A new year begins. Alas, 2021 already claimed a few people, namely Floyd Little, famed Denver Broncos RB and Carma Lou Beck, former owner of Carma Lou's House Of Music in Cedar Rapids, who passed away on Jan 4 from a long illness. That same day, my Dad celebrated his 82nd birthday. To which he got a card and a bag of Kit Kats. Life and death. And it will be that way in 2021.
But in this life, the music and bargain hunts continue. Starting with going through Iowa City/Coralville and Half Price Books in Marion I found a some leftover 45s from the Coralville Goodwill, a couple from Shops By The Wapsi and my sweetheart taking a chance of a record that I have been looking for but didn't think I could find, Eddie Holland's Leaving Here (Motown 1052). To be honest, I could have gotten the single any time on Ebay, but I haven't done EBAY in over 10 years. It is tempting to bid once again, only to be disappointed by the last minute bidder who jacks the price up automatically. To which I have said hell with that and them and go take chances at the junk stores in the state or Madison. I certainly didn't expect my girlfriend to buy it via Ebay for like 8.97 plus 12 dollars shipping and handling. But she aimed to please. So I complimented her on her judgement and took it home to play.
If it was up to me, I would have passed. But then again, the label looked to seen better days. To my surprise, outside of a scratch in the first few bars, the record played clean. I do have this on the 25 Hard To Find Motown Hits Volume 3 and Holland's It Moves Me, to which Ace Music issued years ago, but hearing this on vinyl is a delight. Motown is supposed to be played on scratchy records. That's why we seldom see any Motown records that haven't been played to death. Still, Leaving Here might be the fastest Motown song ever, even Eddie Holland said the song went too fast. But The Who and Motorhead took notice.
For the most part, Leaving Here is the best of the batch of songs found, tho War (Edwin Starr), the other Motown hit comes close. When I revisited the Coralville Goodwill, two months after finding a whole batch of ole 45s, only 3 that I left behind, I did buy. Shops On The Wapsi had a few, and Half Price Books had a couple of novelty songs. Nothing to write home about I suppose but I hope the next finds will be a bit more rewarding. It's a new year, let's go looking.
(photo from The Crabb Music Emporium-Leaving Here on the box)
1) Leaving Here-Eddie Holland (Motown 1052) #76 1963
Motown soul but it has roots in the beginnings of Brit rock and roll. I don't think I had this as a 45 growing up, tho I remember we had a Motown single but thought it was the Supremes that did that song. If I did have it back then I would have remembered it. Holland is part of the Holland/Dozier/Holland production team that worked wonders for The Supremes, The Four Tops and many others, but Eddie defer the production to Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier and even they can't believe how fast this song goes. B side Brenda is okay but the tempo is night and day. B side is more rougher than Leaving Here, however, there's not a pop or scratch at the end of Leaving Here. I'll hang on to this, till I can find another copy.
2) War-Edwin Starr (Gordy G-7101) #2 1970
From the mind of Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield, War is an very angry soul song about the evils of war, but Whifield's arrangements are quite complicated from a percussionist point of view. Just like the bass to The Temptations' Papa Was A Rolling Stone, which either Bob Babbit or James Jamerson can repeat that riff for 12 and a half minutes. War was so successful that Strong/Whitfield came up with Stop The War Now, which borrows more from Sly and the Family Stone, and not as good. B side He Who Picks A Rose returns us back to the Motown beat of the late 60s The Motown Memories has both War/Stop The War Now. The Gordy single is used for the M.M. issue.
3) Volare-Bobby Rydell (Cameo C-179) #4 1960
Most known as the fart song from Hollywood Knights, (Newbomb Turk had the right idea). It's easy to rip one after Bobby sings out VOLARIE (Blappppp) Oh Whoa whoa (Blappp), you get the picture. I remember laughing my butt off when I saw that at the drive in years ago and it still brings a smile to my face when I hear it. Rydell was one of the more mocked teen idols of the 60's like labelmate Fabian or Frankie Avalon and the smugness might have been Bobby's undoing. My mom did have a Bobby Rydell's Greatest Hits (and I'm surprised the old man didn't use it as a frisbee), I did like Wild One and the forgotten b side You'll Never Tame Me, which Elvis wouldn't be caught dead covering it, but I liked it fine. Volare is silly finger popping fun, but don't play it in front of a rock n roll crowd. B side I'd Do It Again, co written by Clint Ballad Jr. and Fred Tobias (the guy behind Born Too Late by the Poni Tails and The Keymen's Miss You), typical teen pap.
4) How High The Moon-Les Paul/Mary Ford (Capitol F-1451) 1951
Les probably didn't know it, but he sowed the seeds of what would be rock and roll but at that time it was more jazz. Fellow record collectors say that the reissue of How High The Moon backed with Josephine (F1675) came out in 1953, to which we'll take their word that it was the Starline series. B side to the 1451 single is Walkin and Whistling Blues, a Les Paul guitar showcase.
5) Cowboy Boots-Dave Dudley (Golden Ring GR-3030) 1963
Interesting note: Dave recorded for Golden Wing, till Mercury Records caught wind of the Golden Wing name (they had a side label Wing) and threatened to sue, so the name was changed to Golden Ring. Which would be Dave's last single before he moved over to (where else?) Mercury Records. Makes you wonder if they would have put Dave on Wing if they known the irony. Cowboy Boots does have the same guitar riff leading off like it did on Six Days On The Road. Dave recorded for King/Starday for a time before moving over some small Minnesota labels. B side Think I'll cheat a little tonight is nothing to write home about. One of three leftovers from Coralville that nobody wanted. Recording is so so.
6) Feel So Fine-Johnny Preston (Mercury 71651-X45) #14 1960
A tale of two Lees. Feel So Fine written by Leonard Lee and recorded by Shirley And Lee and the b side I'm Starting To Go Steady by Roye Lee, a country songwriter. Feel So Fine was published by Big Bopper Music as well. Feel So Fine is not what I would expect from Johnny Preston who is best known for Running Bear (which J P Richardson did write and produce), B side I'm Starting To Go Steady is better suited for Bobby Rydell.
7) Big Chair-Billy Storm (Columbia 4-41431) 1959
I think we had a Billy Storm single in the big box of Grandma Ambrose's records and I'm guessing this one might have been the song, or perhaps his I've Come Of Age, his only top 30 single. Billy had a hell of a voice, he can sing angelic one minute and then down right low vocal as evidenced by Big Chair. Has that wonderful Columbia echo that makes these songs sound better.
8) Hambone-Phil Harris (RCA 47-4584) 1952
With the Bell Sisters, this is a goofy song tho I'm familiar with Tennessee Ernie Ford's version and Red Saunders' version with The Hambone Kids. Bell Sisters did record 11 sides for RCA in the 50s but of the three Hambone songs out there, this one was the silliest. B side Mama's On The Warpath is more fun I think. And very risqué for 1952.
9) Bring Back The Thrill-Don Cherry (Decca 9-27484) 1951
In the style of the crooners like Frankie, Deano and Al Martino, Cherry did wonders with the #4 Band Of Gold for Ray Conniff and Columbia but I don't dig this mellowness of this song. Not my kind of music. Neither is the B side.
10) I'm Available-Margie Rayburn (Liberty F-55102) #9 1957
The surprise of these 45's is how mellow and swinging this song is. I'm thinking this song managed to score on the country charts as well. One of those 45's that Half Price Books had that nobody wanted. Kinda like the Volare single for Mr. Swing Rydell. B side If You Where was written by Ross Bagdorgian or David Seville as he's better known. Passable.
11) If You Love Me (let me know)-Olivia Newton-John (MCA 40209) #5 1974
The second song that Mike Sammes that sang the bass part that help ONJ find her way back to the top 5, tho Let Me Be There was fun. Both songs still written by the same person (John Rostill) and both songs did tickle the country charts as well. Of course, all good things come to an end, Olivia would go muzak lush on us with the odious I Honestly Love You and the slightly less annoying Please Mister Please. I never really thought much of Olivia's music, but I guess the past has brought back some decent memories of her music. I think this was one of Irene Leeson's favorite songs.
This week's finds on CDs.
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