Variety (January 1958)

4 * music KAR1E1 T Wednesday, January 29, 1958 Jocks, Jukes and Disks By MIKE GROSS Jimmie Rodgers (Roulette). “OHOH F FALLING IN LOVE” (Plane¬ tary*) shapes up as another folkflavored hit. for Jimmie Rodgers and it's probably because he sings a song straight and honestly. “THE LONG HOT SUMMER” (Feist*) is a pic title tune (20th-Fox release) that’s handled with class but 'it will be a tough fight to get the plays away from the other, side. Jackie Wilson (Brunswick). “TO BE LOVED” (Pearlt) is a big ballad in. the rock ’n’ roll vein (broken notes and all) which Jackie Wilson blasts into the winner^ circle. “COME BACK TO ME” (Pearlt) swings in a familiar rock ’n’ roll tempo. St&ey Sisters (Caineo). ‘‘BAD MOTORCYCLE” (Thornettf) will “GLADLY” (Marvellet). has easy-going ballad . quality that seems more, suited to an intimate nitery showcasing than a coin ma¬ chine or a dee jay turntable. Eddie Cochran (Liberty). “JE AN¬ NIE, JE ANNIE, JE ANNIE” (House of. Fortune!) is a wild rocker with a frantic vocal attack that the kids will pick up for. a plenty of spin¬ ning action. “POCKETFUL OF HEARTS” (American!) . has the rhythmic beat that the young juke market goes for. George London (London). “THIS NEARLY WAS MINE” (Williamson*) is the Rodgers & Hammerstein tune out of “South Pacific” which George London turns into topnotch deejay programming ma¬ terial. “THEY CALL THE WIND, JIMMIE RODGERS . . ( Roulette ) . JACKIE WILSON ( Brunsunck ) ....... THE STOREY SISTERS (Cameo) .... . . STEVE LAWRENCE .... (Coral) . . . JO ANN CAMPBELL . . ( Gone) ... . OH-OH I’M FALLING IN LOVE ........... _ Long Hot Slimmer . TO BE LOVED . . . .Come Back to Me BAD MOTORCYCLE . . . . . Sweet Daddy . . . . .'. . UH-HUH OH YEAH .......... ; .Lover in the House .. . YOU’RE DRIVING ME MAD Rock and Roll Love ride right into the teenagers’ hearts. The beat and the message Is kinda outlandish; but it’s what they seem to want. “SWEET D ADD Y” ( Thorn ettt) has the rock¬ ing /eel, but it’s built ori a weak foundation. Steve Lawrence (Coral). “UHHUH OH YEAH” (Sunbeam!) is a neatly fashioned showtune (“The Body Beautiful”) in the rocking mood and Steve Lawrence makes it a choice spinning bet, “LOVER IN THE HOUSE” (Maxana*) is just an average ballad offering. “ Jo Ann Campbell (Gone), “YOlfH-E DRIVING ME MAD” (Gilt) is a high-flying rocker that will pick up spins and cover rec¬ ords. “ROCK AND ROLL LOVE” (Mark!) tries to be all things to all teenagers and it almost works. Doris Day (Columbia). “TEACH¬ ERS PET” (Daywint) is a smartly developed rhythm ballad out of the Paramount pic of the -same name and Doris Day takes it for an ear¬ filling ride. “BLUES IN THE NIGHT” (Remick*) is worth hear¬ ing and spinning again in this vocal dressing. Kalin Twins (Decca), “JUMPIN’ JACK” (Jason*) will pop out of the jukeboxes as a big spinning item because it has all the teengredients. “WALKIN’ TO SCHOOL” (Jason!) has the beat and lyrics that the teeners go for these days and .it could move in for a big score. -Jimmy McPartland’s All-Stars (Epic). “SEVENTY-SIX TROM¬ BONES” (Frank*) is set in a dixie¬ land groove that could turn this march from “The Music Man” into a stepout side. “MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN” (Frank*) ought to get a lot of spinning bookings be¬ cause of McPartland’s tasty instru¬ mental flavoring. Tito Puente Orch (RCA Victor). “BE MINE TONIGHT” (Peer!) gets a rich chile-flavored revival by Tito Puente's exciting orch, “LA OLA MARINA” (Peer?) should appeal to the hip-swinging terp fans. Bebby Helms (Decca). “JUST A LITTLE LONESOME" (Coparv) has an ear-appealing shuffle qual¬ ity that could build the side into a commercial slice. “LOVE MY LADY” (Lee-Bob!) * a typical teen-pegged rock ’n’ roller even though there’s “Lady” in the title Instead of the usual “Baby/’ Gene Vincent (Capitol). “WALKIN’ HOME FRO M SCHOOL” (Vanderbilt*) is a sim¬ ple rocking treatment of the -walkin’ ” and “school” motif that’s, now attracting so many cleffers. “I GOT A BABY.” (Loweryf) is about a “baby still in her teens” which should give an idea about what -the beat and the lyric idea is all about. Eddie Lawrence (Coral). “THE VISl¥t)R” (Merrick!) is one of Eddie Lawrence’s funniest monologs. It’s an ebigramatic delight perfect for home-player entertain¬ ment. “FIX YOUR WATCH” (Mer¬ rickt) hits the funnybone mark as ; Lawrence shoots at the ever-timely ' problem of ever-faulty timepieces, Kirk Stuart (Josie). “THE SWINGING SHEPHERD BLUES” (Kahl-Bennellt) gets its first Vocal treatment here and it should follow, the spinning stride already set by several clicko instrumentals. MARIA” (Chappell*) gives London another fling at a showtune but of “Paint Your Wagon” and it, too, should help the programmers. AT & Dick (Carlton). “JUNIOR MISS” (Lido*) has cleffers A1 Hoff¬ man & Dick Manning singing their material with relish and the. beat makes it an okay juke item. “I’LL WAIT” (Sapphire*), has ;a pleasant old-fashioned quality in song con¬ cept and delivery,, but it will be a tough push in the juve-controlled market. Ray Martin Orch (United Art¬ ists). “SONG FROM THE QUIET AMERICAN”. (Unartf) is a rich, thematic instrumental colorfully etched by Ray Martin’s orch and chorus with a standout trumpet leading the way to some spinning action. “THE GRAPE STOMPERS” (Unartf) has the. familiar happy Italian melodic flavor and Martin’s orch and chorus stomps appropri¬ ately. Lou Monte (RCA Victor) “LAZY MARY” (Shapiro-Bernstein*) puts Lou Monte in the Italian-English groove again which will continue to limit his spinning action. “ANGELIQUE” (Clara*) takes off. on a neat rhythmic line that’s good for juke play. • Lillian Brooks (MGM). “PEY¬ TON PLACE” (Brandom*) is a moderate ballad offering pegged on the tiUe of the 20thrFox pic, but Lillian Brooks makes it appeal¬ ing. “SAY YOU’RE MINE” (Frederickt) sets up a melodic pattern (Compiled by Sam Goody's, leading New York disk retailer whose global mail order operation reflects not only the national market , but internationally ). LAWRENCE WELK And His CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 3rd Consecutive Year Dodge ..Dancing Party ABG-TV-r-Sat 9-10 P.M., E.S.T. For Dodge Dealers of America Top Tunes; and New Talent ABC-TV Mon. 9:30-10r30 pm, E.S.T, Dodge and Plymouth Coral Records , Thesaurus Transcriptions _ Artist Title Label 1. Original Cast The Music Man Capitol 2. Original Cast Wert Side Story Columbia* 3. Original Cast My Fair Lady Columbia 4. Sound Track Around World 80 Days Decca 5. Pat Boone Greatest Hits Dot 6. johnny Mathis Warm Columbia 7. Ella Fitzgerald Sings Rodgers & Hart Verve ... 8. Sound Track Pajama Game Columbi 9. Errol Garner Other Voices Columbia 10. Sound Track A Farewell to Arms Capitol 11. Frank Sinatra Come Fly With Me Capitol 12. Harry Belafonte Calypso RCA Victor 1 13. Nat King Cole Love Is the Thing Capitol 14. The Weavers At Carnegie Hall Vanguard 15. Original Cast Bells Are Ringing Columbia 16. Sound Track Pal Joey Capitol 17. Pete Seeger Favorite Ballads Folkways 18. Roger Williams Fabulous Forties Kapp 19. Modern Jazz Quartet Modern Jazz Quartet Atlantic 20. Original Cast Jamaica RCA Victor in which thrush gets her message across in fine form. Dakota Staton (Capitol). “THE LATE. LATE SHOW” (Kahlt) puts Dakota Staton in a neat rhythmic mood and she handles it with a classy vocal approach. . “TRUST IN ME” (Advanced*) is a strong bal¬ lad which will build her stature in the femme singer sweeps. Arthur Godfrey (Columbia), “MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN" (Frahk*) should win new wax friends for Godfrey. It’s a charm¬ ing .material piece out of the Broadway timer, “The Music Man.” “SEVENTY SIX TROMBONES” (Frank*) is the click march from the same show And Godfrey’s ver¬ sion should help it swing along the jock and juke trail. Ann Reynolds (Epic). “SUGARY LIES” (Commander*) can win at¬ tention because of its nifty beat and topnotch vocal attack. “I LIKE YOU” (Singular!) has an interest¬ ing ballad style but lacks the punch for a pop. move-in. The Mariners (Tiara). ‘‘I HEARD YA THE FIRST. TIME” (Torch*) is an attractive slice in material and harmony departments Which gives it. an okay spinning potential. “I LIVE FOR YOU” (Michele*) is a pleasing little ballad in a quiet sort of way. . Ken McDonald (Prep). “ONE LOVE ALONE” (Moon Mist!) has a frisky, beat with a lot of lively vocal touches that’s sure to win the juke trade; “THE PICTURE” (Moon Misti) is a country-flavored item which Ken McDonald builds into a pop potential. Wayne Handy (Renown). , “BETCHA DON’T KNOW” (Renown!) is a rousing swinger that could pull Wayne Handy out of the corn field andinto tile pop market. “DON’T (Continued onpage 56) “The Music Man” (Capitol).. The original cast set of Meredith Willson’s clicko Broadway tuner is a shoo-in for a hefty sales score. Package Is a happy blending of marches, ballads and barbershop quartetirig that’s consistently ap¬ pealing. Robert Preston gets across the grooves in a likeable manner, and Barbara Cook, who already has a couple of original cast sets under her belt, has the mike tech¬ nique down pat. The packaging job is topnotch with a colorful cover to enhance window displays. “Raintree County” (RCA Vic¬ tor). One of the most ambitious disk . productions to stem from pic soundtrack, this double LP package, contains an excellent 80minute distillation of composer Johnny Green’s background music.' Green, in editing the soundtrack for the disk version, attempted to create a musical Work of independ¬ ent stature. Although not wholly successful since there are several bands in the* dual LP set of insub¬ stantial atmospheric effects, this work achieves considerable impact via some vividly dramatic pas¬ sages amidst the more sentimental themes. The title theme song, with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster.-is attractively presented with a choral ensemble. Green conducts The MGM studio orch in a highly polished .perfonnance. "The Bridge on the River Kwai” (Columbia)., Sam Spiegel’s got a big picture in “Kwai” and Colum¬ bia’s got a big record In its sound¬ track. The Malcolm Arnold score paints vivid pictures that will serve as an excellent souvenir piece. And as an added fillip there’s the Mitch Miller orch and chorus workover ‘ of. “Colonel Bogey” and “River Kwai Theme’1 interspersed. “Spanish Affair” (Dot). With I. AT THE HOP (2) Danny L Juniors .... . .ABC-Pat 2. RAUNCHY (8) _ . {Bill Jusiis .... . . .(Billy Vaughan ...... ... ... Phillips . . Dot 1 Ernie Freeman . .... . . .Imperial 3. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE (4) . Jerry Lee Lewis .... L SUG ARTIM|: (2) McGuire Sisters . . 5. APRIL LOVE (10) ... ... ........ ii... .. . /. ‘ ' V.-' t . Pat Boone . . 6. PEGGY SUE (1) . . . . . . .... ; ; . . . . . Buddy Holly . ... . .Coral : 7.* STOOD UP (2)’ . . . . . . . . .v . . . . . Ricky Nelson ....... . . .Imperial 8. ALL THE WAY (4) Frank Sinatra .... . . . . . .Capitol 9. SAIL ALONG SILVERY MOON (1) Billy Vaughn . 10. YOU SEND ME (12) _ . _ ( Sam Cooke _ ■.....» *1 Teresa Brewer ..... . . * . . . (Coral Second Group KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE ...... Jimmie Rodgers . , -. . , . . .Roulette WAITIN’ IN SCHOOL Rickey Nelson ...... . . Imperial I’LL COME RUNNING BACK Sam Cooke . . THE STROLL Diamonds ......... * . . Mercury DON’T LET GO Roy Hamilton . . . . . . , WHY DON’i THEY UNDERSTAND George Hamilton , . .ABC Par FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS Sam Cooke . . . .... . , Keen OH JULIE .... ..... ........ Cresendos Masco YOU ARE MY DESTINY Paul Anka ABC-Par ARE YOU SINCERE? . . . , . . . . . . . . . Andy Williams * . v. . . . ... Cadence [ Figures in parentheses indicate number of weeks simg has been in the Top 10] this film located in Spain, this pic soundtrack has a highly attractive Hispano musical background to sell it. Composer Daniele Amfitheatrof has revolved his score around some authentic-sounding flamenco, gypsy and bullfighting themes for a striking, unified ef-.: feet.. One pop ballad, “The Flam¬ ing Rose,” with English lyrics by Mack David, is delivered effec¬ tively by Carihen Sevillawho also contributes at flamenco dance se¬ quence to a., traditional “Soleares.” “Baby Face Nelson” (Jubilee).. One side of this LP is the sound¬ track from the Mickey Rooney starrer. “Baby Face Nelson” and the other is a six-tune develop¬ ment Of themes from the track, written by Rooney, Van Alexander and Harold Spina, The melodies are in a contemporarv groove with the accent on jazz. There are also some rbmantic 'ballad themes for change of pace. Like the pic, it should get a fair b.o. “A Farewell to Arms” (Capitol). Italian composer Mario Nasclmbene rings the bell with his score for the David Ch Selznick pic, “A Farewell to. Arms.” Picture covers a lot of territory and Nascirabene has managed tp fill it all with at¬ tractive melodies that have , sus¬ taining power. The soundtrack. Was recorded In Rome with Franco Ferrara conducting. The sound reproduction is topflight and the nackage should do well in4he mar¬ ket. Jimmr Giuffre & His Musio Men: “The Music Man” (Atlantic). Meredith Willson’s simple and at¬ tractive score for “The Music Man” takes on i new dimension in Jimmv Giuffre’s jazz treatment. It’s Giuffre’s first wax outing with tunes written by someone else, but he gives it the care and* considera¬ tion he applies to his own works which makes the set a jazzster’s delight and an understandable and enjoyable item for the showtune squares. Giuffre’s horn Is comple¬ mented by three trumpets, three saxes, bass and drums for an over¬ all standout effect. The Chordettes: (Cadence). In¬ cluded in this musical roundup are Some of the best waxines put out by The Chordettes. Beginning with “Mr. Sandman” and running through such *s “Humming Bird” “Born to Be With You.” ‘Just Be¬ tween You and Me.” the femmes hit a steady happv harmony note. Count Basie: “Basie” (Roulette). This is a superior jazz blending of performer and composer. Per¬ former is Count Basle, of course, while Neal Heft! stands tall in the composer’s comer. The Heft! orig¬ inals serve as a springboard for Basie and his bovs' to take off on -energetic musical flights. Set is part of Roulette’s Birdland series. “The Playboy Jazz All Stars” (Playboy Magazine), This is Play¬ boy mag’s first fling into the disk market and It’s a beaut. Set stems from the mag’s 1957 jazz poll and features all the winners to make up one of the best waxed jazz an¬ thologies around. It’s also a novel package In that rival labels worked together, for a change in getting; tfPes of the winning artists for this set. The two-DOcket LP also features a bourid-in booklet by Leonard Feather with bios, pix, and diskographies of the Winners./ Modernaires: “Harmony Is. the Thing” (Coral). This is a pleas¬ ant potpourri of songs to sing; around ttie piano. They can bo! delightful when the harmony is; right and The Modernaires get it right every time, “Heart of Mv Heart,” “That Old Gang of Mine,” ttti.VA.. (Continued on page 56) ’ j