"...Let The Four Winds
Blow..."
Following the same route as
Volumes 1 to 11 – the twelfth entry in this fabulous CD series from Ace Records
of the UK offers fans 30 cleverly sequenced Mono US 7" singles that hit
the American Pop charts between 1954 and 1963. As the chart entries range
between No. 1 to No. 75 – the overall play features a nice combo of the obvious
versus the obscure - and like preceding volumes some are in Stereo (five this
time - see track list below) and only a handful actually made the British Pop
charts even though many are now well known to collectors and oldies fans.
All of this rare and hip
material is presented to music lovers on both sides of the pond by a British
record company that gives a damn - with a hard-won reputation across four
decades of reissue quality (best tape sources used – no needle drops). The full
18 volumes up to late 2015 are listed below. So 'Let's Go Trippin'" on a
'Bad Motorcycle' so we can 'Boom Boom' with 'Short Fat Fannie' (all in the best
possible taste of course)...
UK and USA released February
2011 - "The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12: Hot 100 Hits
From 1954-1963" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1280 (Barcode
029667043120) is a 30-track CD and breaks down as follows (74:52 minutes):
1. Road Runner – BO DIDDLEY
January 1960 US 7"
single on Checker 942 (peaked at 75)
April 1960 UK 7" single
on London HLM 9112 (didn't chart)
Real name Elias McDaniel –
the British 45 is a listed rarity at £20
2. Bad Motorcycle – THE
STOREY SISTERS with Al Browne & His Orchestra
January 1958 USA 7"
single on Cameo C-126 (peaked at 45)
March 1958 UK 7" single
on London HLU 8571 (didn't chart)
Ann and Lillian Storey – the
British 45 is a listed UK rarity at £100
3. Raunchy – BILL JUSTIS and
His Orchestra
September 1957 US 7"
single on Phillips International 3519 (peaked at 2)
November 1957 UK 7"
single on London HL-S 8517 (on re-entry it peaked at 11 in January 1958) – the
British 45 is a listed rarity at £25
4. Silhouettes – THE RAYS
September 1957 US 7"
single on Cameo 117 (peaked at 3)
November 1957 UK 7"
single on London HLU 8505 (didn’t chart)
Originally issued August
1957 on XYZ Records X-102 – the reissue on Cameo 117 charted – the British 45
is a listed rarity at £40
5. Handy Man – JIMMY JONES
September 1959 US 7"
single on Cub K 9049 (peaked at 2)
January 1960 UK 7"
single on MGM Records MGM 1051 (peaked at 3)
Co-write between Jimmy Jones
and Otis Blackwell
6. If You Gotta Make A Fool
Of Somebody – JAMES RAY
October 1961 USA 7"
single on Caprice CAP-110 (peaked at 22)
February 1962 UK 7"
single on Pye International 7N 25126 (didn’t chart)
Stereo Version - Written by
Rudy Clark
7. Bristol Stomp – THE
DOVELLS
August 1961 USA 7"
single on Parkway P-827 (peaked at 2)
October 1961 UK 7"
single on Columbia DB 4718 (didn’t chart)
8. Rainin' In My Heart –
SLIM HARPO
January 1961 USA 7"
single on Excello 45-2194 (peaked at 31)
August 1961 UK 7"
single on Pye International 7N 25098 (didn’t chart)
Real names James Moore – the
US release originally listed the track as the B-side of "Don't Start
Cryin' Now" – UK issues had it as the A
9. Short Fat Fannie – LARRY
WILLIAMS
May 1957 USA 7" single
on Specialty 608 (peaked at 5)
August 1957 UK 7"
single on London HLN 8472 (peaked at 21)
The British 45 is a listed
rarity at £40
10. Dinner With Drac (Part
1) – JOHN ZACHERLE
March 1958 USA 7"
single on Cameo C 130 (peaked at 6)
April 1958 UK 7" single
on London HL-U 8599 (didn’t chart)
11. Back To School Again –
TIMMY "Oh Yeah!" ROGERS and Bernie Lowe Orchestra
September 1957 USA 7"
single on Cameo 116 (peaked at 36)
November 1957 UK 7"
single on London HL-U 8510 (didn’t chart)
The British 45 is a listed
rarity at £90
12. Little Latin Lupe Lu –
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS
November 1962 USA 7" single
on Moonglow M-215 (peaked at 49)
June 1963 UK 7" single
on London HL 9743 (didn't chart)
Written by Bill Medley
13. If I Can't Have You –
ETTA & HARVEY
July 1960 USA 7" single
on Chess 1760 (peaked at 52)
September 1960 UK 7"
single on London HLM 9180 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version - Etta James
and Harvey Fuqua (of The Moonglows) – also written by them
14. Think – THE
"5" ROYALES
May 1957 USA 7" single
on King 5053 (peaked at 66)
Not released in the UK
Written by their Guitarist
Lowman Pauling
15. Lonely Blue Boy – CONWAY
TWITTY
December 1959 USA 7"
single on MGM Records K12857 (peaked at 6)
February 1960 UK 7"
single on MGM Records MGM 1056 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version - Used in the
American TV Series "Mad Men" – there is also a 'UK' version available
on Bear Family's "Rocks" CD – the US version is used here
16. Butterfly – CHARLIE
GRACIE
February 1957 USA 7"
single on Cameo 105 (peaked at 1)
March 1957 UK 7" single
on Parlophone R 4290 (peaked at 12)
The British 45 is a listed
rarity at £50
17. Please Mr. Postman – THE
MARVELETTES
August 1961 USA 7"
single on Tamla T-54046 (peaked at 1)
December 1961 UK 7"
single on Fontana H 355 (didn’t chart)
Its rare American Picture
Sleeve is repro'd on Page 18 of the booklet – the British 45 is a listed rarity
at £55
18. Let The Four Winds Blow
– ROY BROWN
April 1957 USA 7"
single on Imperial X5439 (peaked at 29)
Not released in the UK
Dave Bartholomew and Fats
Domino song – Fats Domino eventually recorded the song and released it April
1961 on Imperial X5764 which peaked at 15
19. Whole Lotta Woman –
MARVIN RAINWATER
January 1958 USA 7"
single on MGM K12609 (peaked at 60)
January 1958 UK 7"
single on MGM Records MGM 974 (didn’t chart)
Also issued in the UK as
part of the 4-track EP "Whole Lotta Marvin!" released 1958 on MGM
Records MGM EP 662 (Track 2, Side 2) – a British rarity listed at £50
20. Let’s Go Trippin' – DICK
DALE and THE DEL-TONES
September 1961 USA 7"
single on Deltone 5017 (peaked at 60)
Not released in the UK
Real name Richard Monsour
21. He Will Break Your Heart
– JERRY BUTLER
August 1960 USA 7” single on
Vee-Jay VJ 354 (peaked at 7)
December 1960 UK 7"
single on Top Rank JAR 531 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version – written by
Jerry Butler, Curtis Mayfield and Calvin Carter - the British 45 is a listed
rarity at £55
22. Boom Boom – JOHN LEE
HOOKER
April 1962 USA 7"
single on Vee-Jay VJ 438 (peaked at 60)
July 1963 UK 7" single
on Stateside SS 203 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version – his first
British 45 "Boom Boom" is a listed rarity at £25
23. You Better Move On –
ARTHUR ALEXANDER
December 1961 USA 7"
single on Dot 16309 (peaked at 24)
March 1962 UK 7" single
on London HLD 9523 (didn't chart)
The British 45 is a listed
rarity at £40
24. Saved – LaVERN BAKER
April 1961 USA 7"
single on Atlantic 2099 (peaked at 37)
May 1961 UK 7" single
on London HLK 9343 (didn't chart)
Stereo Version – Jerry
Leiber and Mike Stoller song
25. There's No Other (Like
My Baby) – THE CRYSTALS
August 1961 USA 7"
single on Philles 100 (peaked at 20)
January 1962 UK 7"
single on Parlophone R 4867 (didn't chart)
Co-written (with Leroy
Bates) and Produced by Phil Spector – the British 45 is a listed rarity at £150
26. Roll Over Beethoven –
THE VELAIRES
June 1961 USA 7" single
on Jamie 1198 (peaked at 51)
Not released in the UK
Chuck Berry cover version –
the first CB song to reach the charts as a cover
27. Dedicated (To The Songs
I Love) – THE 3 FRIENDS
July 1961 USA 7" single
on Imperial X5763 (peaked at 89)
Not released in the UK
Walter and Clay Hammond (of
The Olympics) and Julius Brown
28. The Jam – Part 1 – BOBBY
GREGG and HIS FRIENDS
March 1962 USA 7"
single on Cotton 1003 (peaked at 29)
April 1962 UK 7" single
on Columbia DB 4825 (didn't chart)
29. Come To Me – MARV
JOHNSON
February 1959 USA 7” single
on United Artists UA 160 (peaked at 30)
May 1959 UK 7" single
on London HLT 8856 (didn't chart)
Written by Marv Johnson and
Berry Gordy of Tamla and Motown fame – the British 45 is a listed rarity at
£100
30. Every Day I Have To Cry
– STEVE ALAIMO
December 1962 USA 7” single
on Checker 1032 (peaked at 46)
January 1963 UK 7"
single on Pye International 7N 25174 (didn't chart)
Arthur Alexander cover
version
NOTES: all tracks are in
MONO except tracks 6, 13, 15, 21, 22 and 24 – which are in STEREO
Volume 12 has an info-packed
32-page booklet festooned with ROB FINNIS liner notes and cool pics - quality
publicity photos of forgotten names like The Storey Sisters, The Rays, Jimmy
Jones, Larry Williams, Timmie "Oh Yeah!" Rogers, Dick Dale and Bobby
Gregg (to name but a few). These snaps run alongside rare Trade Adverts for Bo
Diddley, Bill Justis (Sheet Music), Slim Harpo, John Zacherle, The Righteous
Brothers, Marvin Rainwater, The Silhouettes and James Ray (Sheet Music). The
two-page colour collage of British 45s in their labels bags that was a feature
on Volumes 1 to 4 has been replaced for Volumes 5 to 12 with smaller pictures
of various UK and US record labels throughout the text (all songs in
chronological order) - Finnis connecting all the musical and historical dots.
Compiled by ROB FINNIS (with help from John Broven, Bill Millar, Tony Rounce ,
Victor Pearlin and other good names involved in reissue for decades now) – the
clever sequencing makes it feel like an old jukebox (especially if you shuffle
play) and it features a generous total playing time of 74+ minutes.
The DUNCAN COWELL Remasters
are fantastically good – toppermost of the poppermost Audio quality on
forgotten nuggets like the clever combo of powerhouse voices on "If I
Can't Have You" – Etta James and Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows - here in
truly glorious Stereo (Saxophone and Drums so clear). Is it any surprise that
TV's "Mad Men" ended a show on the pained moocher of "Lonely
Blue Boy" (stunning Stereo) - Conway Twitty doing his best misery voice on
this achingly brilliant nugget that absolutely shouldn't be forgotten nor
ignored any longer (better than Presley's film version that was canned). An
uber-clean transfer too on the fantastic R&B romancer "Rainin' In My
Heart” – Slim Harpo getting all mushy about his main squeeze. In fact despite
the disparate sources – the Audio is uniformly great throughout (like all the
other volumes) and will warm the cockerels of collector's hearts that have
wanted this quality on CD for decades now.
Volume 12 opens with an irrepressible
new decade winner – Bo Diddley's January 1960 chug-a-bug 'beep beep' song
"Road Runner" while The Storey Sisters want to warn all the girls
about the tell-tale 'vun vun' of a "Bad Motorcycle" (well done
ladies). It's extraordinary now to think that if George Harrison hadn’t bought
the 45 to the Saxophone led instrumental "Raunchy" by Bill Justis and
demonstrated his mastery of the riff on his guitar atop a Liverpool
double-decker bus (Lennon and McCartney took him into the band after this) –
how music history would have been so much the less for it. The Rays are
concerned about the lovely couple behind the curtains in their voyeuristic
lovelorn way as they croon through "Silhouettes" – while Jimmy Jones
is dreaming in his 'come-a come-a' way of the Royalty payments he's going to
get when James Taylor covers his "Handy Man" (a 1977 No. 4 chart hit
in the USA on Columbia Records). I've never heard "If You Gotta Make A
Fool Of Somebody" by James Ray – a cool sort of Bacharach/David tune
anchored by a wistful melody and a cute harmonica throughout. The drums on
"Bristol Stomp" by The Dovells has the 'joint jumping' while Larry
Williams has the Thought Police itchy with his delightfully un-PC "Short
Fat Fannie" – a 1957 homage to his brand new lover that's likely to get
him arrested in 2015.
Beautifully clear Audio
accompanies the brass-driven mashed-potato-baby of "Little Latin Lupe
Lu" by a clearly frazzled Righteous Brothers while classics don’t get much
better that The "5" Royales doing "Think" – a genius slice
of bop-along happiness written by their guitarist Lowman Pauling – a song that
crosses the Vocal Group, R&B and Pop divide at the same time (stunning
audio too). 'I knew from the first time I kissed you' Charlie Gracie tells us
on the Vocal Group Vaudeville "Butterfly" - while The Marvelettes
keep checking the mailbox in the breakthrough Tamla hit "Please Mr.
Postman" (looking for royalty cheques from Berry Gordy or is that luncheon
vouchers?) . Properly fabulous audio accompanies Roy Brown's joyous "Let
The Four Winds Blow" – an utterly infectious New Orleans R&B winner
penned by Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino. It's smartly followed in the
running order by "Whole Lotta Woman" - a Marvin Rainwater bopper
where our hero wants his girl to know that he's equal to the challenge by being
a 'whole lotta man' (attaboy Marvin).
As I said of Volumes 1 to 11
– what's wicked about these Ace CD compilations is the oddities – finding gems
you just don't know. I've never heard the neck-nibbling novelty number
"Dinner With Drac" by John Zacherle – a man worried about the main
course not being chicken and asparagus (genius choice and a properly great
Monster Mash type laugh). Timmie "Oh Yeah!" Rogers is sorry to be
waving bye-bye to good times as he and his buddies say hello to History and
Maths again in the saxophone-driven "Back To School Again". Surf
guitar drives the wicked instrumental "Let's Go Trippin'" by Dick
Dale and The Del-Tones and 60ts Soul doesn’t get more sophisticated than the
beautiful shuffle of "He Will Break Your Heart" penned by Jerry
Butler, Curtis Mayfield (of The Impressions) and Calvin Carter. And how good is
the 'put you in my house' footstompin' genius of "Boom Boom" by John
Lee Hooker (how did this not chart in the UK?). Both Arthur Alexander and
LaVern Baker bring up the R&B front with the slow shuffle of "You
Better Move On" and the manic drums and vocals of "Saved"
because our LaVern no longer drinks nor does the Hoochie-coo (thank Gawd for
that).
We get our daily dose of
Phil Spector melodrama with The Crystals on their mini Pop Opera "There's
No Other (Like My Baby)" – but rocking in two-by-two comes The Velaires
and their cool cover of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" – here in
superbly atmospheric sound. Songs get rama-lama-ding-dong'd in the song-naming
tune "Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)" by The 3 Friends who turn out
to be members of The Olympics moonlighting on this novelty number. Drummer
Bobby Gregg famously played on Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" LP and
the monster hit "Like A Rolling Stone" – enough to ensure
immortality. But along comes Ace and unearths this Saxophone and Organ and
Drums instrumental blaster that managed a No. 29 placing in early 1962. He
would also play on Simon & Garfunkel recordings. It ends with Marv Johnson
earning his place of importance in the Motown history books with the catchy
"Come To Me" and the unexpectedly touching "Every Day I Have
Cry" by handsome Steve Alaimo – teen-popping up an Arthur Alexander song.
Like Volumes 1 to 11 – installment
No. 12 is an adventurous, period evocative, cleverly paced compilation that
barely puts a foot wrong. In fact it may the best CD compilation yet. Loving
the whole damn lot. And there are seventeen more volumes to return to where
this came from...
Titles in "The
Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll" CD Series are:
1. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits From 1954-63 (Ace CDCHD 289,
November 1991)
2. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 2: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 445,
March 1993)
3. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 3: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 497,
January 1994)
4. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 4: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 500, October
1994)
5. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 5: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 600,
October 1995)
6. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 6: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 650,
January 1997)
7. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 7: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 700,
November 1998)
8. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 8: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 750,
November 1999)
9. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 9: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 800,
February 2001)
10. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 10: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 850,
September 2002)
11. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 11: Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1200,
September 2007)
12. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll Volume 12: 30 Hot 100 Hits From 1954-1963 (Ace CDCHD
1280, February 2011)
13. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Country Edition (Ace CDCHD 845, April 2002)
14. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Novelty Edition (Ace CDCHD 890, November 2003)
15. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll: Special Doo Wop Edition 1953-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1000, May
2004)
16. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll: Special "Bubbling Under" Edition – Regional
Hits That Just Missed The Hot 100 1959-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1050, March 2006)
17. The Golden Age Of
American Rock 'n' Roll – The Follow-Up Hits: Hard-To-Get Hot 100 Hits (Ace
CDCHD 1190, January 2008)
18. The Golden Age Of American Rock 'n' Roll:
Special Doo Wop Edition Volume 2 1956-1963 (Ace CDCHD 1230, May 2009)
This review and hundreds more like it can be found in my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series - BLUES, GOSPEL, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL - Exceptional CD Remasters is available to buy/download at Amazon at the following link...
