"...Glory Be..."
There are some retrospective CD Box Sets that just get lost in the American rush. And as you can see from the list I have provided below – none of the six titles in the "Capricorn Records Presents" Series made any real inroads. Even now in June 2023 as I write this, they are forgotten and largely unknown. Which is a damn shame.
Case in point...formed by New Orleans independent entrepreneur and music hero Bobby Richardson, Fury Records began its life in 1957 (splinter labels included Fire, Enjoy, Gwenn, Fling, Everlast and Front Page) and as far as this Box Set's concerned continued into 1969 recordings. Richardson had (unbelievably) opened his Black Music Store called Bobby's Records on 125th Street in Harlem, New York City just after the Second World War in 1946 – so Richardson had some serious pioneer history. His emporium was literally within eye-shot of the famous Apollo Theater and yards away from a favored steakhouse where legends chowed down.
Both Fire and Fury also saw releases by huge names and influencers in the Blues and R&B genres – Elmore James, Wilbert Harrison, Lee Dorsey, Buster Brown, Saxophonist King Curtis, Lightnin' Hopkins, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Titus Turner, Tarheel Slim with Jimmy Spruill busting his axe and even early debut Soul efforts by a 18-year old but already mature and classy Gladys Knight with her Pips. A glance down the songs credits I have provided will also show that he penned or co-penned a good number of the songs too and Bobby scored an impressive five No.1 R&B chart-toppers (the two-million selling "Kansas City" hit number 1 in both Pop and R&B).
For sure "...The Fire/Fury Records Story" has inaccuracies in its infuriatingly slapdash and kind of hokey booklet – only 15 of the 51-songs provided here hit the US R&B Billboard charts – and some of it is about as far away from Audio Nirvana as a body can get – but I absolutely love it as a Fifties and Sixties Blues and Rhythm and Blues listen. There is something fab about this forgotten gem and I want to champion it (two Previously Unreleased cuts too). None of the catalogue numbers or release dates is provided in the 16-Page Long Booklet (so I have done those), however, any single that charted has its peak positions on both Billboard R&B and Pop USA in the text (I have included those in the relevant entries too). To the details...
US released February 1993 - "Capricorn Records Presents The Fire/Fury Records Story" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Capricorn/Warner Brothers 9 42009-2 (Barcode 093624200925) is a 6" x 12" 2CD Cardboard Long Box Set with 16-Page Booklet and Lee Herschberg Remasters; it breaks down as follows (all catalogue numbers US 45-singles unless otherwise stated):
CD1: 69:19 minutes (25 Tracks):
1. Number 9 Train – TARHEEL SLIM (1958, Fury 1016, B-side of "Wildcat Tamer", Bobby Richardson song, TS is Alden Allen Bunn formerly of The Larks Vocal Group, Guitar on the Session by Wild Jimmy Spruill – see Track 17 on CD2)
2. Kansas City – WILBERT HARRISON (March 1959, Fury 1023, A-side, No.1 US Billboard R&B and Pop charts)
3. Fannie Mae – BUSTER BROWN (November 1959, Fury 1008, A-side, No.1 R&B, No.38 Pop)
4. Much Too Late – TARHEEL SLIM and LITTLE ANN (November 1959, Fire 1009, A-side – Alden Allen Bunn and Anna Lee Sanford)
5. That’s All Right – ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP (from the 1962 US LP "Mean Ole Frisco" on Fire Records FLP 103)
6. The Sky Is Crying – ELMORE JAMES credited as Elmo James and His Dustbusters (April 1960, Fire 1016, A-side, No.15 chart peak R&B)
7. There Is Something On Your Mind, Parts 1 & 2 – BOBBY MARCHAN (June 1960, Fire 1022, A&B-sides, No.1 R&B, No.31 Pop)
8. Why Baby – MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1960, Fire 1033, A-side)
9. Dust My Broom – ELMORE JAMES (1965, Enjoy 2027, A-side)
10. Good To The Bone – WILLIS JACKSON and BAND (featuring Bill Jennings) (September 1959, Fire 1003, A-side)
11. Mojo Hand – LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (from the 1962 US LP "Mojo Hand" on Fire Records FLP 104 in Mono – see also Tracks 13 and 16)
12. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby – BUSTER BROWN (July 1960, Fire 1023, B-side to "Don't Dog Your Woman", No.81 chart peak Pop)
13. Glory Be - LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (from the 1962 US LP "Mojo Hand" on Fire Records FLP 104 in Mono – see also Tracks 11 and 16)
14. You Don't Have To Go – SAM MYERS (July 1960, Fury 1035, A-side)
15. Just Say The Word – THE JAY CEES (July 1962, Enjoy 1004, B-side of "The Waddle")
16. Santa - LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (from the 1962 US LP "Mojo Hand" on Fire Records FLP 104 in Mono – see also Tracks 11 and 13)
17. Jaywalking – THE UPSETTERS (October 1960, Fire 1029, A-side)
18. Every Beat Of My Heart – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (May 1961, Fury 1050, A-side, No.15 R&B, No.45 Pop)
19. Ya Ya – LEE DORSEY (July 1961, Fury 1053, A-side, Co-write with Bobby Richardson, No. 1 R&B, No.7 Pop)
20. Letter Full Of Tears – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (November 1961, Fury 1054, A-side, No.3 R&B, No.19 Pop)
21. Do-Re-Mi – LEE DORSEY (December 1961, Fury 1056, A-side, Earl King song - see Track 24 for B-side, No.22 R&B, No.27 Pop)
22. Morning, Noon & Night – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (from the 1962 US LP "Letter Full Of Tears" on Fury Records FULP 1003 in Mono, Don Covay song)
23. Broadway On Fire – BUSTER BROWN (1963, Gwenn G-601, B-side of "Trying To Learn How To Love Me")
24. People Gonna Talk – LEE DORSEY (December 1961, Fury 1056, B-side – see Track 21 for A-side)
25. Let's Stick Together – WILBERT HARRISON (April 1962, Fury 1062, A-side)
CD2: 71:05 minutes (26 Tracks):
1. Shake Your Moneymaker – ELMORE JAMES (December 1961, Fire 504, B-side to "Look On Yonder Wall")
2. Sugar Babe – BUSTER BROWN (December 1961, Fire 507, A-side, Bobby Richardson song)
3. Soul Twist – KING CURTIS and THE NOBLE KNIGHTS (February 1962, Enjoy 1000, A-side, No.1 R&B)
4. Eenie-Meenie-Miny-Mo – LEE DORSEY (March 1962, Fury 1061, A-side, Bobby Richardson song)
5. People Sure Act Funny (When They Get A Lotta' Money) – TITUS TURNER (July 1962, Enjoy 1005, A-side)
6. Long Time No See – RONNIE MILLER and THE MANHATTANS (March 1964, Enjoy 2008, B-side of "Come On Back", co-write with Bobby Richardson)
7. Mr. Crow – KING CURTIS (from the Fire/Fury Sessions of 1962, first appearance here in 1994)
8. I Need Your Loving – DON GARDNER and DEE DEE FORD (May 1962, Fire 508, A-side)
9. Something For You, Baby – MARY "B" (April 1962, Fling 725, A-side, Mary Banks song)
10. Bow Wow (Life Ain't Nothing But Dog Eat Dog) – TITUS TURNER (1964, Enjoy 2010, A-side, credited as Titus Tee Turner)
11. Don't You Worry – DON GARDNER and DEE DEE FORD (August 1962, Fire 513, A-side, co-write with Bobby Richardson)
12. Jookin – NOBLE "Thin Man" WATTS (December 1962, Enjoy 1008, B-side of "What ya Gonna Do" by Nobel Watts and June Bateman, B-side credited to Nobel Watts only)
13. All Around The World – TITUS TURNER (1962 Recording for Enjoy Records of his June 1955 Wing Records single)
14. Jack, That Cat Was Clean – DR. HORSE (October 1962, Fire 514, A-side, real name Al Pittman, early Rap style Vocals – for B-side see Track 16)
15. Go Away Mr. Blues – NOBLE WATTS and THE POSUM BELLYS featuring JUNE BATEMAN (1965, Everlast 5033, B-side to "Possum Belly Overalls")
16. Salt Pork, West Virginia – DR. HORSE (October 1962, Fire 514, B-side, real name Al Pittman, early Rap style Vocals, Session also includes Billy Butler on Guitar with George Stubbs on Piano – for A-side see Track 14)
17. Cut And Dried – WILD JIMMY SPRUILL (1964, Enjoy 2006, B-side of "The Rooster" – for Spruill as Guitarist, see also Track 1 on CD1)
18. You Can Do It If You Want To – MARSHALL JONES (featuring ELMORE JAMES on Guitar) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded 1963)
19. I Believe To My Soul – LEWIS JONES (1964, Enjoy 2009, A-side)
20. Harmonica Twist – KING CURTIS (Enjoy Sessions, 1964)
21. I Will Cry – KIP ANDERSON (October 1962, Everlast 5021, B-side of "I Feel Good")
22. Woke Up Happy - MARSHALL JONES (featuring ELMORE JAMES on Guitar) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
23. Wiggle Wobble – LES COOPER and THE SOUL ROCKERS (August 1962, Everlast 5019, A-side, No. 12 R&B, No. 22 Pop)
24. Searching For Love – BOBBY PORTER (1965, Enjoy 2021, B-side of "Foxy Devil", Willy Hightower and Bobby Robinson song)
25. It Hurts Me Too – ELMORE JAMES (1965, Enjoy 2015, A-side, No.25 R&B)
26. Strong Feeling – JOE HAYWOOD (November 1970, Front Page 1000, A-side, Drummer and Singer, Recorded 1969)
Compiled by DIANA REID HAIG – there are written contributions from PHIL WALDEN then President of Capricorn Records, a Diana Reid Haig Introduction, biog comments especially for the project from label founder and songwriter Bobby Richardson on each of the artists represented on the 2CD Box, a three and a half page history of "The Fire/Fury Story" by JOHN MORTHLAND (pictures five of those rare album sleeves between the text) and finally Reissue Credits. It isn’t in colour, so loses some of the impact the pretty booklet cover has done like those old R&B gig posters and Trade Adverts for New Releases. The DRH liner notes are dated July 1992 – as is the Copyright date on the rear of the Box – but the release date wasn’t until 1993 – hence the 1993 date on the 1CD Promo for the Box.
There is a special thanks to LEE HERSCHBERG for his expertise with the Master Tapes (he has done loads of work with Warner Brothers, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris etc). It's a mixed bag of the fabulous, the acceptable and the gutbucket. Audio-wise both "Let's Stick Together" by Wilbert Harrison (on CD1) and "Sugar Babe" by Buster Brown could not be more hole-in-bucket backdoor pit of peril Audio – grungy – amateur – and yet both are loaded to the gunnels with feeling and that homemade magic that you just can't describe sometimes. Is it any wonder Canned Heat and Bryan Ferry latched into the Wilbert Harrison tune. For Coolsville you have top go straight to the fabulous shuffling instrumental "Soul Twist" and the seriously hip "Jack, That Cat Was Clean" where Dr. Horse talks his smooth-as-silk way through the story of a Sixties Super Dude that can do no wrong with the chicks.
Galveston (Texas) Vocalist Lewis "Blues Boy" Jones only got one 45 out on Enjoy Records in 1964 – his highly rated cover of the Ray Charles song "I Believe To My Soul". So it's a reissue crime that the Bobby Richardson penned flipside "Hurry Baby" wasn't squeezed onto CD2 when there was room. You have to love the Take 1 count-in that breaks down in seconds for the Elmore James classic "Shake Your Moneymaker" – a slide slasher that Peter Green used on the February 1968 debut album for Fleetwood Mac on Blue Horizon Records – and is then picked up by EJ moments later. What a voice. There are great reminiscences about how Bobby and EJ were discussing the torrential rain as they watched and EJ called it "The Sky Is Crying". Bobby immediately suggested that was a great name for a song and they recorded it that day – Stevie Ray Vaughan smashing it on Epic decades later. The "Cut And Dried" flipside by guitarist Wild Jimmy Spruill is a monster as is his truly fantastic contributions to the CD1 opener by Tarheel Slim "Number 9 Train" – a R&B/Rockabilly blaster from 1958 that is a three-figure collector purchase for a reason. And of course there are remainders of forgotten greatness with Bobby Porter, Buster Brown and Joe Haywood while Saxophonist King Curtis seems everywhere (as usual).
The brill thing about a set like this is the dip and dive – the discoveries – and even though I wish the booklet especially was actually as lavish as some claim – I give this fab set a 5-stars because its fun and rocks and Bobby Robinson was a musical hero back when they mattered.
In Kansas City, they got some fine looking women there and I am gonna get me one, sang Wilbert Harrison. Get this twofer into your stereo and enjoy...
Titles in the "Capricorn Records Presents" Series
Each is American-only and Presented in 6" x 12" Cardboard Long Box Sets
Diana Reid Haig Compilations, Lee Herschberg Remasters
ELMORE JAMES – "Capricorn Records Presents King Of The Slide Guitar" (July 1992 2CD Set on Capricorn 9 42006-2 – Reissued May 1994 with the same catalogue number but different artwork - Barcode 093624200628)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – "Capricorn Records Presents The Cobra Records Story: Chicago Rock & Blues 1956-1958" (April 1993 2CD Set on Capricorn 9 42012-2 – Barcode 093624201229)
VARIOUS ARTISTS - "Capricorn Records Presents The Fire/Fury Records Story" (February 1993 2CD Set on Capricorn 9 42009-2 – Barcode 093624200925)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – "Capricorn Records Presents The Jewel/Paula Story" (April 1993 2CD Set on Capricorn 9 42014-2 – Barcode 093624201427)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – "Capricorn Records Presents The Scepter Story" (May 1992 3CD Set on Capricorn 9 42003-2 – Barcode 093624200321)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – "Capricorn Records Presents The Swing Time Records Story: R&B, Blues & Gospel 1946-1952" (July 1994 2CD Set on Capricorn 9 42024-2 – Barcode 789394202428)
