Variety (December 1955)

50 MUSIC PfiRlEfr Wednesday, December 7, 1955 Jocks, Jukes and Disks — By MIKE GROSS Nat (King) Cole: “Toyland”-“I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life” (Capitol). Once again Nat (King) Cole is up at bat with a solid platter entry. Both sides are money tunes and Cole socks ’em across with his usual taste and sincerity. “Toyland” will prob¬ ably get an early spinning start because, of the seasonal tieup but “Laugh You Right Out of My Life” could end up with the longer pull. Latter is a topdrawer ballad right up Cole’s alley. Pat Boone: “Gee Whittakers!”- “Take The Time” (Dot). Pat Boone has another hit bracket contender in “Gee Whittakers!” The young lad has already made a strong dent in the wax field and the side will roll along on his top-selling mo- some time. It’s a slick romantic blending of words and music and Monroe gives it added power via his affectionate reading. “Steel Guitar” is a zesty item grooved along hillbilly lines and Monroe handles it with appropriate punch. Andy Williams: “Wind, Sand & Star”-“Xmas Feeling In Your Heart” (Cadence). Coupling of two seasonal entries gives Andy Wil¬ liams a good wax start. Both are sincere Yule offerings and Williams handles ’em with care. There’s a reverent note in “Wind, Sand and Star” that’ll appeal to many this time of year. The pleasant lilt to “Xmas Feeling In Your Heart” will help it on its turntable rounds. Bill Kenny: “The Flower and The Weed”-“Evening Bells” (La- on her wax bow. In “I’m Just A Little Girl,” she has a fresh and appealing item which could stir up plenty of deejay interest. She has a vibrant wax approach and could come out of left field for a good score. “Oo La La” is a fair spe¬ cial material piece.” Bill Galius: “Sometime”-“Fool- ishly” (MGM). Bill Gallus is a young crooner to watch. He’s got an appealing vocal style that the kids will go for if set against more exciting material. The ballads on this coupling are just so-so entries which will nab occasional spins. “Sometime” has the better chance. Gordon Jenkins: “Wish I Could Say The Same”-“Follow Me, Baby” (Label X). “Wish I Could Say The Same” is a melodic ballad in waltz tempo that Gordon Jenkins orch delivers to the hilt. Bob London helps with an attractive vocal. Side rates plenty of deejay atten¬ tion. Bottom deck is a minor of¬ fering that gets some help from The Pitch Pipers. The Gypsies: “Rock Around The Christmas Tree”-“You've Been Away Too Long” (Groove!. The Gypsies put zest into “Rock Around The Christmas Tree” and make it an okay offering for the rock ’n’ roll trade. It’s bright, brisk and has a beat. They’re not so lucky with “You’ve Been Away Too Long.” Blind British pianist Joe Saye, leader of his own trio in London clubs and restaurants, headed for New York last week (3) with his wife and son. Best Bets NAT (KING) COLE .TOYLAND ( Capitol) . Laugh You Right Out of My Life PAT BOONE .. GEE WHITTAKERS! (Dot) .. Take The Time McGUIRE SISTERS ... .MY BABY’S GOT SUCH LOVIN' WAYS (Coral) .. •.; . Be Good to Me LES ELGART ORCH.THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY ( Columbia) . Devil May Care mentum. Song has a drive of its own, too, which should help it pick up lotsa marbles. Boone segues from r&b to a straight ballad style on the flip side. It’s strong enough to get a good share of the play. The McGuire Sisters: “My Baby’s Got Such Lovin' Ways”-“Be Good To Me” (Coral). McGuire Sis¬ ters are heading for another big score with their,,, slicing of “My Baby’s Got Such Lovin’ Ways.” It’s a rocking song but sans rhythm & blues overtones which should help it get wide deejay as well as solid coin machine action. “Be Good To Me,” a nifty item in the ballad vein also shows the femme combo off in top form and it’ll get its share of the spins. Les Elgart Orch: “The Trouble With Harry”-“Devil May Care” (Columbia). It’s been a long time since an orch has created so much excitement on wax as Les Elgart's “The Trouble With Harry.” It’s swinging side that moves in high gear throughout. It’s a natural for the jukebox trade and jockey programming. Tune was inspired by the Warner Bros, pic of the same name. Flipover is just for the course. Vaughn Monroe: “Don’t Go To Strangers”-“Steel Guitar” (RCA- Victor). Don’t Go To Strangers” offers Vaughn Monroe some of the best ballad material he’s had in bel X). Bill Kenny is still one of the top purvyors of the warm and moving ballad and “The Flower and the Weed” gives him a chance to really go to town, He delivers the lyric message effectively and it’s all nicely set against a haunt¬ ing melodic theme. Reverse is an interesting dramatic ballad. Doris Day: “Let It Ring”-“Love’s Little Island” (Columbia). There’ enough of a cute idea in “Let It Ring” to win the Doris Day slic¬ ing deejay and coinbox attention. She takes it for the kind of ride that’ll please but won't excite her fans. “Love's Little Island” is an average affair with limited spin¬ ning potential. Sammy Davis Jr.: “The Man With The Golden Arm”-“In A Per¬ sian Market” (Decca). Tune in¬ spired by the upcoming Frank Sinatra pic, “The Man With Gold¬ en Arm,” is kicked off on wax by Sammy Davis Jr. Lyric sticks pretty closely to the “dope” and "kicks” values of the pic which makes it somewhat morbid for pop consumption. Melody, too, is a bit too heavy. Davis gives it a seri¬ ous reading. The mood is happier on the back side as Davis wraps up a bright “In A Persian Market.” Dylis Lay: “I’m Just A Little Girl”-“Oo La La” (Hudson). Dilys Lay, of the touring legituner “The Boy Friend,” makes a nifty impresh t 1. SIXTEEN TONS (5) X HE . SUDDENLY THERE’S A VALLEY SHIFTING, WHISPERING SANDS VfimiEfr 10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines ^ . Capitol .. . Coral f Tennessee Ernie Ford .. \ Johnny Desmond . I HEAR YOU KNOCKING (6) . Gate Storm... . Dot AUTUMN LEAVES (10) ... Roger Williams .Kapp [ Dream Weavers .Decca IT’S ALMOST TOMORROW (1) . MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS (1) ONLY YOU (8) . YOU ARE MY LOVE (4)... LOVE AND MARRIAGE (1) . LOVE IS A MANY-SPLENDORED THING (12) MOMENTS TO REMEMBER (12). . Second Group . -j Jo Stafford .*.. Columbia [Snookie Lanson . Dot . Dean Martin . Capitol [Platters . Mercury . •! Hilltoppers . Dot [Lola Dee .Wing . Joni James .MGM . Frank Sinatra . Cajntol J Four Aces . Decca ‘ j Don Cornell . Coral . Four Lads ... Columbia (At Hibbler . Decca ' ( McGuire Sisters . Coral f Gogi Grant . Era . \ Julius LaRosa .. Cadence [Jo Stafford . Columbia \ Rusty Draper . Mercury ■ \ Billy Vaughn .Dot AT MY FRONT DOOR.’. (Pat Boone .^.Dot ./ ”1 Dorados . Vee-Jay WOMAN IN LOVE . FORGIVE MY HEART . NO ARMS CAN EVER HOLD YOU LONGEST WALK . ( Four Aces . Decca ’ ) Frankie Laine . Columbia ... • Nat (King) Cole........Capitol .( Georgia Shaw . Decca . (Pat Boone■■ .Dot . Jaye P. Morgan . Victor CROCE DI ORO .. Patti Page . Mercury ALL AT ONCE YOU LOVE HER ... Perry Co ,„ 0 . vjdor f Figures in parentheses indicate number of weeks song has been in the Top 101 ♦ ♦♦ M ♦»♦♦♦♦ t ♦ M ♦♦♦♦'»♦ M » m »» » M I H Album Reviews Commemorating the 10th anni of Jerome Kern’s death, the indie Walden label has issued two 12- inch LPs from Kern’s catalog. It’s a fitting tribute to one of the country’s top melody makers. His tunes were rich and colorful and through the years he collaborated with the standout lyric craftsmen of the day. In the Walden sets are such nifties as “Up With The Lark,” “High, Wide and Hand¬ some,” “I’m Old Fashioned,” “Don’t Ever Leave Me,” “The Why ! You Look Tonight” and “A Fine Romance,” among others. The singers are David Daniels, Chris¬ tina Lind, June Ericson and Warren Gal jour. They all give proper meaning to the words of Oscar Hammerstein 2d, Dorothy Fields, Johnny Mercer, etc. Norman Granz's Norgran Label has turned up with an excellent series of jazz disks each framed around one instrument and its top exponents. Rest of the group is the “Tenor Sax” set featuring sides by Stan Getz, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Flip Phillips, Illinois Jac- quet, Ben Webster and Charlie Ventura. “Piano Interpretations” spotlight such keyboard practition¬ ers as Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson and Bud Powell, while the “Alto Sax” set has sides by Benny Carter, the late Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges and Willie Smith. A firstrate “Swing Guitar” collection gives the stage to Tal Farlow. Oscar Moore and Barney Kessel. Victor Young: “Musical Sketch¬ book” (Decca). This is a roundup of pieces written and played by Victor Young who has been among the more prolific Hollywood com¬ posers. Two of his more ambitious pieces, “Arizona Sketches” and “Manhattan Concerto” are includ¬ ed along with “In A November Garden,” a pic theme, “Beautiful Love,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “My Mother” and “Travelin’ Light.” Young’s interpretations are ricli ,and tasteful. George Feyer: “Echoes of Buda¬ pest” (Vox), Another sock addition to the George Feyer “Echoes” series, this one has the added ad¬ vantage of the Hungarian-Ameri- can pianist’s feel for his native land. Result is a snappy, flavor- some, varied melange of gypsy tunes, waltzes, marches, as well as classical, operetta, folksong and pop tunes, in a fetching potpourri dished up with skill, rhythm and flair. Guitar of Tommy Lucas is given more play than usual, for- added effect. George Wein: “Wein, Women and Song” (Atlantic). George Wein, owner of Storyville, Boston Jazz nitery, is a cool cat in his own right. In this package, he displays a fine jazz feeling as works his way through a flock of fave- oldies. His crooning technique accents the rhythmic value of the tunes and he makes ’em all pleasant listen¬ ing. Best in his repertoire are “You Ought To-Be In Pictures,” “Back In Your Own Backyard” and “I Married An Angel.” Harvey LeonardT“‘Jazz Ecstasy” (Keynote). Working with sextet and trio, Harvey Leonard has turned out several interesting sides in the progressive groove. His arrangements are fresh and fluid and his keyboard improvisations are easy to -take. “Tiger’s Tune,” “The Lady Is A Tramp” and "Alone Together” are among the best things in the package. Songs With Largest Radio Audience The top 30 songs o£ week (more in case of ties), based on copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman , Director.. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical. t Film. Survey- Week of Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 1955 A Teen-Age Prayer.La Salle A Woman in Love—t“Guys and Dolls” .Frank All at Once You Love Her—*“Pipe Dream”.Williamson Are You Satisfied .Cordial Autumn Leaves ...Ardmore Band of Gold ..Ludlow C’est La Vie ..Planetary Cry Me a River .....Saunders Everybody’s Got a Home But Me—*“Pipe Dream” .Williamson Forgive My Heart ..BVC He.Avas It’s All Right With Me—*“Can-Can” ..Chappell It’s Almost Tomorrow.Northern Japanese Farewell Song ..Ranger Lisbom-Anti qua ..Southern Love And Marriage ...Barton Love Is Many-Splendored—t“Love Is Splendored”. Miller Miracle in the Rain—1“Miracle in the Rain” _Remick Moments to Remember .^ ....Beaver Pepper Hot Baby .. Sheldon Red Roses and Little White Lies.Trinity Rose Tattoo—t“Rose Tattoo” .Paramount Shifting, Whispering Sands .Gallatin Sincerely Yours—t“Sincerely Yours” .Witmark Sixteen Tons .....American Sleigh Ride . .’.Mills Someone You Love . Bradshaw Suddenly There’s a Valley ....H£?R Tender Trap— i “Tender Trap” .Barton There Should be Rules .Witmark Top 30 Songs on TV (More In Case of Ties) A Woman in Love—t“Guys and Dolls”....Frank A Wonderful Christmas ..Criterion All at Once You Love Her—+“Pipe Dream”...Williamson Autumn Leaves ....Ardmore Boomerang ... Frank Cattle Call ...... Forster Croce Di Oro ..Shapiro-B Cry Me a River... Saunders Dungaree Doll ....Marks Everybody’s Got a Home But Me.Chappell Forgive My Heart ..BVC He .....Avas I Hear You Knocking...Commodore I Want You to Be My Baby.Victory I’ll Never Stop Loving You—t“Love Me, Leave Me” Feist I’m Always Falling in Love..... Cromwell Love and Marriage .;. Barton Love Is Many Splendored—t“Love Is Splendored”.Miller Moments to Remember ...Beaver My Boy Flat Top........ ] Lois Nuttin’ for Christmas.*.. Jungnickel Ohjy You. ’.Wildwood Ooh Bang .Artists Optimist and the Pessimist...Reiss Pepper Hot Baby .Sheldon Shifting, Whispering Sands .Gallatin Sixteen Tons .. American Suddenly There’s a Valley ..H&R Tender Trap—t'Tender Trap” .’.Barton Then I’ll Be Happy ..Bourne