Scotch Grove Flea Market Finds

(TP Dickens took this photo on a sunny day, which wasn't the case for me today, this was the entrance to a couple of the places open for the flea market) 

I have not done many flea markets all that much.   But Scotch Grove has one every year this time and I figured I'd go and see what they have.  It was a crappy day to be out, it rained all day and some of the vendors were in open aired barns that made the bargain hunt that much fun and dirty too.  But in the end, I was quite surprised of what I find.  More dusty and scratchy records.

Toys-Eileen Barton  (Coral 9-61057)  #21 1953

Wayward Of The Wagons-Bill Hayes (ABC Paramount 9785)  #33 1957

I Found Love-Jackie Wilson with Linda Hopkins (Brunswick 55224)  #93 1962

Got A Date With An Angel-Billy Williams (Coral 61886)  #78 1957

I'm Sorry I Made You Cry-Connie Francis (MGM 13647)  #36 1958

Yes, Tonight Josephine-Johnny Ray (Columbia 4-40893) #12 1957

From A Jack To A King-Ned Miller (Fabor 114) #6 1962

Sukiyaki-Kyu Sakamoto (Capitol 4945)  #1 1963

Ridin' The Wind-The Tornadoes (RGM/London 9581) #63 1963

Hit Record-Brook Benton (Mercury 71962)  #45 1962

A Million Miles From Nowhere-Brook Benton (Vik 4X-311)  #82 1958

What Did I Do-Rink Harden (Jubilee 9-1001)  1961

From Me To You-Del Shannon (Big Top 3152)  #77 1963

You're The Reason-Hank Locklin (RCA 47-7921) #107 pop  #14 country 1961

One Of The Lonely-Dorsey Burnette (Reprise R-20,208)  1963

Exodus-Al Martino (Capitol 4710)  1962

Evil On Your Mind-Jan Howard (Decca 31933)  #5 Country 1966

Anyway You Want It-The Bugs (Hit 161) 1964

The Crusher-The Novas (Parrot 45005) #88 1965

Long Lonesome Highway-Michael Parks (MGM 14104)  #20 1970

LP

Sweet Pea/Hooray For Hazel  Tommy Roe

CD

Billion Dollar Babies-Alice Cooper

We are back to the era of Dick Jacobs and Don Costa arranged production from the likes of Billy Williams and Jackie Wilson and Bill Hayes.  Jack Plies arranged the Eileen Barton song Toys, which is the same balladry like Margaret Whiting did on Capitol.  In the 45's  finding anything Jackie Wilson are rare such as this forgotten gem I found Love, somehow Jackie has managed to raise above the very dated Jacob arrangement.  At least Johnnie Ray has Ray Corniff helping him out, Yes Tonight Josephine sounds more suited for Guy Mitchell but Ray makes it rock in his own way.  No Wedding Today is another Ray classic, tho this record needs a good cleaning. 

If there's anything that is a one hit wonder it would be Mike Parks' Long Lonesome Highway from the old Then Came Bronson TV show.  I'm surprised oldies radio doesn't play this song, but then again they don't play most of the songs you see here, even the number 1 Sukiyaki is not heard.  Charts really mean nothing. Exodus is Al Martino singing to words to the theme, however Capitol went with Love, Where Are You Now, which only made it to 119 on the charts in 1962. The guy could go all over the place with his vocals, thankfully he got better control with it with later songs like Spanish Eyes.  I bought this just to hear his take on Exodus.

On the honky tonk side of things we have the obscure and mysterious Rink Harden with What Did I Do, a underrated country number that would make George Jones proud.  B side A Man Needs A Woman owes to the RCA sound part Don Gibson part Roger Miller.  Harden moved to United Artists and even Spur Records via Country N Western Hits. Hank Locklin's You're The Reason one of the more sought after 45s for me.  Jan Howard had her biggest hit with Evil On Your Mind, a shame she never really had more hits, whatever she made I always liked.   The Dorsey Burnette song is arranged by Jack Nitzche and co written by Jimmy Bowen who was going from performer to producer and later MCA Records head huncho (Nashville).  B side Where's The Girl? is a ill suited ballad.  Bowen produced this but he would produce Dean Martin's Reprise albums as well.  I really don't pay that much attention to Connie Francis, but I do dig her Lipstick On Your Collar, I'm Sorry I Made You Cry is quite coy, B side Lock Up Your Heart, showed she must have listened to Patsy Cline, if you can believe that.

Brook Benton has two different singles, A Million Miles From Nowhere is more uptempo than I expect from Brook but I like it all the same. B side Devoted is the Brook we know, slowed down R and B.  There's a certain cool to Benton's delivery on Thanks To The Fool, to which Shelby Singleton produced and gave it a Nashville feel.  Hit Single wasn't the big hit single but again I like Brook when he's up with the beat, Malcom Dobbs does overdo things on the arrangements. 

Some rock n roll was found.  The Tornadoes, Riding The Wind didn't fare as well as Tel Star but it's a beautiful instrument filled with a few of Joe Meek's recording methods and probably the use of a loo for the sound effects. B side The Breeze And I is more of classic Joe Meek recordings.  Even a scratched up record reveals a warm and loving beauty of the guitars.  Joe Meek may have his flaws but when he was on, he was one of the best.  Del Shannon's From Me To You is classic, and the first artist to embrace The Beatles. The Bugs version of Anyway You Want It is one of the Hit Records of the early 60s, to which Nashville session people would cover the hits from others.  Nowadays people don't give these artists any attentions but the performers and engineers who recorded the songs took careful consideration of the recordings to make it worthy your 39 cents to pay for the cheaper covers.  B side Sidewalk Surfin' is done by The Jalopy Five, who was prominent in other covers, namely a insane cover of Paint It Black.  In these days and times, the lawyers would forbid people to cover the Beatles, Stones or D C 5 but if you come across any, they were worth hearing.  SPV issued a best of Spar Records but not surprisingly the Beatles, Stones and DC5 tracks are missing.   The Crusher is super fun, very garage rock and very punkish. Take 7 is surf music Brook Hoover should learn for his band The Surf Zombies. It's records like these that make the bargain hunts fun.  You never know what you're going to find. 

Most records played fairly well despite the dust and barn smell.  The Sweet Pea Tommy Roe album is in mono which gives a different sound on Hooray For Hazel or Sweet Pea but Tommy covers Under My Thumb with power pop ease, stays faithful to Where Were You When I Needed You and gets a bit more crazier with Wild Thing.  Somewhat of a Greatest Hits, this does have Sheila and Everybody on side 2.  Tommy Roe remains one of my favorite stars of the 60s.  Who will buy?  Me me me, shut up and take my money.