Get It While You Can

Attention: Starting around midnight on January 1st, I will start removing old audio files from this blog, going back about 6 months. If there are any files you want to download, do it now before they're gone forever...

Merry Twist-Mas

MP3 File
The Marcels
Merry Twist-Mas
Colpix 617
1961
Have a great Christmas Y'all...

Donde Esta Santa Claus?

MP3 File
Augie Rios
Donde Esta Santa Claus?
Metro - 20010
1959
I like this one a lot. I first heard it a few years ago on a local oldies radio station on Christmas eve. It's taken me a while to track it down, but here it is...

Happy Ghoul Tide

MP3 File
Brice Armstrong & the All American Ghouls
Happy Ghoul Tide
Duchess - 1020
1962
Here is a very odd release from Duchess records, which I normally associate with New Orleans R&B/Soul. There is nothing New Orleans sounding about this record, but it's still pretty fun. Anyone know the story behind this one?

I Want a Beatle for Christmas

MP3 File
Becky Lee Beck
I Want a Beatle for Christmas
Challenge - 1144
From 1964 natch'...

My Gift To You

MP3 File
Leonard & Sandra
The Santa Claus Song
RV 101
1978
Here is perhaps the greatest Christmas 45 I have ever found. I have never heard it anywhere but on my record player. I can find no information about it anywhere. Everything about it smacks of vanity pressing. Leonard croaks about Santa, his voice breaking all over the place. I can only guess that Sandra must be the one noodling on the casio keyboard. This definitely falls into the category of so bad it's good. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it's so bad it's GREAT. One of my all time faves. Consider this my contribution to the World's Christmas Canon. May it find its way onto mixed CDs everywhere...
p.s. If you have ever heard this song, or have any information about it, PLEASE let me know!

Here Comes Fatty Clause

MP3 File
Rudolph & the Gang
Here Comes Santa Clause
Yuletide 7233
1982
I first heard this song on the John Waters Christmas compilation CD a few years back and immediately identified with its anti holidy sentiment. This is a classic anthem for anyone who feels less than festive around this time a year. About a year ago, a very clean copy of this 45 came into my hands for a very reasonable price. Enjoy...
p.s. this track contains profanity, so skip it if you're easily offended.

Divorce Court

MP3 File
The Five Du-Tones
Divorce Court
One-Derful!
early sixties
Here's a hilarious one from the Five Du-Tones. What's really interesting is how much of an early ska sound there is on this thing. Edit* This really reminds me of Prince Buster. I wonder who is influencing whom here. Very cool...

p.s. stay tuned for some 45s from my Christmas collection coming up in the next few days and weeks!

Theme for Psychotics?

MP3 File
Positively Thirteen O'Clock
Thirteen O'Clock Theme For Psychotics
HBR - 500
1966
Here's a nice garage instrumental from Texas band Positively Thirteen O'clock. This is the flip side of their cover of The Count Five's Psychotic Reaction.

Moving Forward by Going Backward

Yes, I know... it's been too long since my last post. The jukeboxmafia got married last month and has been neglecting his blogging duties. Sorry for the prolonged silence, but here at last is something interesting.

Kasenetz and Katz were two of the most prolific producers of bubblegum music in the late sixties. They produced the Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum co. and many, many others including this one: the Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus. Side one of this disc is a pretty straight forward bubblegum confection (featuring Joey levine on vocals) called I'm in Love With You. Flip it over however and something dark and disturbing is going on here. Something like a depressed walrus singing on his deathbed. I was pretty intrigued when I heard this and very curious about what the hell I was hearing. Whatever it is, it is not only recorded backwards but it's also recorded at the wrong speed.

A little digital trickery reveals that To You With Love is simply about one minute of the middle of I'm in Love With You played backward at 16 rpm...

Whether this was a joke, a rather lame stab at psychedelia or an attempt to insure that only the A side received radio airplay I have no idea...

Kasenetz-Katz Super Cirkus
To You With Love (original)
Buddha - 82 - 1969

MP3 File

To You With Love (altered)

MP3 File

Gene "Bowlegs" Miller - Frankenstein Walk

MP3 File
Gene "Bowlegs" Miller
Frankenstein Walk
Hi - 2161
1969
I figured I had better get this one up quick before any of my fellow bloggers had a chance to beat me to it. This is my absolute favorite Halloween 45 and one of my favorite 45s period. At the time I found this I had no idea who Gene "Bowlegs" Miller was, but the title was too great to resist. Of course when I listened to it, I stood with my mouth hanging open, not believing what I was hearing. I have since learned that Bowlegs Miller was a Hi records staffer and had a few one off singles of his own, of which this is one. Truly astounding...

The Monster Twist!

MP3 File
Tyrone A'Saurus and his Cro-Magnons
The Monster Twist
WB-5305
1962
Here's another offering from the Halloween bin. This misunderstood monster (all he wants to do is twist, after all) attacks the world and is ultimately defeated by the sounds of Lawrence Welk!

Happy October...

Archie Bleyer
The Rockin' Ghost
Cadence 1293 - 1956


Download Here

I am going to try my best to make some time this month to post some of my halloween 45s. In the meantime here is a repost from early in this blog's history. Quite excellent.

Jive Five - People from Another World

MP3 File
Jive Five
People from Another World
Beltone - 1014
1961
First of all, let me apologize for the lack of activity around here. I'm getting married in a few short weeks and have been a little distracted lately. Anyway, since October is coming up soon, I thought I'd ease us into the Halloween season with this nice flying saucer record from the Jive Five on Beltone. R&B, Comedy and UFOs. What more could you ask for?? Next month I'll be featuring some 45s from my Halloween collection, so stay tuned!

Church Key

MP3 File
The Revels
Church Key
Impact - 1
1960
Here's a great surf?/garage? instrumental from 1960. Nice label graphics on this one too...

Anybody Remember the Jingle Jump?

MP3 File
Danny Peil and the Apollos
Jingle Jump
Raynard - 602
1964
As far as I can figure out, this 45 and the accompanying picture sleeve were a promo tie in for the rather lame 60's toy the Jingle Jump. For a bit of cross promotional children's advertising this song is surprisingly good! Anyone remember this one? (the toy or the record?)

Ray Sharpe - Monkey's Uncle

MP3 File
Ray Sharpe
Monkey's Uncle
Jamie - 1128
1959
This is a pretty shameless reworking of Chuck Berry's Rollover Beethoven and while I'm not crazy about the idea of Sharpe claiming composing credit for this, it's still a great song. The Fort Worth, Texas born Ray was one of the few true "black rockabillies" and was aparrently a big influence on fellow Texans Ronnie Dawson and Bobby Fuller. This is the flip of the more well known Linda Lu. Produced by Lee Hazlewood.

Jett Powers

MP3 File
Jett Powers
Go, Girl, Go
Design - 811
1958
I found this record at my Grandmother's house, in a box of singles that belonged to my uncle when he was a teenager. Go, Girl, Go is a rockabilly classic, produced by Bumps Blackwell and contains some of the wildest guitar you will ever hear on a fifties era recording. Jett Powers a.k.a P.J. Proby, was a songwriter and later recorded an album backed by a bunch of british session musicians who subsequently gained some success when they changed their name to Led Zeppelin...

Bobby Clanton

MP3 File
Bobby Clanton
The Way That You Are
Van - 01664
Early 60s?

Van Records may have been based in Angleton, Texas, but this recording is pure South Louisiana! Not sure who Bobby Clanton is (any relation to Jimmy Clanton?) and some initial web searching turned up next to nothing. This is a haunting ballad in the classic Swamp Pop style. The only other 45 I've seen on this label was a garage rocker, so go figure...
If you are not familiar with the phrase "Swamp Pop" go Here
for a quick education.

I'm in the Mood for Nappy Brown

Nappy Brown
I'm in the Mood
Savoy 1530 - 1958

MP3 File


If You Need Some Lovin'

MP3 File
Nappy Brown is one of the most powerful and unique R&B vocalists of all time. His gospel drenched style was an influence on Ray Charles, who famously covered Brown's song "Night Time is the Right Time". This is a double sided killer on Savoy from 1958.

Huey and Jerry

Download Here
Huey and Jerry
Little Chickee Wah Wah
Vin - 1000
Huey "Piano" Smith is one of my favorite artists of all time. Here he is as half of the duo Huey and Jerry on the Vin record label from 1958...

Lightnin' Slim

Download Here
Lightnin' Slim
I'm Tired Waiting Baby
Excello - 2203
1961
Here is one of my favorite artists on one of my favorite labels. This is swamp blues perfection, with some typically oddball percussion and a great production sound by J.D. Miller.

but I digress...

MP3 File
Danny Boy
Don't Go Pretty Baby
Kent 300 - 1958
Anyway, back to the 45s... Here's one from Danny Boy on the Kent label. This is from '58 and appears to be the first release from Kent records. Some nice Jerry Lee style piano on this one, along with a hiccupy vocal...

Misogyny Mix & Mystery Song Contest! Warning: Offensive Content Alert

Extended Misogyny Mix

MP3 File
As a furtive baby step toward creating an official podcasting blog, I have prepared the above extended mix MP3. This is a compilation of songs from my collection that are all related to misogyny, wife beating and/or murdering one's baby. Note: I am in no way condoning these sentiments. I only put this together because I thought it would make an interesting mix. Oddly, over half of the songs here are from Louisiana and/or New Orleans. Hmmmm, makes you think...
Track List:
1. Smiley Lewis - Jailbird
2. Lonesome Sundown - You Better Learn to Treat Me Better
3. Raymond Lewis - I'm Gonna Put Some Hurt on You
4. Bobby Bland - Cry, Cry, Cry
5. Aaron Neville - Over You
6. Blue Charlie - I'm Gonna Kill That Hen
7. Pat Hare - I'm Gonna Murder My Baby
8. Sugarboy Crawford - Watch Her Whip Her
9. The Crystals - He Hit Me (and it felt like a kiss)

CONTEST!!
Bonus Mystery Song
????????????

MP3 File
As a bonus, I submit to you the following mystery song in the same theme. This is a song that I put on a cassette tape many years ago, the title of which I can no longer remember, nor the artist. The first listener to correctly identify song title and artist will win a mystery prize pack (basically whatever stupid crap I have sitting around my desk) Good Luck! (with apologies to Red Kelly for stealing his bit, from Soul Detective)

*Editor's Note* Many of these songs are outrageously offensive. Not for the overly sensitive. Listen at your own risk!

Hip Pocket Records

MP3 File
Syndicate of Sound
Little Girl
HP-29
1967?
Hip Pocket Records were a short lived record format introduced by Philco in 1967. These flexi discs were about 3 inches wide and played at 45 RPM. Apparently they only lasted a year or two and never took off commercially. After buying this one recently I can see why. The thing is so small, thin and flimsy I can't get it to work on any record player in the house (I have 3). A little aggravating but still a nice curiousity. The music file provided here is taken from a reissue 45.

*Edit* I tried this again using the coin trick mentioned in Comments. Here is the actual sound file from the hip pocket disc. It works (sort of). See what you think...


MP3 File
p.s. this sounds pretty good if you synch up and play both files simultaneously...

McRecord

MP3 File
McDonald's $1,000,000 Menu Song
Here's another cardboard record that McDonald's put out as part of a sweepstakes contest in 1988. Sadly, this is not the winning record. Also, this song is very annoying...

Cardboard Records: A Part of this Balanced Breakfast (pt. 3)

Here are a few vintage tv commercials featuring ceral box records. Anyone remember these?

And... an excellent book with info on cereal box records and bubblegum music in general can be found Here

Cardboard Records: A Part of this Balanced Breakfast (pt. 2)

MP3 File
The Archies
Boys and Girls
Cardboard Cereal Box Record
1969-72?
This one is a lot more successful in terms of sounding like a real song. The sound quality is also much better. Check this link for a discography of cereal box records: Here

and go Here
for more info on the Archies.
p.s. Warning: Exremely Catchy Tune. Earworm Alert. Download at own risk!

Cardboard Records: A Part of this Balanced Breakfast (pt. 1)

The Sugar Bears
You Are the One
Cardboard Cereal Box Record - Song #2
1972

Audio File Deleted

These are fun. Remember those little cardboard records you used to cut from the box of your favorite breakfast cereal? Well, me neither, actually, but here's one from The Sugar Bears. The record indicates that this is song #2 (among 5 that you could collect) and remarkably, it actually rose to #51 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1972. The Sugar Bears are also known for employing Kim Carnes of "Bette Davis Eyes" fame. I found a few of these recently (more to come soon) and I must say that they are in surprisingly great shape for their age. This one is a rather bland but upbeat pop tune that sounds like is was written and performed by a commercial jingle company (probably not far from the truth.) The sound quality is decent, considering the source, although you can here the record slip occasionally. Pretty neat!
p.s. Check out the Internet Museum of Flexi Records in the links list on the right side of the screen for more examples...


p.p.s. Doobee Bear? (ahem)

Blast Off with Walt!

Nobel "Thin Man" Watts
Blast Off
Baton - 251
1958

Audio File Deleted

Apparently, Walt was a DJ at KJIM (Sherman, TX) and this was his theme song. I found this disc among a collection of radio promo discs, a lot of Atlantic stuff from the fifties/early sixties. I was intrigued by the grease pencil writing around the edge of the label. The other side is similarly marked, but says: NO over and over with a lot of X's. Pretty cool...

Mambo Baby

Jim Brown and the Four Bells
Mambo Baby

Audio File Deleted

This is an odd little number. It's a 7 inch 78, from Bell records. I've seen some of these Bell 7-inchers before and always thought they were kind of curious. Some of the later ones have color picture sleeves which feature some exceptionally great artwork, however the music is often rather lackluster. This one didn't come with a sleeve (that I know of) but when I played it I was surprised to find this nice, rollicking R&B tune. Very appealling... From 1954. For (much) more info on Bell Records go Here

Shootin' The Grease

Jesse Gresham Plus 3
Shootin' The Grease

Audio File Deleted

Wow, I don't know who the hell Jesse Gresham is and I've never seen the Head label before, but this is one seriously terrific track! This thing starts off strong and just keeps getting better and better as it goes along. Dig it!
p.s. the flipside is Robert Parker's "Barefootin'"

You Are So Rare!

The Three Haircuts
You Are So Rare to Me

Audio File Deleted

I first saw the above clip, from Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows," on some music documentary that was discussing the cultural impact of rock and roll. In it, Sid Caesar, Karl Reiner and Howard Morris do their impression of what they think rock and roll is about. I love this bit, it's a classic. When I recently found this 45 I was surprised to learn that RCA actually released the song as a single in 1955.

The Gaturs

The Gaturs
Cold Bear

Audio File Deleted

I'm not a big fan of Funk. As a rule, it just doesn't really do it for me. I generally prefer an earlier sound, but in the case of Willie Tee and the Gaturs, I can definitely make an exception. The Gaturs put out a total of 3 releases* (see comments) on 45. This one is by far the most affordable...

Charline Arthur

Charline Arthur
Honey Bun

Audio File Deleted

Henrietta, Texas born singer Charline Arthur was an early female rockabilly pioneer and an important figure on the the Big D Jamboree (Dallas' version of the Grand Ole Opry or Louisiana Hayride.) Here's an early cut from around '54, in a pretty straight forward country mode, but just listen to that growl...

Little Gary Ferguson

I first heard of Little Gary Ferguson on the excellent Bear Family DVD Series: The Beat!!!!
Available Here

On the video (from 1966) Gary appears to be about 8 or so and does his best attempt at a James Brown style stage act. A few years later this single was released and he appeared on a bill with Frank Zappa, the Count Five and others (see poster above.) After that, who knows? I can find very little info about him online. Anyway, this funky track, in kind of a Jackson 5 groove, is pretty cool with Gary singing (a little creepily perhaps) about loving those kisses and hugs from Mom! Check it out...
Little Gary Ferguson
A Mother's Love

Audio File Deleted

*edit* Okay, so upon further consideration, maybe I played down the creepiness of this song too much. Gary is singing in a very adult, sexual sounding way about loving his mother. Perhaps his handlers thought this would play off as cute, since he is a child, but something went wrong somewhere...

If you wouldn't mind...

See that little button over on the right side of your screen? The little one that says: Vote for Me? Give it a little click, if you would... Thanks

WVON LP Label Scan

I found this LP in pretty messed up condition and without a sleeve, but just couldn't resist this label. This is a comp of pretty straight forward doo wop and early R&B songs (like the one below) put out by legendary Chicago radio station WVON, which was owned by the Chess brothers. The faces around the edge are the on air personalities at that time. The Magnificent Montague, for some reason, has been punched out. For a full history of WVON (which is still on the air today), Go Here:

The Vibrations
The Watusi

Audio File Deleted

The Mighty Cobra

Little Girl
Little Willie Foster

Audio File Deleted

You just don't see a whole lot of 45s on the Cobra label (at least I don't). I was quite pleased to find this one in good condition...

Percy Mayfiled on Tangerine

Percy Mayfiled
My Jug and I

Audio File Deleted

Here's a nice single from 1966 by one of my favorite singers, Percy Mayfield. This was put out on Ray Charles' Tangerine Records and the material that he recorded there at least equaled, if not surpassed in quality, the sides he recorded for Specialty in the fifties. All of the Tangerine recordings were compiled on a terrific CD called "Percy Mayfied his Tangerine and Atlantic sides" which I believe is now out of print. The photo above shows Percy in the studio with Ray. His facial injury from a horrific car wreck a few years earlier is clearly visible. BTW, yes that is Ray Charles playing organ on this track...