Roger
2024-10-28 09:18:28 UTC
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PermalinkTODAY........FROM 1950
1. DO SOMETHING FOR ME- THE DOMINOES
From December 1950 comes the debut of the famous Dominoes vocal group
(and the debut of the new King label subsidiary Federal Records)---and
also the debut on record of one Clyde McPhatter here singing lead on
this memorable ballad. The record sold well enough to reach #6 on the BB
r&b chart. And as if that wasn’t a great start of starts on the flipside
could be found…….
2. CHICKEN BLUES – THE DOMINOES
Yep,flip the record above over and ……voila! We have Mr Bill Brown doing
lead honors here on the rocking classic “Chicken Blues” which apparently
sold pretty well in its own right but without actually charting. A
perfect start for the Federal label!
3. LEMON SQUEEZER – THE FOUR BARONS
Hugely salacious number here performed by one Allen Bunn and a few other
guys who will soon go on to form the backbone of one of the most
respected of 1950’s r&b vocal groups—The Larks. Hooking up with Grandpa
Herman’s Savoy outfit in Newark NJ the memorable “Lemon Squeezer”
appeared on their subsid Regent label. What are the ladies’ “lemons”
referred to? Little yellow fruit of course! What on earth did you
think?
4. YOU’RE FINE BUT NOT MY KIND – THE ROBINS
Recorded February 13 1950 with a superb Bobby Nunn lead the rockin’
“You’re Fine But Not My Kind” became the latest Robins record when it
was finally released (as the flipside to “I’m Through – see entry
below”) on Savoy in that September.Hmmm...that YT poster seems kinda
familiar….now who was he??
5. COUNT EVERY STAR – THE RAVENS
Here’s the version of the oft-recorded “Count Every Star” on National
label (originally by Ray Anthony & His Orchestra earlier in this year)
most likely to be quoted by r&b fans and collectors as their favorite
version (tho my fave version remains that of the later Rockers on Carter
label in 1959 – see the earlier 1959 entry in this series for details)
6. I’M THROUGH – THE ROBINS
**
The topside (as released) of the #4 record listed above by The Robins
again features a great lead from Bobby Nunn on a cool slower ballad with
fine support from the rest of the group. Recorded at the same session as
“You’re Fine….” too and obviously the same release details
**I see several posts of this on YT but all with really low view figures
(indicating possible non-appearance on US screens). Let me know if such
is the case
7. GOT TO GO BACK AGAIN – THE FOUR BARONS
The flipside of the notorious “Lemon Squeezer” (see #3 above) and again
on Savoy’s subsid label Regent. Amazingly the Four Barons (the future
Larks) in an attempt to get a recording contract recorded FOUR sessions
on ONE day in 1950---a session each for FOUR different
companies---before Bess Berman at Apollo gave them a proper record deal
8. TURKEY HOP-PART 1 – JOHNNY OTIS/THE ROBINS
From February 1950 and also on Savoy this precedes The Robins record
already mentioned above and was recorded January 11 1950. This was an
excellent seller and whilst it didn’t make the Billboard chart it did
feature in several Cash Box regional charts so indicating its popularity
across the country
9. I WILL WAIT – THE FOUR BUDS
First issued as by “The Four Buds” this was the group better known as
“The Four Buddies” nd very soon billed that way on their records.
Which,like this one appeared on the Savoylabel (and NO I AM NOT being
paid by the Herman Lubinsky estate to include all these Savoy and Regent
records 😊). Lead Larry Harrison excels here. Charted at #2 on the
Billboard r&b chart (and yes they were “The Four Buddies” by then on
later pressings)
10. I DON’T HAVE TO RIDE NO MORE – THE RAVENS
Their record on National just before “Count Every Star” (see #5 above)
with a fabulous lead courtesy Jimmy Ricks and definitely one of the best
things The Ravens ever put out. Unlike “Count Every Star” (which
amazingly missed the BB chart entirely) this rocking effort charted and
reached #9 on their r&b chart
11. BROWN BOY – AL SEARS & THE SPARROWS
The soon to be “Big” Al Sears here with The Sparrows group and lead
Clarence Palmer on a song with quite a history---originally done in 1936
by Lil Hardin Armstrong (Satchmo’s wife) and again in 1938 by The Ink
Spots on Decca---and which has quite a future too since it will appear
in versions by Clarence Palmer & The Jive Bombers on Citation label in
1952 then again in late 1956 on Savoy (what else?) as “Little Brown Boy”
before settling down in December 1956 as the retitled “Bad Boy” it’s
most famous title and its most most famous version
12. COOL WATER – THE FOUR TUNES
One of those songs I like in several versions. Originally by Bob &
Randall Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes in 1940 then the famous Sons Of The
Pioneers version (1941),Red River Dave (1946) Tex Ritter & The Dinning
Sisters (1948) and Vaughn Monroe (1948) Even the Frankie Laine 1955
version I find passable. But the Four Tunes with their bluesy version
for RCA in 1950 really score on this one hence their inclusion here
13. I NEED YOU SO – THE ORIOLES
Released in September 1950 came The Orioles version of “I Need You So”
on Jubilee originally by Ivory Joe Hunter earlier in the year. As well
as The Orioles the song was also released in this year by both Dons
Cornell and Cherry in pop versions. And of course later came the most
famous version by Elvis in 1957.
14. YOUNG GIRL – THE FLAMES
This is the group that--after an unbelievable amount of twists and turns
and myriad changes in personnel---will eventually emerge as The
Hollywood Flames of “Buzz Buzz Buzz” fame. But that scenario is light
years away yet at this point in 1950 as The Flames release “Young Girl”
with David Ford lead on John Blackburn’s Selective label.
15. IS MY HEART WASTING TIME – THE ORIOLES
Sonny Til leads the boys on a fine love ballad performance here recorded
in 1949 and released in January 1950 as usual on the Jubilee label. It
appeared as the flip side of the (mis-titled) “Would You Still Be The
One In My Heart”. This was one of the first Orioles songs I ever
encountered so I guess it has something of a special place with me
16. I WONDER WHEN – THE ORIOLES
Another beautiful ballad from The Orioles with a silky smooth Sonny Til
lead backed by the Sid Bass Orchestra and recorded for Jubilee February
17 1950 in one of the first sessions to utilize the violin to back a
vocal group recognized in the r&b idiom. It’s nice to see Billboard
agreed with me in their review calling it “one of their top
performances”
17. FOUND ME A SUGAR DADDY – THE NIC-NAC’S
Johnny Otis and Little Esther really started something with their huge
“Double Crossing Blues” hit with the Robins returning here in their
secret identity as mild mannered group The Nic-Nacs to do a pretty good
re-run of the whole shebang with lovely Mickey Champion in the Esther
role and recorded for the Bihari Brothers out West and their RPM label
18. I’M SO CRAZY FOR LOVE – THE CAP-TANS
In a deal that benefited the poorly managed Cap-Tans group led by
Sherman Buckner not one jot their fine “I’m So Crazy For Love” was
farmed out to the (then) fledgling Dot label owned and operated by Randy
Wood in Gallatin,Tennessee. Tho the group never saw much money from
the deal the record certainly sold well enough locally for the much
better known Ravens group to cover the song for Columbia
19. TROUBLE IN MY HOME – THE BLUES ROCKERS
Led by James Watts this ensemble (that also featured one Willie Mabon in
its ranks) recorded the somewhat raucous (for the time)--but compelling
“Trouble In My Home” for deejay Al Benson who by convoluted means farmed
it out to the fledgling Aristocrat label in Chicago (soon to undergo a
name change to….Chess Records). There is some dispute as to whether this
is a 1950 record or a late 1949 one. I have it as early January 1950
(reviewed in BB last week in January)
20. AT NIGHT – THE ORIOLES
Another time favorite IMO is the beautiful “At Night”. And it comes from
that very first Orioles session in July 1948 that produced “It’s Too
Soon To Know” and “Barbara Lee”.It was March 1950 before it saw light of
release on Jubilee but it got a big welcome when it did arrive.Billboard
reviewed it thusly - “chalk up another hit for the high flying group.
Tune is standout. Group delivers one of their best jobs yet”
BUBBLING UNDER
21. O HOLY NIGHT – THE ORIOLES
22. GET WISE BABY – THE RAVENS
23. COOL SATURDAY NIGHT – THE STRIDERS
24. CRAZY ABOUT MY HONEY DIP – THE CAP-TANS
25. MR BLUES – THE MASTERKEYS
