On the "A" side of this 78, June Hutton and her then husband, the celebrated arranger / conductor Axel Stordahl (with "The Boys Next Door" vocal group) deliver a superb version of the romantic ballad "Say You're Mine Again." The song has a wonderful melody, and accomplished vocalist Hutton is supported to good effect by an appropriately subtle arrangement and low-key input from the male backing singers. " Say You're Mine Again " was originally recorded by Perry Como , who had a no. 3 U.S. hit with it in 1953


The flip side of the Hutton / Stordahl disc is "The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart?)" , which is similar in style and equally as impressive. "Say You're Mine Again" was a no. 21 U.S. hit in 1953, and more successful in the U.K. where it rose to no. 6 (her only hit there). "The Song From Moulin Rouge" did not chart separately for Hutton, but the original version by Percy Faith & His Orchestra (with vocalist Felicia Sanders) was a no. 1 U.S. hit.

June Hutton was born on 11 August 1919 in Illinois, U.S. During the 1940s "swing" era, she was a very popular band vocalist, and from 1941-'44 she was a member of Charlie Spivak's vocal group "The Stardusters," appearing with the band in the 1944 film "The Pin-Up Girl." Later that year, she replaced Jo Stafford in Tommy Dorsey's renowned "Pied Pipers" vocal group, and then in 1950 she went solo. From 1953-'54, she had three minor U.S. hits (the above-mentioned "Say You're Mine Again" ; "No Stone Unturned", no. 24 ; and finally "For The First Time", no. 26). All three were recorded with Axel Stordahl, but subsequent releases failed to even enter the Hot 100, and with the impact of rock 'n' roll from the mid-'50s onwards Hutton's singing career waned (like that of many other solo performers).

A few years later, June Hutton retired from showbusiness and disappeared off the radar. Finally , she died on 2 May 1973, aged just 53 (reportedly of lung cancer) in Encino, California.

32 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Tremendous band and excitement on this and Frankie Lee Sims' Ace 527 from the same session. Mercy Baby was not a great vocalist and had some strange phrasing on his later Mercy Baby label but he sure could pound the drums - and never more so than here, right to the crash at the end.

He just bawls out the lyrics and the wild band, complete with Frankie, makes for two no-fail sides for dancin' around the floor after a couple of beers...and making a fool of yourself.....

Mercy Baby's follow-up on Ace 535 is good as well and his only true Blues side but the flip starts to get somewhat strange.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Ultimate classic "Walking With Frankie" is the "A" side! Mods informed.

When Westside (UK) put this on CD it had more than an extra 30 second extended ending.

Tremendous band and excitement on this and Mercy Baby's Ace 528 from the same session.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

An excruciating record of a young white singer covering the Earl King (R&B) and Jimmy Swan (Hillbilly) originals for Ace and Trumpet resp. As I remember, the accomp is just organ and chimes and was the brain child of Lillian McMurry, who had recorded both of the original sides.

Lillian's idea was for an Ace pop series which Johnny Vincent abandoned after this one sunk like a lead balloon. Nice blue label though...

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Rosco had a real tough band on this one and a fine outing on "Just Love Me Baby". After many crying records for several years Rosco's outrageous entry probably killed off the trend for good!

To some, the record is so bad it's good, in fact great for a laugh. But the full backing, including baritone sax, is still superb. I wish he had done more with this instrumentation.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

"I'd Never Forgive Myself" is an appealing ballad with a strong melody, delivered in a very mannered vocal style by Billy Ford, who over-enunciates in a slightly irritating fashion. He is supported to good effect by a male vocal group, The Bel-Aires, but the arrangement on the track is clunky and heavy-handed. It isn't a bad record, but it would have benefited from an overall lighter approach.

This song was also recorded by various other acts, including Kitty Kallen, Jerry Martin, and the under-rated female vocalist Jo Ann Tolley, whose superb take on it is my favorite and was the only one to enter the Top 100 (no. 29 in 1953).

Billy Ford subsequently teamed up with Lillie Bryant to form the duo "Billy and Lillie," and they had two U.S. Top 20 hits ("La De Dah," no. 9 in 1958; and "Lucky Ladybug," no. 14 the following year). Billy Ford died in the mid '80s, but Lillie Bryant (born in 1940) is apparently still active in the music business to some extent.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

This disc appears to be Ruth Rydell's sole release, available in 78 format only. The "A" side, "On The Carousel", is a jaunty sing-along style number, very tuneful. Rydell delivers it with zest, accompanied by backing singers who are well to the fore, and the track is enhanced by a scintillating arrangement incorporating fairground sounds and whistling. The flip side is a compelling emotional ballad, which provides Rydell with more scope to display her vocal prowess. I was unable to locate a copy of this record on the London label, so in the end I had to settle for the American release on the obscure BBS label.

Finally, I can find no information on the Internet about Ruth Rydell. Can anyone out there assist with this?

27 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

This single comprises two quasi-religious songs, recorded by the under-rated English singer Steve Conway. Both songs are very familiar, having been recorded by many other acts, and Conway receives full support on both tracks from the Hastings Girls Choir, to appropriately restrained arrangements. There is little to choose between them, but I prefer the melody and lyrics of " At The End Of The Day".

Steve Conway was born in Hackney, East London, on 24 October 1920, and he was originally a dance-band singer before signing with Columbia records in 1945. He had a very pleasant mellow voice, and between 1945 - 1951 he recorded approximately 100 songs, mostly religious ballads or what were known as " standards." He also toured the U.K. variety circuit. However, he had suffered from rheumatic fever as a child, which left him with a weak heart, and sadly he died in London on 19 April 1952, aged just 31, after heart surgery.

28 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I am not really a fan of stage musicals or this type of music generally. "This Is My Lovely Day," however, the duet between Georges Guetary and Lizbeth Webb from the stage musical "Bless The Bride," is one of my favourite songs. "Bless The Bride" opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London's West End in 1947, and "This Is My Lovely Day" quickly became one of the most requested items on BBC radio. Its popularity was further enhanced by its association later in 1947 with the wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Lt. Philip Mountbatten. "This Is My Lovely Day" is a beautiful song with a wonderful melody, enhanced by the superb performances of the two vocalists - truly mesmerizing.

I am less keen on the flip side. It is tuneful, but the vocal delivery sounds affected and old-fashioned, and I could have done without the "spoken dialogue" mid-way through the song.

28 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

The "A" side of this single, "The Key To The Kingdom," is a rather ponderous piece, played in a leaden manner by Williams, with a choir adding to the overall sense of solemnity.

The flip side is better, a lightweight tuneful number with Williams' tinkling piano supported to good effect by spirited backing singers. Unsurprisingly, this single bombed, as both sides were totally out of sync with what was charting in early 1959.

Nebraska-born Roger Williams released many singles and albums between 1955-1980. His first single, "Autumn Leaves" in 1955, was his biggest hit (no. 1). He also entered the Top 20 with three other singles ("Almost Paradise," no. 15 in 1957; "Near You," no. 10 in 1958; and finally "Born Free," no. 7 in 1966).

Williams was a very popular live entertainer; known as "the pianist to the Presidents," he played for nine Presidents of the United States. Roger Williams died of prostate cancer on 8 October 2011, aged 87, in Encino, California, having played concerts up to a short time before his death.

27 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

The charming ballad " Chanson D'Amour ( Song Of Love ) " has been recorded by various acts thru the years. Pop duo Art & Dotty Todd had a no. 6 U.S. hit with it in 1958 , and nineteen years later Manhatten Transfer went all the way to no. 1 in the U.K. The Fontane Sisters' excellent take on the song reached no. 12 in 1958. The flip side of their disc , " Cocoanut Grove ", is another very appealing song , faster than " Chanson D'Amour " and enhanced by the sisters' spirited vocals and a compelling Hawaiian-style arrangement.

The Fontane Sisters were Geri , Bea and Marge Rossi , from New Jersey , and they began their recording career on the RCA Victor label , scoring two Top 20 hits , before moving to the Dot label in 1954. There they scored seven Top 20 hits , including the million-selling no.1 hit " Hearts Of Stone " in early 1955. However , by the late '50s musical tastes were changing , and the sisters' last Hot 100 entry was " Jealous Heart " ( no. 94 , in late 1958 ). The Fontane Sisters largely retired from the music business in 1961 , cutting just one more single ( " Tips Of My Fingers " ) and an album in 1963. By then they had ceased touring , saying that they were tired of being on the road and did not want to be involved in the rock 'n' roll scene. Finally , Geri died on 13 September 1993 ; Bea died on 25 March 2002 ; and Marge died on 3 December 2003.

30 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

" Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries " dates back to 1931 , when Rudy Vallee had a no.3 U.S. hit with it. It is a slow ballad , with reflective lyrics , and Jaye P. Morgan delivers it in an appropriately relaxed manner. It reached no. 26 in the U.S. charts at the start of 1954 , but I actually prefer the flip side. " Operator 299 " is an appealing quasi-novelty number , with lyrics about a girl anxiously trying to contact her boyfriend on the 'phone. Morgan sings it with gusto , to a jazzy arrangement incorporating telephone sounds.

Jaye P. Morgan was born in Colorado in the U.S. on 3 December 1931 , and in the mid '50s she had seven Top 20 hits in America , her biggest being " That's All I Want From You " ( no.3 , in 1955 ). However , her recording career declined in the early '60s , whereupon she turned to acting and was moderately successful on television and in films. She was also a regular television game show panellist during the '70s , and she continued in showbusiness to a lesser degree until about 2004 , when she retired.

29 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

" When The Saints Go Marching In " has of course been recorded by numerous singers. Rosalind Paige delivers it with gusto , her light voice matching the mellifluous accompaniment by the Nassau Jazz Band. The flip side is another old standard , less tuneful than the " A " side , and here again Paige is supported to good effect by the excellent jazz band.

I failed to obtain a copy of this record on the London label , in either 45 or 78 format , so in the end I had to settle for buying a copy on the U.S. New-Disc label , in 78 format.

Finally , Rosalind Paige , who worked as a literary agent for many years , died of cancer on 20 February 2014 , aged 88 , in New York City.

25 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

This version of "The Roving Kind" from down under is more or less contemporaneous with the hit version by Guy Mitchell in the US. (By way of comparison, I went and found the Mitchell version on YouTube. It was preceded by a bizarre commercial for a product called Poo-Pouri... but I digress.) It is considerably looser in its attack than the Mitch MiIller produced Columbia issue. In fact, after an awkward few bars at the beginning, the Ray Quintette settles into a nice jump groove that closely emulates the early Nat King Cole sound, including group vocals by the musicians interwined with the Lester Sisters efforts. There is a mild disconnect between the band and the Sisters sound, but not enough to spoil the track. It was a pleasant surprise.

"I'll Never Be Free" is really more of the Lester Sisters' vehicle than the Ray Quintette's. The accompaniment is mostly limited to sparse support from what sounds like an accordion. The tune is an ordinary ballad and not nearly as interesting as the first side.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Runnin' Wild: I recall my brother Barry McCanna saying that this is one of the hottest tracks he has heard (and he had an extensive collection).

3 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Even more primitive and uncommercial than the John Lee Cooker on King and even rarer as a result. These were recorded by his first manager, Elmer Barbee, in early 1949 with members of Hooker's first band. (He never performed solo on stage until 1959).
Very primitively recorded with the band rockin' like crazy on the instrumental 609 Boogie and an intensely harsh vocal from JLH on the flip with slashing guitar. Chance added applause to beginning and end of 609 in an attempt to hide the surface noise present on Barbee's acetate.
How does one rate a record like this? You basically love it or hate it which translates into a grading of a 10 or a 1.
Musicians: Hooker, gtr; James Watkin (aka Watkins), pno, Curtis Foster, dms. This could even have been a demo recorded in 1948 to send to Bernie Besman of Sensation Records.
Composer credit again given as the non-existent C. Fowler on the flip.

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I have to agree with the Billboard review. The instrumental "All The Way" is a decent swing piece. "Beyond The Sea's" greatest strength is Marion Morgan's beautiful voice. Overall, however, that song disappoints because of the weak arrangement. At times, the orchestra is barely audible. Nothing like the original Charles Trenet version.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Certain artists fail to impress me when they play in a straightforward country music vein, but really light up when they move into the rockabilly style. Bill Haley is one. Carl Perkins is another. "Let The Juke Box Keep On Playing" is Perkins in his straightforward country style. It is no doubt a competent foray in that genre. I will leave it to somebody who's into that to rate it, because I would not do it justice for those people. "Gone, Gone, Gone" is another matter, however. It is Perkins at least halfway to his ultimate rockabilly persona. The rhythm is more urgent, his voice is more dominant, his guitar is more clearly a part of his personal musical voice when he plays this kind of material. I don't know if this track pre-dates "Blue Suede Shoes", but it feels like it does by just a little. It's not as good as it gets, but whoever gave it an 8 was pretty much on the money. It's far better than merely good, and it ought to whet your appetite for more Perkins.

7 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

My father had the record and I remember the story told. About a German on the telephone trying to get "a carpenter, to mend a broken shutter." "The man that hits the hammer with the nail!" and "A shutter, a shutter, no I did not say shut up!" I remember it well, almost 60 years later.

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Skinnie Minnie (Fish Tail): What an amazing song! A great up-tempo, danceable track which sounds absolutely fabulous. However, there is an apparent lack of bass. Still, it's a very catchy tune beautifully sung by Teresa Brewer. It's a kind of rock-n-roll / Jazz hybrid.

I Had Someone Else: What a LONG title! This is a nice ballad, again, beautifully sung.

As a side note: This record, along with another Teresa Brewer Promo record came as throw away discs to protect another disc I ordered on ebay. They were both sticky and terribly dirty and hardly playable. I scrubbed both discs with a sponge and a little dish soap and water and air dried in front of a fan. The difference was amazing. These discs play perfectly, with no scratches or pops, and very little crackle.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I was really impressed with this music.

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Side A is also an amazing Hillbilly-Impersonation. Dave Landers can make his voice sound
exactly like the original artists like Gene Autry, Tex Ritter, Bob Nolan, Ernest Tubb.
Side B is a slowie, no weeper, with superb slow steel. Excellent band!

2 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Side A is the best Hillbilly-Impersonation I've ever heard!
Side B is an uptempo song with excellent steel, fiddle and electric guitar work

2 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Same session as last disc and I just noticed that "Drifting Heart" was the first of the session - so Chuck must have had hopes at the time. The two here are famous songs that are interesting in that the tenor sax plays a real part here, playing along with Chuck in one of the solos. Two very clever skillfully written songs recorded live with a pretty unique sound in his repertoire. Tempting not to vote a '10' for all of his classics.

2 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Obviously an all-time classic and very influential. It's his first out and out Rocker and the interesting thing is that it's 'live'. For "Johnny B. Goode" and most that followed he played the intro and then stayed on the bass strings. After that he overdubbed the top strings. The only other way he could have approached this performance would to have a second guitarist and it would never have sounded as good. So this is not a criticism and the record is a priceless gem.

But for "Beethoven" he really has to 'hang on' and there's an abrupt ending to he inst break as he reverts to the bass strings. So more recent CD reissues seem to bring up the piano for two notes to fill the void. "Drifting Heart" is a better composition than "Together [We'll Always Be]" so it's more listenable but it's still dead flat (and also very square!).

3 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Chuck carries "Down Bound Train" very well with lots of effective drama both lyrically and instrumentally. It's a very old folk song which had many verses. Really quite a masterpiece but maybe a rather adult theme for the kids. Top side is a great amusing song but I've seen the comment somewhere that its moderate success may have been because it was more bluesy

2 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Both sides are good, but I love Tweedle Dee. It's a great R & B tune. I'm so glad to own a decent 78 copy.

3 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I've had this 78 for many years, since I was a child (I'm now 53) I always loved this song, but it played pretty lousy. However, since I bought a new turntable and a dedicated mono 78 cartridge, it sounds 100 times better than I remember. Lots of ticks, but pretty clear throughout. I LOVE this song.

SOOO politically incorrect in this day and age - that what makes it even better! :)

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

This is a solid guitar record. It's probably not very common, so if you're into good guitar work you should pick it up when you see it. I don't know who the Super-Sonics were. I'm guessing they were a studio group, guitars and rhythm. There are clearly some very good guitarists in the lot, and they've had the benefit of a good arranger. The solos do not have the feel of improvised music about them, so the arranger is probably central to the success of this disc. It would be nice to know who he was. Because it's Rainbow, it could be Enoch Light, but I'm sure there must be other candidates. Using Arthur Smith's Guitar Boogie as a starting point was a good plan. The Sheik Of Araby is almost as good material-wise, but the arranger didn't get quite as much out of it. The boogie side is the more fully-realized of the two, which is why I gave it a slightly higher rating. Good songs, good overall sound, nice interplay between the different players.

2 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I had never encountered the Esquire Boys before this record. I was led to believe they were a rockabilly group, but there is no indication of that on this disc. "We Drifted Apart" is a mediocre sentimental song. It isn't made any better by the Esquire Boys' attempt to emulate the Ink Spots with a lengthy spoken recitation by the deepest voiced of their number. It comes off as an exercise in kitsch. I doubt that I would play this side twice if I owned it. "Caravan", on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. It is a neatly arranged instrumental, faithful to the spirit of Duke Ellington, but original in its adaptation to the context it finds itself in. Each member of the band gets his chance to make his statement and they all contribute something of interest. In its best moments it reminds me of Les Paul's solo guitar sides on the back of the multi-tracked Mary Ford vocals. Swinging, tasteful, a nice overall sound. I would gladly listen to more of this.

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?