Variety (February 1952)

JLt jjjjJLA Wr im mity , Wbwr H. IMS dD »B f HERM SCHO Frankie Laine: "The Gandy Dan- cers* Ball"-"When You're in Love" (Columbia). "Ball,” written by the same team which turned out "Shrimp Boats," is another lively folk-styled number which Laine charges with his usual excitement. It’s more of a talking than a vocal stint but it's handled imaginatively Under the baton of 4hiul Weston. It should create lots of noise. "Love" is a contrasting slow ballad with a good melodic line. Could build slpwly and take the play away from the more colorful re- verse side. Jo Stafford - Frankie Laine: "Hambone"- "Let’s Have a Party" (Columbia)). This vocal team-up dias had moderate clicks with its previous sides, but "Hambone" 6h0uld be the biggest yet. It’s a clever novelty with a fresh rhythm sound attuned to the current pursuit of new sounds. It’s the superlative backgrounding on this side which sells. This cut, inciden- tally, is a dead carbon of the orig- inal blues and rhythm etching ‘by Red Saunders’ orch for the Okeh label. On the Columbia reverse, "Party" doesn’t stick Out as im- pressive. Buddy Charles: "I’ve Got That Feeling”-"Purple Reverie" (Mer- cury). Buddy Charles is the latest young vocalist with solid po- tential. Charles is a distinctive stylist, In a blues vein, and knows how to belt across a number with maximum dramatic effect without hoking up the rendition. His work- over of "Feeling" is potent and should get the juke spins for its rhythm kick. "Reverie" is in a slower tempo but just as effectively handled. Roy Rogers: "Egbert the Easter f gg’V’Peter Cottontail" (Victor). his "Egbert," one of the two same-titled numbers on the market, Is a cute Easter season entry With f ood, potential in the juve market. toy Rogers projects the jogging tune and melody with, suitable sim- plicity. The standard on the re- verse also gets a pleasing rendition. #»- Connie Haines: "Ooh! What You Did"-" Where's the Little Man Coin’" (Coral). Although this ver- sion of "What You Did" Is a bit late, Miss Haines’ excellent deliv- ery in front of a fine choral and in- strumental arrangement should help this bouncy ballad take off. It’s a solid jock and juke bet. "Little Man," a cut novelty rhythm item, also gets solid projection by Miss Haines and the Tom Mack orch with the Jud Conl.n choral group. Xavier Curat Orch: "The Hill- billy Mambo Band’’-<‘The Acapul- co Polka" (Mercury). "Hillbilly Mambo" is the cleverest piece of material that Cugat has had in some time and will rate plenty of spins. Sharp handling of the coun- try and Latin tempos in challenge style makes it a standout side. Dick Thomas and Abbe Lane handle the vocals competently. Reverse is in a more conventional polka groove, vigorously handled by the Cugat crew Doris Day: "A Guy Is a Guy"-. "Who Who Who" (Columbia). "Guy" is on the same kick as "Sweet Violets" and Miss Day gives this old street tune a snappy ride. The original lyrics hjlve been sapolioed for general consumption although some of ther double en- tendre is still evident ^It’s # juke natural. Reverse is £ bright rhythm entry, Paul Weston Orch backing up solidly. Four Knights: 4 *The V4 Doll With the Sawdust Heart’’-"The More I: Go Out With Somebody Else” (Capitol). "Doll" is a barber-shop ballad with a good idea underlying the lyric. The vocal combo handle it with a smooth sentimentality for possible commercial impact. Han- dling of the standard on the flip is okay but nothing standout. Dave Brubeck Quartet: "A Fog- gy Day’’—“Lyons Busy" (Fantasy)., Dave Brubeck, a Coast jazzman who has fronted variously sized small combos, has been turning out consistently tasteful sounds on wax. This coupling continues Bru- beck’s fine work. "Foggy Day" is a persuasive ensemble piece while 1 "Lyons Busy” showcases Brubeck’s excellent keyboard style. Crew comprises piano, sax, bass "and drums. Dolores Gray: "Frankie"-"Be- ware” (Decca). Legit musical song- stress Dolores Gray is likely to (Continued on page 43) M6M 11153 R 11153 71 RFM 45 RPM M G M RECORDS 1-1 A £ \ £ yV '’O' - ' Tdixi TOP TALENT AND TUNES Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution Encompassing the Three Major Outlets Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music as Published in the Current Issue for * - WEEK ENDING FEB. 23 : - " . . ' i- . NOTE : The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed, hereunder is arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu- merated above. These findings are correlated with data from under sources, which are exclusive with Vajuety. The positions resulting from these' findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- veloped from the ratio of points scored: two ways in the case of talent (disks, coin machines), and three ways in the case of tunes (disks, coin machines, sheet music). POSITIONS This Last week. week. ARTIST AND LABEL TALENT Johnnie Ray (Okeh) fCi {Li PI TUNE Cry Little White Cloud Please Mr, Sun 2 Four Ace<? YDecra) [Tell Me Why / Uaraen in the Rain 3 Eddie Fisher (Victor) |Why 5 Les Paul-Mary Ford (Capitol)..«.............. Tiger Rag 7 Leroy Anderson (Decca) Blue Tango Kay Starr (Capitol)...., Wheel of Fortune 6 ~Pee Wee King (Victor)........................ Slow Poke 4 Fddv TTowarrl jfMprr»iinv\ (Sin 4 Eddy Howard (Mercury).....,...,,,,,,,,.,,.. j|£ len ^ Mantoyani (London)...... Charmaine 10 Bell Sis,-H. Rene (Victor) Bermuda TUNES POSITIONS This Last >" week. week. TUNE PUBLISHER Cry .. . . ......«..«..............,*«,,«>*• • ..........Mellow TgII ».-♦ • r# t • • • • • 4 • • •«i •• • • # # • « Si^nGt Little White Cloud That Cried. • Anytime f -% • •«:«• • • ««• • • *•• • •• • •••<»••.*•• IIill*R Slow Poke k . • Ridgeway Wheel of FortunG< §....t• • X^aurel Please lVtr« Siiti• ......4.^ Shrimp Boats. •*.>'•....^* • • J^isncy Sin . .4............ .Algonquin Down Yonder—.............v.w.Southern James Murray to Rep Furnish ASCAP in UA James F. Murray, Jr., New York attorney, has been named U. S. rep for Teosto, Finnish composers’ copyright bureau, which is similar to ASCAP. His principal chore will he to restore to Finland’s com- posers maximum copyright protec- tion . in the U. S., which became fouled iip as a result of the war. Murray served as coimsel for Jan Sibelius and was successful in ob- taining a proclamation by Presi- dent Truman to protect the Fin- nish composers’ copyright and re- newals. Sibelius has received no regular royalties from the U. S. since before the war and Murray is now engaged in efforts to collect them. Attorney's wbrk on behalf of Si- belius resulted In TeOsto’s decision to employ him as its American counsel. I ASCAP Shakeiip Continued from page 39 I some of the major publishers are considering appeals to the arbitra- tion panel in an effort to win high- er ratings. As a result, the whole structure is due for an overhaul- ing. It’s understood, moreover, that the arbitration panel’s decision, will affect the /definition of the term . "availability.” ' Up to now . avail- ability has been a tag to denote the importance and prestige of catalog numbers, even if they weren’t performed frequently. The arbitration panel, it’s under- stood, based its decision in the Southern case on . performance basis. In short, the availability of a prestige song was rated according to its performance chart. Such a pattern form fop future arbitration decision is seen nullify- ing the meaning of the availability factor. One result of the decision may be to revive the proposal for a 100% performance payoff for publishers. At present, the pub- lisher coin is divided into three pools, 55%. for performances, 15% for seniority and 30% for avail- ability. ... u . n . ' l NEW v ? p K s j . L . * N. lOtR WEEK FLAMINGO HOTEL US VE6AS WILL OSBORNE ORCH •JLC. ern’s petition before the arbitra- tion board. While the - amount of coin in- volved in Southern’s case is not substantial, since availability rep- resents only 30% of the ASCAP published kitty, the precedent-set- ting arbitration factor in the situa- tion is seen sure to shake up the whole classification system. Even America's Fastest "Selling-Records!