Don't lose your Head...

Well I'm finally back for more fun here in 2009. I have lots of good stuff I want to post but I don't have lots of time to do it in. I need to figure out what music, if any, is not available commercially, then transfer from vinyl to digital, hoping that I can work around several issues with my old turntable and amplifier. The turntable turns on when it feels like it. Bring the arm over, sometimes it starts up, mostly it doesn't. Sometimes I have to do it 10-15 times or more before I get contact. Then, it doesn't always come up to speed. I think it simply varies between 45 and 33 randomly but I'm not sure that it doesn't choose some places in between at times! It's even been so bold as to simply stop all together, mid stream. Hearing Eddie Jefferson slide lazily down to a drunken baritone out of the blue is disheartening. So, uncertain as to what I can do to fix this old 1970's player, I have scored a free stereo from my mother-in-law. It's one of those pre-bundled multi-component deals in the glass case on wheels deals from the 80's. Has hardly ever been used, literally, so it should be sufficient for my purposes, except it's missing a needle, which I stupidly discovered as I witnessed the cartridge swiftly skating across my favorite Buddy Fite record last week. Oh the horror! So I need to hunt down a proper needle and get on with it. Nothing fancy but hopefully serviceable. Which leads me to my next musical posting. A barely serviceable "B" side from a blue-eyed soul man and country wailer known as Roy Head. I had heard his name over the years but I couldn't tell you what he ever accomplished in music. Apparently he did alright for himself with some charting singles in the 60's and a wide range of genres to his credit over many albums. The "A" side to this single (45 rpm) is a Jimmy McCracklin tune called "Get Back", not to be mistaken for JoJo or any other man/woman combination. The song is a catchy R&B tune, simple but delivered with convincing energy by Roy and his Memphis-type rockers which include a sultry sounding lass singing along with Roy at just the right orgasmic moments. It's catchy and likeable, solid 60's material but this is available for purchase on more than one of the currently available collections of Head hits you can buy. I'm not sure where or when I acquired this single but I'm glad I didn't lose track of it over the years and will definitely investigate more of Roy's work. So, as for the posting, you will unfortunately have to settle for the "B" side of the single here, which coincidentally happens to also be "Get Back", only it's the instrumental version! After hearing the exciting vocal version I had high hopes for this being some Steve Cropper, Booker T type extravaganza, but alas, it seems it is little more than the "A" side without lead vocals. Sort of the karaoke version!?! Get back! You gotta be kidding! Well, I figured maybe the "B" side has some interest to a few folks out there. At least it doesn't appear to be available on any current CD's, and why should it be? So here's the microphone, do your best Roy Head imitation and enjoy this understandably rare recording...(not sure if it's really rare ($2.99 on eBay!) but it probably should be, know what I mean?)...

Head

Roy Head - Get Back - Instrumental - 1965

Single - Scepter 12124B (45 rpm)

When Christmas comes to our house, Chubby and Rydell join in the fun...

Here's a few more Christmas tunes from well worn 45's I have saved from my 1960's memory. The main one here that I recall most is "When Christmas Comes To Our House" , sung by Dottie Evans with the Brigadiers Quartet and written by Light/Kurzhene. It's nothing earth shaking but I don't think you'll find too many versions of this tune out there (I could be wrong) and it is a pleasant rendition. It was one of four songs on a 45 rpm EP including work by an Artie Malvin as well as a couple of classics from the Waldorf Music Hall Orchestra. But those other three cuts are pretty forgetable, especially in such poor condition as this, so I offer just the Dottie tune and hope you like it too. I did throw in another single here, one from the duo of Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell from 1960. Neither tune was holiday magic for me, I prefer the more straight forward "Jingle Bell Rock" to the attempted comedy of the odd "Jingle Bells Imitations", but they are curiosities from some big names. I expect both of these holiday tunes are well traveled in the Christmas compilation archives over the past 48 years but this single was in decent shape and might be new to you for a little fun. Enjoy and keep the Christmas spirit each and every day, at your house, our house, the out house and everywhere! And there are a few others I included on the re-up including Tinkertown Santa Claus by the Cricketones...

Tinkertown Santa Claus

Dottie Evans with the Brigadiers Quartet -
"When Christmas Comes To Our House" - 45 rpm EP
Waldorf / Music-Hall #MH 45-165A (track #2)

Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker - "Jingle Bell Rock"
1960 - 45 rpm - Cameo #C-205-A

Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker - "Jingle Bells Imitations"
1960 - 45 rpm - Cameo #C-205-B

And to all a goodnight, Gracie...

While I'm on this roll through my scratchy old 45's I had to include this next single from Charlie Gracie back in 1956. I wasn't really aware that this guy was apparently a fairly influential 50's rocker that is held in high esteem by the likes of Elvis and the Beatles, etc. He had a couple of hit records early on and his second hit was on the single I offer here, "Fabulous". Now, while Fabulous is a pretty likeable recording, the reason this record is included in my "childhood record hall of fame" is for the flip side, a bit more rowdy piece of work called "Just Lookin'". Actually, with all the scratches noted here from my old copy, and the kitchen sink sound fidelity, I think my MP3 is all the more infectious for this tune. Listen to the tone on his guitar break. I read that Charlie was pretty well known as a guitar player as well as a vocal star. So while this may not be a rare recording (although I had always thought it was something obscure), and while the quality is typical of the rest of my 45's posted here, I just wanted to share and maybe turn a few bloggers on to this rockabilly type crooner/guit-box player. I definitely plan on buying a proper collection of Gracie material as soon as I can. I included the #1 side here but the real focus should be "Just Lookin'"...just listen...

Goodnight

Charlie Gracie - "Just Lookin'" - 1956 - 45 rpm (side B)

Cameo #107-B (H8-OW-4720)

Charlie Gracie - "Fabulous" - 1956 - 45 rpm (side A)

Cameo #107-A (H8-OW-4719)

Something Happened..........

I hate to digress from the holiday theme here, but while going through these old scratchy 45's of mine, some just bring back too many good memories to put off. So this next 45 is from a band I never heard of (before or since I received the record when I was a little kid), "The Sparks". Of course I am familiar with "Sparks" from the 70's/80's and I like them a lot too, but this group from the 50's may not have recorded much more than this single I am offering next. The song I loved from the start is side 1, "Something Happened" (written by William Collins). It's a fairly classic 50's style pop rock tune with Sedaka like harmonies and lots of reverb on the guitar. It's kind of an infectious song that has always stayed with me so now I release it onto the rest of the world. The flip side is included, "Robin Red Breast" (written by Bill Comstock), but it is that folk rock psuedo Mitch Miller/Brothers Four sort of ditty that never hit me for much, but it's here for you to check out. Hope you enjoy side 1 like I first did, one listen and.....something happened....

Something

The Sparks - "Something Happened" - 1958 - 45 rpm
Arwin #MM-114-45 (21533)

The Sparks - "Robin Red Breast" - 1958 - 45 rpm
Arwin #MM-114-45 (21534)

The Chick that almost got away......

I recently rediscovered my box of old 45's and was happy to find a few from back when I was just a grade schooler, probably about 45 years ago, in fact. The first one I had to relive was this one by an otherwise unknown to me duo of "Lee and Paul". I vividly recall both sides of this beauty, the bizarre and fun Easter novelty song, "The Chick" and the pseudo polka pop rock hip-swinging "Valentina, My Valentina". It's not too obvious from the record itself but oddly enough it appears that the novelty tune is the "A" side, if you go in order of the reference numbers on the label. This well worn mini-vinyl was a part of some stack of dated 45's my mother bought for me one birthday or Christmas and I certainly got her money's worth out of them. Wish I still had them all but there's a few that didn't get away over the years like this one that I think you will get a kick out of. I tried to do a little research on Lee and Paul who, as noted on the song credits, are primarily song writers, Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. They cowrote a number of successful songs including another novelty tune, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, and Tracy (Cuff Links) among quite a few others that seem to add up to a credible career. Don't think this record here was much of a hit. But if I ever make a movie I will definitely find some way to work Valentina into one of the happy-go-lucky scenes where I walk along the Riviera with some bikini babes in the bright sunshine followed by a carefree parade of vacationers and lazy fishermen as we wind our way between beach blankets and colorful umbrellas. As you can see, the song is simply inspirational, see for yourself...

Chick

Lee and Paul - The Chick - 1959 -
Columbia #4-41337 (ZSP 45738) Side A

Lee and Paul - Valentina, My Valentina - 1959 -
Columbia #4-41337 (ZSP 45739) Side B