Discussion:
Obscure 1950s Era Recordings - June - Preliminary Round - Group 4
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SavoyBG
2020-06-05 13:50:44 UTC
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Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.


Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown


Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett


Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis


Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell


The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen

SavoyBG
2020-06-05 13:51:14 UTC
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MY RANKINGS


1. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
2. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
3. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
4. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
unknown
2020-06-05 14:03:01 UTC
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MY RANKINGS

1. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
.
.
2. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
.
3. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
4. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
SavoyBG
2020-06-05 14:09:05 UTC
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Post by SavoyBG
MY RANKINGS
1. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
Looks like you have a strong one here, Geoff. The real test will be if Diane likes it or not.
DianeE
2020-06-05 14:49:58 UTC
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Post by SavoyBG
Post by SavoyBG
MY RANKINGS
1. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
Looks like you have a strong one here, Geoff. The real test will be if Diane likes it or not.
--------
I do. Wish it had its own video.
DianeE
2020-06-05 15:44:06 UTC
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Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Post by SavoyBG
MY RANKINGS
1. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
Looks like you have a strong one here, Geoff. The real test will be if
Diane likes it or not.
--------
I do.  Wish it had its own video.
------------
One thing I particularly like is the bass break!
Jim Colegrove
2020-06-05 14:03:40 UTC
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1. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen

2. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis

3. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown

4. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell

5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
Steve Mc
2020-06-05 14:29:15 UTC
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Has this group broken the record for the most Babe/Baby's in a round ?



1. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown

2. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen

3. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell

4. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis

5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
--
Steve Mc

DNA to SBC to respond
Roger Ford
2020-06-05 14:04:02 UTC
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Post by SavoyBG
Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.
Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown - 7
The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen - 7
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis - 7
Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell - 6
Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett - 4


ROGER FORD
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Roger Ford
2020-06-05 14:16:56 UTC
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Post by SavoyBG
Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.
Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
http://youtu.be/BnuKtEcAgSg
From 1955 this was Roy's penultimate single recorded for King before
having an extremely barren 1956 (no singles at all!!)---then coming
back with a new contract with Imperial in 1957
Post by SavoyBG
Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
http://youtu.be/qhCay4gSCKo
As I said before I like several of Bennett's songs but mostly from the
60's period ("I Left My Heart In San Francisco","I Wanna Be Around"
etc) but sadly I can't say the same about this one.

However its interesting that this was the flipside to Bennett's take
on the oldie "What Will I Tell My Heart" (originally by Andy Kirk in
1937)---and of course being the self same song Fats Domino did a cool
version of a couple of years later
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording












So what can you add to that Geoff?
Post by SavoyBG
Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
http://youtu.be/XR2vGFVoxCU
Recorded in June 1954 when Blackwell returned to RCA for a four track
session. Not sure by what devious means this was undertaken since he
had a valid contract with Joe Davis at Jay-Dee at that time. Suffice
to say that one single appeared on RCA's subsidiary Groove label that
August "Oh What A Babe".It did nothing at the time but has achieved
enough popularity in later years to get itself "repro'd".

Personally I find it very mild but there's a decent too-short sax
honking in there courtesy of our old buddy Sam The Man---and yes,that
is Mickey Baker on guitar
Post by SavoyBG
The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
http://youtu.be/1jtBC_t1Hek
Another penultimate release---this time on Federal and this one from
Mr Jimmy Nolen who is always worth a listen. I prefer the "Movin' On
Down The Line" side (that was also missed from the 1956 Battle but
that was such a STRONG year---IMPOSSIBLE to fit all the good stuff in)
) but this one has its moments too


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unknown
2020-06-06 03:24:13 UTC
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Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording
So what can you add to that Geoff?
LOL

Nowt, gov!

At the time of nomination I could'nt find anything after searching.
At least it does sound 100% 50s rockabilly (not early 60s or beyond).

I have 1 only copy of this song in my mp3 collection (don't tell Dave
Bull, but I can have 20 or more copies of a recording, gathered over
the years as tracks from different compilations. These tracks may
differ in audio quality, and I will never have the time to determine
the best copy and delete the rest. Anyway, this situation is utterly
harmless - terabyte drives are inexpensive {I've even got a spare 6 TB
Seagate drive still in it's unopened shrink-wrapped box :-})

So, where does my mp3 come from.
From a Usenet binary post in 2014, as part of "Rock-A-Billy Artists
(46 cds)". My folder names tell me it's a series from 1 to 50, with 4
missing volumes/cds. Created, it seems, in 2008.

Rock-A-Billy Artists - 47.34 - Wally Lewis - Oh Baby Baby.mp3


Geoff
SavoyBG
2020-06-06 03:57:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by unknown
Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording
So what can you add to that Geoff?
LOL
Nowt, gov!
At the time of nomination I could'nt find anything after searching.
At least it does sound 100% 50s rockabilly (not early 60s or beyond).
I have 1 only copy of this song in my mp3 collection (don't tell Dave
Bull, but I can have 20 or more copies of a recording, gathered over
the years as tracks from different compilations. These tracks may
differ in audio quality, and I will never have the time to determine
the best copy and delete the rest. Anyway, this situation is utterly
harmless - terabyte drives are inexpensive {I've even got a spare 6 TB
Seagate drive still in it's unopened shrink-wrapped box :-})
So, where does my mp3 come from.
From a Usenet binary post in 2014, as part of "Rock-A-Billy Artists
(46 cds)". My folder names tell me it's a series from 1 to 50, with 4
missing volumes/cds. Created, it seems, in 2008.
Rock-A-Billy Artists - 47.34 - Wally Lewis - Oh Baby Baby.mp3
Geoff
It's not even in Terry Gordon's site. He does show a few singles by the guy, and he's listed as a California artist, and that's it.
unknown
2020-06-06 04:15:55 UTC
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Post by SavoyBG
It's not even in Terry Gordon's site. He does show a few singles by the guy, and he's listed as a California artist, and that's it.
Of course I checked Terry Gordon's site !
Roger Ford
2020-06-06 14:54:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by unknown
Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording
So what can you add to that Geoff?
LOL
Nowt, gov!
At the time of nomination I could'nt find anything after searching.
At least it does sound 100% 50s rockabilly (not early 60s or beyond).
It doesn't sound much like Wally Lewis tho. I don't know anything by
him that is even remotely like this one. Most of his output is
predictable dull teen shlock (like "Kathleen" and "Donna") or second
rate country (like his cover of "My Baby Walks All Over Me")
Post by unknown
So, where does my mp3 come from.
From a Usenet binary post in 2014, as part of "Rock-A-Billy Artists
(46 cds)". My folder names tell me it's a series from 1 to 50, with 4
missing volumes/cds. Created, it seems, in 2008.
Rock-A-Billy Artists - 47.34 - Wally Lewis - Oh Baby Baby.mp3
I can't find any reference anywhere at all to these CDs or indeed
anything else that even mentions this recording .No discography of him
or label listing mentions it---even as an unissed track.

So the $64K question is......is it really Wally Lewis?





ROGER FORD
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DianeE
2020-06-06 19:53:59 UTC
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Post by Roger Ford
Post by unknown
Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording
So what can you add to that Geoff?
LOL
Nowt, gov!
At the time of nomination I could'nt find anything after searching.
At least it does sound 100% 50s rockabilly (not early 60s or beyond).
It doesn't sound much like Wally Lewis tho. I don't know anything by
him that is even remotely like this one. Most of his output is
predictable dull teen shlock (like "Kathleen" and "Donna") or second
rate country (like his cover of "My Baby Walks All Over Me")
Post by unknown
So, where does my mp3 come from.
From a Usenet binary post in 2014, as part of "Rock-A-Billy Artists
(46 cds)". My folder names tell me it's a series from 1 to 50, with 4
missing volumes/cds. Created, it seems, in 2008.
Rock-A-Billy Artists - 47.34 - Wally Lewis - Oh Baby Baby.mp3
I can't find any reference anywhere at all to these CDs or indeed
anything else that even mentions this recording .No discography of him
or label listing mentions it---even as an unissed track.
So the $64K question is......is it really Wally Lewis?
----------
Shazam identified it as "Oh Baby Babe" by Willie & The Stringpoppers.
So it's *Willie* Lewis, not Wally, and it's not from the 1950s.

Loading Image...

And it's on youtube, but I forgot to copy the URL.

You're welcome!
SavoyBG
2020-06-06 20:27:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Roger Ford
Post by Roger Ford
Post by unknown
Post by Roger Ford
Post by SavoyBG
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
http://youtu.be/3rUjK6JBxhw
OK here's everything I know about this recording
So what can you add to that Geoff?
LOL
Nowt, gov!
At the time of nomination I could'nt find anything after searching.
At least it does sound 100% 50s rockabilly (not early 60s or beyond).
It doesn't sound much like Wally Lewis tho. I don't know anything by
him that is even remotely like this one. Most of his output is
predictable dull teen shlock (like "Kathleen" and "Donna") or second
rate country (like his cover of "My Baby Walks All Over Me")
Post by unknown
So, where does my mp3 come from.
From a Usenet binary post in 2014, as part of "Rock-A-Billy Artists
(46 cds)". My folder names tell me it's a series from 1 to 50, with 4
missing volumes/cds. Created, it seems, in 2008.
Rock-A-Billy Artists - 47.34 - Wally Lewis - Oh Baby Baby.mp3
I can't find any reference anywhere at all to these CDs or indeed
anything else that even mentions this recording .No discography of him
or label listing mentions it---even as an unissed track.
So the $64K question is......is it really Wally Lewis?
----------
Shazam identified it as "Oh Baby Babe" by Willie & The Stringpoppers.
So it's *Willie* Lewis, not Wally, and it's not from the 1950s.
http://rockabillywillie.com/graphics/R-103b.jpg
And it's on youtube, but I forgot to copy the URL.
You're welcome!
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979, which means that it is disqualified from the tournament. Was Geoff trying to slip one by me, or did he not know that it was a revival thing?

Anyway it's out, so only the 3 lowest scoring 4th place items will be eliminated now.
DianeE
2020-06-06 21:30:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by SavoyBG
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979, which means that it is disqualified from the tournament. Was Geoff trying to slip one by me, or did he not know that it was a revival thing?
Anyway it's out, so only the 3 lowest scoring 4th place items will be eliminated now.
----------
Argh, I knew that bass break was too good to be true. 1979 IIRC was the
year the Stray Cats made their debut. I remember reading a story about
the Stray Cats and the Blasters, they called it "Rockabilly Revival."
unknown
2020-06-07 01:40:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by DianeE
Argh, I knew that bass break was too good to be true.
Possibly we are talking the relative, on a 45 rpm record, sound
quality attributes more than anything else ???
In other words, might they not have played the exact same sequence of
notes on a bass, back in c.1958 ?

unknown
2020-06-06 23:42:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by SavoyBG
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979, which means that it is disqualified from the tournament.
Was Geoff trying to slip one by me, or did he not know that it was a revival thing?
I had absolutely no such idea, Bruce. I'm not surprised the artist and
song title is different, but I didn't think it was a revival
recording.

I'm grateful to Diane for thinking of using a music identifier and
discovering the record's provenance. I presume this Shazam app only
works on a smartphone.

I've just used "AHA Music", a *PC* web browser add-on which tries to
identify music played in the browser (did you know you can drag and
drop a music file from a folder onto your browser window and it will
play).

Anyway, I drag my mp3 by 'Wally' onto the new version of Microsoft
Edge (I use Chrome as well) and click the AHA icon and it comes up
with "Oh Baby Babe - Willie".
SavoyBG
2020-06-07 01:16:16 UTC
Permalink
Post by unknown
Post by SavoyBG
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979, which means that it is disqualified from the tournament.
Was Geoff trying to slip one by me, or did he not know that it was a revival thing?
I had absolutely no such idea, Bruce. I'm not surprised the artist and
song title is different, but I didn't think it was a revival
recording.
I'm grateful to Diane for thinking of using a music identifier and
discovering the record's provenance. I presume this Shazam app only
works on a smartphone.
She says as far as she knows, yes.
unknown
2020-06-07 00:31:44 UTC
Permalink
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979.
https://www.discogs.com/label/201372-Rock-A-Billy-Record-Co

shows 1986
SavoyBG
2020-06-07 01:17:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by unknown
It's Willie Lewis, not Wally Lewis, and it's from 1979.
https://www.discogs.com/label/201372-Rock-A-Billy-Record-Co
shows 1986
Okay, I was going by the youtube video.
SavoyBG
2020-06-06 20:31:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by DianeE
And it's on youtube, but I forgot to copy the URL.

unknown
2020-06-07 00:30:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Roger Ford
----------
Shazam identified it as "Oh Baby Babe" by Willie & The Stringpoppers.
So it's *Willie* Lewis, not Wally, and it's not from the 1950s.
http://rockabillywillie.com/graphics/R-103b.jpg
on which the title is "Oh, Babe Baby" (perhaps a mistake)
More info on Willie Lewis' rockabilly music (Denver based).

http://www.rockabillywillie.com/rock-a-billy-record-company/
http://www.rockabillywillie.com/willie-the-string-poppers/

Willie Lewis (born 1946 - died Oct. 17, 2014)

Regarding the Rock-A-Billy label:
"The String Poppers are probably the most historically important group
on the label as they are the earliest to release a record and had a
*unique, 'primitive' sound that is impossible to replicate*."
Mark Dintenfass
2020-06-05 14:18:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by SavoyBG
Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.
Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett

I like a number of Tony Bennett songs. Just not this one.
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Roger Ford
2020-06-05 14:31:52 UTC
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On Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:18:30 -0500, Mark Dintenfass
Post by SavoyBG
Post by SavoyBG
Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.
Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
I like a number of Tony Bennett songs. Just not this one.
My sentiments exactly

ROGER FORD
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DianeE
2020-06-05 15:01:45 UTC
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Post by Roger Ford
On Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:18:30 -0500, Mark Dintenfass
Post by SavoyBG
Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
I like a number of Tony Bennett songs. Just not this one.
My sentiments exactly
------------
It's a dopey *song*, but the singing is excellent.
Punch and Judy was a puppet show which I think originated in England.
Punch and Judy were a married couple (of puppets) who got laughs from
the children in the audience by beating the crap out of each other. I
think it was banned in the U.S. at some point once people started to get
the idea that domestic violence isn't so funny in real life. I remember
actually participating in a Punch and Judy show which one of my
elementary school classes put on. I think I played a character called
"The Beadle." I think I thought it was a beagle. A few years later I
guess I would have thought something else!
Anyhow, the song has nothing to do with any of this, and the lyrics
never explain *why* it's a "Punch and Judy love."
Carl
2020-06-05 16:06:52 UTC
Permalink
‘the lyrics never explain *why* it's a "Punch and Judy love." ‘

I took it that the pain of an on again off again romance was emotionally like a Punch and Judy Love.

I believe this ends my experiment of nominating pop songs. This Tony Bennett I expected to do poorly.

The Dean Barlow was a surprise. I thought it similar to his You’re Mine’ song with the Crickets which I believe is generally well liked by the group. It never occurred to me it might be considered too pop sounding.

Not the first time though. Past nominations ‘Lonely and Blue’ by BB King, ‘After A While’ by Joe Turner and ‘I Still Care’ by Lillian Leach come to mind.
SavoyBG
2020-06-05 16:15:30 UTC
Permalink
FINAL RANKINGS


1. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen - 36
2. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown - 35
3. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis - 28

4. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell - 23
5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett - 13

Jim's Nolen edges Mark's Brown to win the group, but both look strong. Geoff's very obscure rocker takes third. Steve's Blackwell will likely be eliminated with just 23 points, and Carl's Bennett was knocked out.
DianeE
2020-06-05 17:36:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carl
‘the lyrics never explain *why* it's a "Punch and Judy love." ‘
I took it that the pain of an on again off again romance was emotionally like a Punch and Judy Love.
I believe this ends my experiment of nominating pop songs. This Tony Bennett I expected to do poorly.
The Dean Barlow was a surprise. I thought it similar to his You’re Mine’ song with the Crickets which I believe is generally well liked by the group. It never occurred to me it might be considered too pop sounding.
Not the first time though. Past nominations ‘Lonely and Blue’ by BB King, ‘After A While’ by Joe Turner and ‘I Still Care’ by Lillian Leach come to mind.
----------
Everything you mention besides the Tony Bennett record is a case of an
R&B artist making a pop-sounding record.

Perhaps a different pop record by a pop artist might do better, although
I don't see any pop record getting all the way to the finals here.

Of course, you could prove me wrong....Bruce is still fuming over "Mona
Lisa" winning the 1950 battle! :)
Carl
2020-06-05 20:19:31 UTC
Permalink
Yes, I agree, the relative dislike of R&B artists making pop sounding songs is what has surprised. Because there were a lot of those songs that did well in the battles but I think they were usually top 40 type things

I didn’t expect much of the Tony Bennett but I did of the Dean Barlow to do better.

I chose the Punch and Judy song because it was a little different than the usual moon/June songs that 50s pop singers did, and I like it a lot because It is a little unusual.

I wasn’t around for the 1950 battle, hadn’t discovered the newsgroup yet. There were more than 20 people voting back then and my sense of the results was there were at least a few people more that liked pop.

For me, my first love is really R&B, but I also like including pop in my playlists for the variety, especially more obscure things in both cases. Which is why I’m really enjoying these obscurities contests.
Carl
2020-06-05 14:28:28 UTC
Permalink
1. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
2. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
3. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
4. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
5. Shake ‘em Up Baby - Roy Brown
DianeE
2020-06-05 14:48:48 UTC
Permalink
1-The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
2-Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
3-Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
4-Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
5-Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
Rick Schubert
2020-06-05 15:57:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by SavoyBG
Group 4 is now open. Please rank these from best to worst.
1. Shake 'em Up Baby - Roy Brown
2. The Way You Do - Jimmy Nolen
3. Oh! What A Babe - Otis Blackwell
4. Oh Baby Baby - Wally Lewis
5. Punch And Judy Love - Tony Bennett
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