An excellent, if discographically confusing, R&B LP on the Hollywood label, with at least five tracks from the Abbey label, whose dates appear in the playlist below. The Both Sides Now website talks about this LP, but the most useful one-stop info is at Discogs.
A number of these tracks are rock and roll, really--I've never bought into the conventional notion that R&B and rock and roll were separate genres, at least early on. Simply put, Blacks were recording r&r before it had an established label. And, for a while, the two labels were used interchangeably in popular culture, anyway, as in an early Elvis Presley interview (the source of which I can't locate--I think it was in Look magazine). At any rate, apparently the credits listed on this label are nonsense. What we have are artist-unknown covers of Dinah Washington's 1954 I Don't Hurt Anymore, and of the Drifters' Honey Love of the same year (info courtesy of Brian McFadden), plus the Abbey label tracks Call Me Darlin' (Bobby Marshall, 1950), Don't Cry Darlin' (The Master Keys, 1950), Steady Roll (Bill Gooden, 1949?), Tell Me Pretty Baby (Ralph Willis and Spider Sam, 1949), and Featherweight Baby (Brother Blues and the Back Room Boys, 1949)--the latter a hard-rocking, super-distorted-lead-guitar number in early Howlin' Wolf mode. Plus, a number of other so-far artist-unknown numbers.
The Inks Spots-esque Don't Cry Darlin' (The Master Keys, 1950) has a lead singer crooning in Elvis-ballad fashion, only years earlier, of course. Meanwhile, the track Rain, Rain, Rain is your typical out-of-nowhere budget addition, an uptempo gospel song that doesn't fit very well into the playist scheme, though at least it rocks.
The badly photographed front jacket model is Julie (Catwoman) Newmar, looking like she just woke up. Surely, they could have come up with a better shot. Anyway, a famous and "desirable" LP on a label that typically didn't offer such product, and I was pleased with my rip. The transfers were clearly not that great to begin with, so don't expect A+ fidelity, but I think my stylus did a good job on this classic rocker. If only I could remember which needle I used--my wide 1.12 mil LP needle or my regular sized conical stylus. My short-term memory is failing me, as usual...
My favorite track, Featherweight Baby (original title: Feather Weight Mama) might not set a sexual-innuendo record, but it's a contender. Love the Willie Johnson-style guitar.
I'm using a new storage site--let me know if there are any issues. Enjoy!
UPDATE: Some of the "Unknown Artist" tracks had previously been released on the Record-O-Mail label, which advertised in Charlton mags: Hit Parader, Song Hits, etc.)
DOWNLOAD: Rhythm and Blues in the Night (Hollywood Records LPH 30; 1957)
TRACKS
Call Me Darlin'--Bobby Marshall (Abbey 3014; 1950)
I'm Gonna Live for Today--Unknown Artist (1949) (UPDATE: Buster has ID'd track as "I'm Going to Live for Today"--Bobby Marshall (Ray Parker Orch.), on Abbey 3018; 1950.
Don't Cry Darlin'--The Master Keys (Abbey 3017; 1950)
Steady Roll--Bill Gooden (Abbey 66; 1949?)
Tell Me Pretty Baby--Ralph Willis and Spider Sam (Abbey 3005; 1949)
Featherweight Baby--Brother Blues & The Back Room Boys (Abbey 3015; 1949)
Rain, Rain, Rain--Unknown Artsit
Mister Blues--Unknown Artist The Masterkeys (as "Mr. Blues") (Abby 3017; 1950) Thanks, Bob!
I Want to Rock Till I Drop--Unknown Artist (1949)
I Don't Hurt Anymore--Unknown Artist (Record-O-Mail RB-2204, 1954)
If You Believe--Unknown Artist (Record-O-Mail RB-2203, 1954)
Honey Love--Unknown Artist
Come to Me Darlin'--Unknown Artist (Record-O-Mail RB-2203, 1954)
When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer--Unknown Artist
Rhythm and Blues in the Night (Hollywood LPH 30; 1957)
Lee
23 comments:
This looks interesting. Coincidentally, I just say something about people saying that "Featherweight Baby" and other such tunes should be banned.
Thanks for the detective work on the artists.
Downloaded in less than 10 seconds, so thumbs up on the host in that regard.
Super-quick download (and just ignore the hard-sell to "register" - it's not necessary at all).
Another great one Lee. You made my day again. Thanks man.
Johnny
That's Julie Newmar? She wouldn't have had much of a career if all of her photos looked like that. Though I blame the photographer for capturing her at an awkward time, and then selling the poor photograph.
Thanks for the music! And it download just fine.
For whatever reason, I cannot get the download link to appear.
The Brother Blues track is actually Champion Jack Dupree under one of his many pseudonyms.
Mister Blues could well be The Four Knights, but I cannot compare the track of that title to theirs because I can't yet download.
OK; got it downloaded. Had to use Chrome. Firefox would not work at all.
Confirmed. That is The Four Knights on Mister Blues. I assume this is the known group based in the Carolinas. Don't know the label.
Original title of the Brother Blues/Dupree tune as released on Abbey was "Featherweight Mama".
Nice one Mr. Lee. Right up near the top of the list of my favorite Christmas LPs of all time is another Hollywood compilation… Cheesecake cover and all. Don Pierce, the proprietor of the label, put out all manner of Cheapo rack jobber LPs like this one All those years ago. Perhaps it is due to the TAPES being used, which are now long lost, but, another favorite is the “Ray Charles” one I have from the “Palace” label... Fact is, there is a Jesse Belvin song riding along with the rhythm review. The sound is impeccable. The track has been put out on numerous compilations over the years, but it always is from a dodgy sounding disc dub. So, there IS Gold to be found among the “Trash” LPs of the Woolworth variety...
Now who’s the cover girl?!
- Brian In Sunny So Cal
Thanks for the nice comments, and glad the storage site is working out!
lafong--During the period covered by this LP, the Four Knights were recording for Capitol. It seems highly unlikely that Hollywood Records would have had access to any of those tracks. And I mentioned in my write-up that "Feather Weight Mama" was the original title of "Featherweight Baby." As for the Four Knights, is it possible they were also making recordings outside of Capitol in the early 1950s?
Brian--
Is that a rhetorical question? (Cover girl.) (-: And which track are you referring to?
Lee....
Entirely possible it's a different 4 Knights. I have heard very little of their other sides and cannot confirm anything. Maybe the lead vocalist sounds similar...or doesn't. Their personnel is known and I think they were around back to the mid-40s.
It's not unheard of for groups to record regardless of who supposedly has their contract.
I don't know of any instances where Abbey stuff was bought by Capitol.
I picked up Mister Blues sometime in the last few years from a web compilation with a vague title like "Rare R and B" or some such, which had no liner notes or info at all. I'm relying purely on that collection's attributions. Could be totally bogus.
Abbey label listing here:
https://series.78rpm.club/series/abbey-50-15074-1948-1953/
Saying that there is a "Mister Blues" on Abbey 3017 by The Master Keys. I can't hear it, but I assume it's the same master as on your LP.
None of the other unknown titles on your Hollywood LP appear in this incomplete list of Abbey masters.
As mentioned in my prior post, I have no idea how the track I had was attributed to The Four Knights. That's just the way I found it. So, I will re-attribute it to The Master Keys and hope that is correct.
lafong,
I haven't seen that 78 discography before--thanks for the link. Re Abbey, I'm going by the information at the Both Sides Now website and Discogs. I suspect the web compilation was in error, though the Four Knights do go back to the 1940s--however, they recorded for Decca and Capitol, and later on for Coral. Their first recordings were for Lang-Worth Feature Programs, Inc., and I did a title check at Discogs, but didn't see a "Mister Blues" (but I thought it was worth a look!). It would have been the wrong period, in any event. Those unidentified tracks could be from anywhere, and collectors have been trying to pin them down for a while now. In at least a few instances, they could have been budget sound-likes (of unknown origin).
lafong,
Re title check, I meant that I checked the Lang-Worth Feature Programs, Inc. listings at Discogs. I wasn't expecting to find "Mister Blues," but I had to be sure...
And it is possible, of course, that there was another Four Knights--it's a common sort of group title.
Hey, Lee,
It’s pretty obscure but it’s one of the greatest by him ... Twas an early Jesse Belvin side he cut for one of the dozens of indie labels in LA that he did work for.... the song is “Dear Heart” ... Melodious earworm to the extreme. You can thank me later (Monk Said...)(The TV Monk.... Not ANY other type...,)
More later…
Athenaeum book sale starts in 40 minutes... wish me luck...
- B.(elieve you me, I need another book or record like a hole in the head...)
Here is the LP I was referring to earlier...
It... Never... Ends...
https://www.discogs.com/release/2744859-Ray-Charles-And-The-Sounds-Of-Rhythm-And-Blues/images
- Brian In Sunny So Cal (AKA The Record Keeper... erm... Discaholic... erm... Guy with "Music Immortality" Affliction Disorder issues... er... well, you know...)
Just call me a M.A.I.D. man...?
Wackypeedia sez:
Music Immortality: Condition akin to Book Immortality. Wherein sufferers think they will live forever to be able to... (well, you know...)
Hey, Brian in Sunny So Cal --
Is this the Christmas record you were referring to?
https://www.discogs.com/master/539474-Various-Merry-Christmas-Baby
It looks awesome!
Oops. Delay of game.
Here's the version I have...
https://www.discogs.com/release/3256553-Various-Merry-Christmas-Baby
Smmmmokin'..... ("...Is BAD for you!!!" is what they'd hafta say in today's Hollywood Rekkids Art D. Rekshun offices...)
- Brian
Belated response - highly enjoyable collection, typical of mid-century R&B. Excellent transfer!
The Online 78 Discography shows the follow under Abbey:
3018 Bobby Marshall (Ray Parker Orch) I'm Going to Live for Today - - (NYC) -1950 -
Buster,
Thanks for the nice words--and for that track ID! Someone needs to update the Discogs listing. I might try it myself, though entries take a while to show up...
Excellent detective work!
Really cool Hollywood release. I thought of my father, still alive and well, who digs these sort of tracks.
Track 08 is The Masterkeys (Abbey 3017) - Mister Blues 1950
It is on an Abbey Label release as Mr. Blues
see track 22 here
https://bluebeatmusic.com/product_info.php?products_id=23511
Thanks for putting this here - it's right up my street. I'd love to know who the other unknowns are.
Bob,
A lot of us are wondering about those! And thanks much for the "Mr. Blues" ID!
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