Sunday, August 1, 2021

VA - The London American Story Rarities [2011] (3 x CD's)

 

RARITIES

VA - The London American Story Rarities [2011] (3 x CD's)

I could be rather picky in questioning whether a handful of the songs on this tremendous 3 CD collection, could ever be classified as "rarities". "Blue Suede Shoes", for example. Also "Earth Angel", "Matchbox" and "Ten Commandments Of Love", albeit a different version to the one I have on several other CD's. But the fact of the matter is that it really does no harm to hear a few better known numbers amongst a whole raft of these rare and obscure recordings. You make have little or nothing in your record collection by The Mints, Mac Wiseman, Alvadean Coker, Faye Adams or Werly Fairburn. Also, the original "See You Later Alligator" as performed by its composer Bobby Charles may have passed you by, as well as "Green Door" man Jim Lowe's improbable version of "Maybelline". Invest in this record and your collection will be suitably enhanced by these recordings. Importantly too, the quality of each track is excellent, and no sign that I could make out of lower-quality vinyl needle drops. And if there are a few singers there about whom you still know nothing, then a bit of googling to brush up your knowledge just somehow adds to the fun. Fantastic value for any follower of the era who wants to wander down the musical side streets and byways of the era. (Amazon)

This compilation collects rarities from the celebrated label. London-American was the prime UK outlet for U.S. hits in the 1950's and 1960's, introducing the British public to America's biggest stars.

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Track lists


CD1

01 Fontane Sisters Hearts Of Stone 2:09

02 Penguins Earth Angel 3:00

03 Jim Reeves Penny Candy 2:32

04 Fats Domino Love Me 1:57

05 Fontane Sisters Rock Love 1:57

06 Nappy Brown Don't Be Angry 2:21

07 Ruth Brown Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean 2:55

08 Bill Haley & His Rockets Farewell, So Long, Goodbye 2:20

09 Four Tophatters Go Baby, Go 2:05

10 Alvadean Coker We're Gonna Bop 2:14

11 Bill Haley & His Comets Rocking Chair On The Moon 2:51

12 LaVern Baker That Lucky Old Sun 2:53

13 Bobby Charles See You Later Alligator 2:50

14 Clyde McPhatter Seven Days 2:29

15 Fats Domino Bo Weevil 2:50

16 LaVern Baker Get Up Get Up (You Sleepy Head) 2:18

17 Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes 2:03

18 Chuck Berry Downbound Train 2:50

19 Jim Lowe Maybelline 2:01

20 Hilltoppers Do The Bop 2:10

21 Willows Church Bells May Ring 2:25

22 Clyde McPhatter Treasure Of Love 2:09

23 Willie Dixon Crazy For My Baby 2:51

24 Big Joe Turner Corrine, Corrina 5:34

25 Ruth Brown I Want To Do More 2:52


CD2

01 Smiley Lewis One Night 2:27

02 Cadets I Want You 2:50

03 Clovers Hey Doll Baby 2:24

04 Sanford Clark Lonesome For A Letter 1:55

05 Betty Johnson Honky Tonk Rock 1:56

06 Big Joe Turner Boogie Woogie Country Girl 2:59

07 Clovers Your Tender Lips 2:56

08 Smiley Lewis Down Yonder (We Go Ballin') 2:42

09 Faye Adams I'll Be True 2:48

10 Drifters I Gotta Get Myself A Woman 2:18

11 Six Teens A Casual Look 2:26

12 Dick Lory Cool It Baby 2:33

13 Werly Fairburn All The Time 2:22

14 Fats Domino Honey Chile 1:48

15 George Hamilton IV If You Don't Know 4:26

16 Sonny Knight Confidential 2:35

17 Smiley Lewis Shame Shame Shame 1:56

18 Flamingos Would I Be Crying 3:01

19 Nappy Brown Little By Little 2:35

20 Clarence 'Frogman' Henry Ain't Got No Home 2:22

21 Barons Don't Walk Out 1:50

22 Merle Kilgore Ernie 1:46

23 LaVern Baker I Can't Love You Enough 2:41

24 Ruth Brown I Want To Be Loved 2:19

25 Carl Perkins Matchbox 2:31


CD3

01 Mac Wiseman Step It Up And Go 1:47

02 Mints Night Air 2:14

03 Gladiolas Sweetheart Please Don't Go 2:09

04 Roy Brown Saturday Night 2:18

05 Clyde McPhatter Just To Hold My Hand 2:20

06 Ivory Joe Hunter Empty Arms 2:42

07 Carl Perkins Glad All Over 1:42

08 Jim Lowe Rock-A-Chicka 1:54

09 Young Jessie Shuffle In The Gravel 2:29

10 Wayne Handy with Jim Thornton & His Band Say Yeah 2:28

11 Johnny Faire Till The Law Says Stop 2:19

12 Dale Wright & The Rock-Its She's Neat 2:00

13 Chuck Sims Little Pigeon 1:59

14 Kuf-Linx So Tough 2:22

15 Jackie Walker Only Teenagers Allowed 1:51

16 Carl McVoy Tootsie 2:27

17 Lee Andrews & The Hearts Try The Impossible 3:07

18 Johnnie & Joe Over The Mountain, Across The 2:19

19 Dubs Beside My Love 2:16

20 Drifters Drip Drop 2:30

21 Harvey & The Moonglows Ten Commandments Of Love 4:04

22 Jesse Lee Turner Shake Baby Shake 2:12

23 Mel Robbins Save It 2:06

24 Vernon Taylor Mystery Train 2:32

25 Sonny Burgess Sadie's Back In Town 2:24

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7 comments:

  1. thank you Uncle like this - Aussie

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  2. Thanks for this - it was my favourite record label in the fifties

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  3. Thanks for this, lots of great tracks here.

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    1. Hi Bob Mac,
      What I like about this one, its not your average compilation, so good.

      Cheers.

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  4. Actually, I was looking for 1960 and 1961, as I have this one myself, actually. As far as being "rarities" this label was restricted in it's choice from ones they could get free, as in "Public domain". This label specializes in issuing all songs they can obtain for free, which is why the cutoff date is always 1962 or 1963, since the albums were all issued between 2012 and 2014. In Europe, all songs recorded before then became public domain after, I think, 50 years.. and it's a European label that releases it.
    So you would *think* it would be relatively easy to find these tracks online.. but I've been looking for the 1960 and 1961 London American issues by them and all I've found are a few (very) dead links..
    If you would happen to have either one, or both, of them to post I'd be very grateful.. And maybe tell me if there's anything you're looking for. I may have it..
    Regards.. Doc

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