I sure love these 1950's Tin Pan Alley singles. There's apparently some overlap on the early TPA singles between legit releases, vanity pressings and song-poems, and to be honest, today's sample (at least the A-side) seems, to me, too professional and too conventionally "good" to be a song-poem. On the other hand, the '50's TPA records have a fairly high level of performance and production quality, even those which are likely or clearly song poems. And the flip side of this one certainly sounds like a song-poem to me.
So who knows? Regardless, I did want to share this one, "Daddy!", by Alberta Jordan, because it's a really fun record, one which should be recalled fondly by people of a certain age, as a favorite big late '50's hit, but of course, that's not the case. I don't know why - who could resist that opening section. You know you're in for something fun. And I find the lead vocal irresistible - dig the sharp intake of breath at the one minute mark! The echo on the final verse is the only clue (to me) that something outside of the norm is going on here.
Enjoy!: Download: Alberta Jordan - Daddy!
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Side two, as mentioned above, sounds much more song-poemy to me, although I suppose one could also say it sounds like any number of pop hit b-sides from the same era. Here's Alberta Jordan, again, with "Should I Trust You With My Heart?":
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4 comments:
"Daddy" is a lot of fun! Very 1920s in the delivery and the melody...plus the tap-dancing solo...a clue that these might be song-poems is that on each side, the same person is listed as a co-writer, right?
Thanks for sharing this!
These aren't working now.
Wonderful description. I hope that they are re-uploaded soon.
They are, buddies, they are.
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