Various Artists - The London American Label Year By Year; 1956 (@320)

 

Various Artists - The London American Label Year By Year; 1956 [@320]

 Total 12 Volumes Up To 1967

The idea of putting out former "London American" singles in year by year form has long been called for. And here not only has ACE (UK) done so, but these are all the original single versions too, in their as released mono sound. It would be great if once all the years are dealt with, a second or third offering for each year is offered too, as there are thousands of records to choose from.

 

For me personally, "Drums Are my Beat" by Sandy Nelson in crisp clear mono was reason enough to buy this disc, as until now the only mono versions I could find were those mixed down from the fake stereo LP take and sounded like two pianos were playing.

 

Track 1 I'd never heard of before, the Coasters in the 1960s, giving a typical 60s funky sort of sound, quite unlike anything I'd heard from them before, not my thing but others will enjoy it.

Track 2 "Locomotion" needs no introduction, great clear sound reproduction of what is now an early 60s classic.

Track 3 is Ernie "K" Doe and is called "A Certain Girl", this is another slice of that soul/funky style the Americans were putting out at the time.

Track 4 is not one of Jerry Lee Lewis' greatest records, but is not bad either. "I've Been Twistin" jumping on the dance bandwagon.

Track 5 is more typical early 60s pop in the Bobby Vee style etc., The Crickets "He's Old Enough To Know Better" was another I'd not heard in years.

Track 6 is Roy Orbison's "the Crowd" also typical Big O ballad style.

Track 7 is well Known enough, Del Shannon's "Swiss Maid", more 60's pop with a beat.

 

Of the 23 others, all are great sounding, Monster Mash is well known and nice to have it in mono at last, Charlie Rich's "Just A Little Bit Sweet" is early 60s county pop, halfway between Lonely weekends and his later full blow country records.

One Gem for many will be Ben E King's "Ecstasy". Jerry Wallace's "Shutters and Boards" is also considered a Gem if country pop

is your thing.

The disc ends with another classic, Carol King's "It Might As Well Rain Until September", which sounds like the Americans have been listening to some British Joe Meek productions.

To summarise, well worth having, and I intend to purchase the rest of the series as time and pocket permits.

 

Tracklist:

 

1            Little Richard - Rip It Up

2            The Drifters - Soldier Of Fortune

3            Werly Fairburn - All The Time

4            Big Joe Turner - The Chicken And The Hawk

5            Chuck Berry - Down Bound Train

6            Bobby Charles - See You Later Alligator

7            Smiley Lewis - One Night

8            Billy Vaughn - Theme From The Threepenny Opera (Moritat)

9            Bill Hayes - The Ballad Of Davy Crockett

10          Faye Adams - I''ll Be True

11          Clyde McPhatter - Seven Days

12          The Clovers - From The Bottom Of My Heart

13          Bobby Scott - Chain Gang

14          The Fontane Sisters - Daddy-O

15          Carl Perkins - Honey Don't

16          Jim Reeves - The Wilder Your Heart Beats, The Sweeter You Love

17          Julie London - Baby Baby All The Time

18          Pat Boone - Gee Whittakers

19          Willie Dixon - Walking The Blues

20          Mac Wiseman - Fireball Mail

21          The Hilltoppers - Trying

22          Fats Domino - When My Dream Boat Comes Home

23          LaVern Baker - Get Up! Get Up! (You Sleepy Head)

24          Tom Hall - Underway

25          Cathy Carr - Ivory Tower

26          Larry Evans - Hen Pecked

27          Andy Williams - Canadian Sunset

28          Dave Barry & Sara Berner - Out Of This World With Flying Saucers [Pts. 1 & 2]

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