch started his band-leading days in the 1920s, and for a long time, that's where I knew him from.  So I was initially surprised to see his name popping up on these things--ditto for Vincent Lopez.  Anyway, checking the Prom label discography to find out who's singing on these (no singer credits on the LP), I discovered that Light is only present on two tracks.  Orchestra-wise, the rest feature Bobby Byrne and Vincent Lopez.  Singers Loren Becker and Artie Malvin have two tracks apiece, and there's one each for Betty Green, The Brigadiers Quartet, The Four Brigadiers, and virtuoso trumpeter "Red" Solomon.  And... wouldn't the Brigadiers Quartet and the Four Brigadiers be the same singing group?

Oh, and the jacket says Oh, My Papa, but the label says Mein.  I did not einen Fehler machen.  And I used the full title for the last track, as printed on the original label (Prom 1068)--The Gang That Sang "Heart of My Heart."  It was shortened for this LP.  Full length HITS but half-titles.  I'm shocked!

So... eight highly competent early-period fake hits, with more to come, and with a long Rock Around the Clock post coming up.  Still working on that one.  Enjoy!








DOWNLOAD--Parade of Hits A' Poppin' (Parade Records 5002, prob. 1954)



Stranger in Paradise (Wright-Forrest)--Loren Becker w. Enoch Light Orch.
To Be Alone (Billy Vaughn)--Artie Malvin w. Vincent Lopez Orch.
That's Amore (J. Brooks-H. Warren)--Artie Malvin w. Bobby Byrne Orch.
Why Does It Have to Be Me (C. Sigman-P. Faith)--Loren Becker w. Bobby Byrne Orch.
Oh, Mein Papa (Burkhart)--"Red" Solomon, Trumpet Virtuoso, Acc. by Bobby Byrne Orch.
Changing Partners (M. Coleman-J. Darion)--Betty Green w. Bobby Byrne Orch.
Love Walked In (George and Ira Gershwin)--The Brigadiers Quartet
The Gang That Sang "Heart of My Heart" (Ben Ryan)--The Four Brigadiers w. Enoch Light Orch.



Lee