Bad Blood

The Coasters - Bad Blood

It might not be the Monster Mash, but a song with a title like Bad Blood is perfect for your Halloween party playlist. This Leiber/Stoller creation was released as a b-side in 1961. The lyrics follow a similar vein to The Coasters first big hit from 1957, Young Blood. The main difference being that, at some point in the intervening years, the protagonist's perspective has changed considerably. So it goes.

Nocturnal

The Viscounts - Harlem Nocturne

Hailing from New Jersey, The Viscounts scored a minor hit in 1960 with this version of the jazz instrumental standard, Harlem Nocturne. The recording was re-released in 1966 and again climbed the charts. However, it's best known to me from the film Christine, based on Stephen King's spooky novel about a killer car. Today's, maybe yesterday's, and definitely tomorrow's, posts are all loosely Halloween themed. Boo!

One Twitchy String

Rene Hall's Orchestra - Twitchcy

I haven't posted a track featuring a man playing a one-string guitar since I did that Rollin' and Tumblin' special, which was over four years ago now. Guitarist Rene Hall brought Willie Joe Duncan into the studio in 1957 to re-record his one previous single, Unitar Rock. The result was Twitchy, which is as accurate a description of the tune as I can think of. If you're interested in knowing more about Willie Joe and his single stringed instrument, The Hound has already sniffed it out.

African Waltz

Johnny Dankworth - African Waltz

I first found today's selection on a compilation, The Roulette Story, which I ended up repeatedly listening to through Spotify. Every time it came on, I was moved to find out more. After that occurred a few times, I tracked myself down a vinyl copy -- that's the way it works for me a lot these days.

Johnny Dankworth and His Orchestra's arrangement of African Waltz reached the number 9 spot on the UK charts, quite high for a jazz piece. It was written by Gait MacDermot (best known for the 1967 musical Hair) who had spent his early twenties in South Africa studying music, which is where he must have got the inspiration for this tune from. By 1961, when Dankworth's version was charting, MacDermot had already won a Grammy for the original Cannonball Adderley version. Dankworth, who passed last year, was an alto sax player and giant of English jazz. He became Sir John in 2006.

Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Ernie Fields & Orch. - Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Lester Melrose, who Things Ain't What They Used To Be is credited to, was a prolific producer of blues music from the 20s to the 50s. He wasn't, however, a songwriter or musician of any kind, so the songwriting credit is his just because that's the way it was done back in the day. Today's selection was actually written in 1942 by Duke's son, Mercer Ellington -- although some have said that dad probably gave the young Mercer some assistance with the arrangement. Anyhoo, this version was arranged by legendary saxophonist, Plas Johnson. The Ernie Fields Orchestra is basically the Rendezvous Records house band, including drummer extraordinaire Earl Palmer -- about whom I've already written enough praise on this blog, at least for this year. Released in 1960, this jazz standard gets the crime-show makeover it was always begging for. Just listen to that first note growl.

Funniest sound I ever heard

The Rivingtons - Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow

Some more super-fun early sixties doo-wop for you today -- LA's The Rivington's first hit, Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow. Like many successful vocal groups, The Rivingtons had been singing together for some time. In 1957, as The Sharps, they helped Thurston Harris climb the charts with his version of Little Bitty Pretty One.

About a year after Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow was released, a garage-surf band from Minnesota combined it with another Rivingtons hit, The Bird's The Word, to create their own signature tune, the unforgettable Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen.

Go Gorilla

The Ideals - The Gorilla

Here's a massively fun party tune from a Chicago vocal group called The Ideals. It came out in 1963, apparently near the end of the monkey dance craze, which I'm personally very disappointed to have missed out on. Howard Pitman of Concord records wrote The Gorilla just as The Ideals were musically somewhere between doo-wop and soul. After it became a local smash, Pitman sold his label to Cortland records, who replicated that success on a national level. If you've come here looking for an infectious dance tune to go ape to, look no further.

Big John from Mississippi

Titus Turner - Big John

Okay, so it's been a slightly slow around these parts. The reason being that since July I've been between homes. So, I haven't had my turntables set up, meaning that I couldn't rip all the 45s I've been buying into mp3s, and I have been buying 45s. Now that I'm settled again, expect things to pick up.

Today's selection is one of my favourite recent acquisitions. From 1955 on the Mercury imprint, Wing, I bring you Big John by Titus Turner. Although a more than competent R&B singer in his own right -- just listen to the mp3 -- Turner had more success as a songwriter when Little Willie John covered his All Around the World. The pair then collaborated in writing Leave My Kitten Alone, which was a hit for Little Willie in 1959. But, with wailing horns, a syncopated beat and powerful vocals about a guy from Mississippi known as Big John, this is an overlooked tune to be reckoned with. Enjoy!