TODAY : 20 FAVORITE FEMME RECORDS OF....1953
1. HOUND DOG – WILLIE MAE “BIG MAMA” THORNTON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=764iHBRjAVw
Three years before Elvis ever got near the song here’s Willie Mae with
her
fierce original version of the song penned by the fledgling team of
Jerry Leiber
& Mike Stoller (or “Stroller” as some of these earlier records by them
have it)
With Johnny Otis in tow it appeared on the Peacock label out of Houston
Tx
Charted #1 BBr&b
2. SHAKE A HAND – FAYE ADAMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChcwsN6hP4o
Number one on the Billboard r&b chart for a massive 10 weeks is Faye
Scruggs’
(see below) first record under the “Faye Adams” name after a switch from Atlantic to Herald records.Penned by her bandleader Joe Morris the song
will
go on to attract versions from many artists down the years including Pat
Boone
Little Richard,Johnnie Ray,Ruth Brown,Jackie Wilson etc etc
3. (MAMA) HE TREATS YOUR DAUGHTER MEAN – RUTH BROWN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7ss6up0_c
Following “Teardrops From My Eyes” and “5-10-15 Hours” this was Ruth’s
third BBr&b #1 making her Atlantic’s definite #1 artist of the time.
This was
released here in UK on London (but NOT till 1955!!) b/w “Mambo Baby”
4. THEY CALL ME BIG MAMA – WILLIE MAE “BIG MAMA” THORNTON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtY1tG0DP3I
Big Mama’s second release of 1953 saw her adopt a “new” writing partner in Peacock honcho-in-chief Don Robey listed as co-writer (of course he
was)
Another great chapter of the Willie Mae Thornton story
5. ME AND MY CHAUFFEUR – MEMPHIS MINNIE (1953 VERSION)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LG0hLnkNPw
Lizzie Douglas aka Memphis Minnie born in either Algiers,New Orleans or
Tunica County,Ms (take your pick). Great updated re-recording for
Checker (with one man band Joe Hill Louis providing most of the backing
here) of Minnie’s famous 1941 original version recorded for the Okeh label.Minnie only ever made the one last
record after this one (see #19)
6. SEND FOR ME – BIG MAYBELLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTwrLfBTji0
"BIG MAYBELLE Send for Me (Beacon, BMI) Jinny Mule (Barnhill, BMI) -Okeh
6998 - The blues shouter really goes to town on these strong r.dcb.
ditties. She sells "Send for Me," a driving effort, in her own
uninhibited style, and has a good time with the novelty item, "Jinny
Mule." Both look like real coin -grabbers".
(“BILLBOARD” August 1 1953)
7. HOLLERIN’ AND SCREAMIN’ – LITTLE ESTHER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuTgjqMfh8
My favorite side on Esther’s first appearance on wax in 1953 courtesy
Federal
Records. Paired with a duet with Little Willie (Littlefield) it’s the
best of the two songs too IMO both from the pens of Messrs Leiber &
Stoller.
8. SOUL ON FIRE – LaVERNE BAKER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a27L3nT1Qsk
No,that’s not a spelling mistake above. The very first record on
Atlantic by LaVern (with an “e” on the end) is really spelt that way.
And a really good debut on record it is too! Especially when paired with
the strident catchy “How Can You Leave A Man Like This” which sadly just misses inclusion in this post
9. RUTH BROWN – WILD WILD YOUNG MEN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyE-zxELR5M
Recorded in NYC April 10 1953 with Taft Jordan (tpt) Haywood Henry (sax)
Harry Van Walls (pno) Rector Bailey (gtr) George Duvivier (bs) Connie
Kay (dms) As well as the topside here the session also yielded the
Atlantic flipside “Mend
Your Ways”. Charted #3 BBr&b
10. BUDDY JOHNSON & ORCHJESTRA (ELLA JOHNSON)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61quwX51KFw
After switching labels (Decca to Mercury) it’s business as usual with
sister Ella doing the vocal honours in usual fashion backed by her bro’s
band and giving him his first BB chart appearance in three years
(charted #6 BBr&b). Recorded in NYC April 1953
11. FAYE ADAMS – I’LL BE TRUE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XWqyZiHusQ
Backed once again by the Joe Morris band here’s Faye Adams back with her direct followup to “Shake A Hand” on the Herald label (and famously
covered
on this one by Bill Haley & his guys on Essex). Not that it bothered
Faye too much tho—her record here delivered her another straight BBr&b
#1 hit to put on her mantelpiece right next to “Shake A Hand”
12 MERCY MR PERCY – VARETTA DILLARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUbirXm4rjY
Very catchy jumper by Varetta Dillard on Savoy recorded in NYC May 15
1953.
Only two tracks were laid down---“Mercy Mr Percy” and the flipside “No How”
Backing from George Kelly (sax) Haywood Henry (bar sax) Lee Anderson
(pno)
Lonnie Johnson (gtr) Prince Babe (bass) Gene Brooks (dms). Session
arranged
and directed by Leroy Kirkland. Charted #6 BB r&b
13. JOE MORRIS BLUES CAVALCADE (FAY SCRUGGS)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQylGsSvM5w
Recorded and released before her giant #1 smash on Herald here is an
earlier
incarnation of Faye Adams---as “Fay Scruggs” fronting the then-current
Joe
Morris band on Atlantic. But even “Fay Scruggs” wasn’t her ACTUAL real name—she
was born “Faye Tuell” in Newark NJ. But as far as I’m concerned she can call her
self anything she damn well pleases—as long as she keeps coming with
records
like this and “Shake A Hand”
14. SANTA BABY – EARTHA KITT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xQUTBpKil8
One of the very best Christmas records ever made sees “dat bad Eartha”
run thru
a whole shopping list of prezzies for her poor downtrodden Santa to
bring her.
RCA put out this real Christmas classic and were rewarded with a #4 hit
(and
solid repeat sales for quite a few Christmasses afterwards). Released in
UK (but
not till Christmas 1954) on HMV---did not chart
15 TV IS THE THING (THIS YEAR) – DINAH WASHINGTON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJlnrCNDDLg
Dinah’s immortal (and more than slightly salacious) ode to that one eyed monster
in the corner of everybody’s living room. On Mercury of course this was
her best
selling side in a while - since “New Blowtop Blues” 18 months earlier in fact. It reached #3 BBr&b
16. MY COUNTRY MAN – BIG MAYBELLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDb8K3BxSKo
Backed by the solid Leroy Kirkland band Maybelle is on the loose here
again bragging of the power and prowess of her “country man”. Released
on the Okeh label this one sold well enough to reach #5 BB r&b
17. I WANNA KNOW – DOLLY COOPER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LzS2SIjSDM
Dolly in fine form here backed by the Hal Singer band admonishing her
latest
man friend for his infrequent comings and his way too lengthy goings.I
always
thought Dolly had a good voice and fine talent but somehow Savoy Records didn’t (or couldn’t) give her that little extra bit of “lift” to put her
up there with the likes of Ruth Brown and Faye Adams this year
18. I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW – THE DAVIS SISTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG761qm2kAQ
Topping the c&w charts at #1 in all three categories (Best
Sellers,Jukebox and
Jockeys lists) “I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know” was a solid country hit
on RCA for the duo of Betty Jack Davis and Mary Frances Penick. Sadly
Betty
Jack was killed in an automobile accident as the record was released
prompting
her elder sister to take her place in the act. The duo was not destined
to be together long-Mary Frances left to go solo in 1957 under her new
name inspired by the duo....Skeeter Davis
19. KISSING IN THE DARK – MEMPHIS MINNIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH8_WH5aRqo
Sadly the last commercial record that Memphis Minnie ever made—recorded
for
J.O.B records in Chicago. The lineup here reads Lizzie Douglas (vocals
and guitar); Ernest "Little Son Joe" Lawlar (guitar); Eurreal "Little
Brother" Montgomery (piano); unknown drums.
20. SIDE BY SIDE – KAY STARR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEuUeb6X96s
To me Kay Starr always had that “little something” in her voice that
made her stand out from the myriad of other famous pop thrushes of the
time (Patti Page et al).And that is evident in her classic revival of
Sam Lanin’s 1927 “Side By Side”.Released on Capitol Kay’s revival was a big US hit reaching #3 BBpop. It also appeared onCapitol here in UK
where it was a #7 chart hit
BUBBLING UNDER
21. BIG MAMOU – ELLA MAE MORSE
22. YES I KNOW – LINDA HAYES
23. I’M CRYING – LIL GREENWOOD
24. VAYA CON DIOS – LES PAUL & MARY FORD
25. TENNESSEE WIG WALK – BONNIE LOU
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