Today, a return visit to one of my favorite characters from the world of Song-Poems, Norridge Mayhams. I'd feature him more often, but my collection of his music (aside from a CD reissue of his 1976 compilation double album, which I believe has circulated widely) is far more limited than I'd like.
Today, one of his self released singles on his own Co-Ed (Sorority Fraternity) Record Company, from circa 1956. Although the moniker "Norris the Troubadour" eventually came to be attached to whatever singer happened to be appearing on one of his songs, for this record, I do believe this is Mayhams himself singing - and having more than a bit of trouble with pitch control - on the appropriately memorable "Remember Me":Download: Norris the Troubadour - Remember Me
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The flip side displays Mayhams idiosyncratic tendancies in the area of song titling, in this case, the song is called "Rock N' Rollin' Honey (You Left Me Baby Cause I Had No Money)". And again, I think Norridge himself is heard on the vocal:
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5 comments:
Is this really song-poemry, or is it vanity recording? I'm not sure.
Right now I'm listening to his "Christmas Time Philosophy" offa the "Fuzz, Acid & Mistletoe: Christmas in the Garage" compilation although the song doesn't really fit in with the theme of the album being more in the singer/songwriter vein...or vain, as the above commenter commented...
Forgot to add...is that 45 RPM record from 1956? Not 1965? I realize the 45 format originated in 1949 but there were still not that many 45's around in '56, vanity or otherwise. The overwhelming majority of mid-fifties releases were still on 78's.
Howdy, Fuzzy - thanks for your comments. The 1956 date is courtesy of Phil Milstein and his now shuttered American Song-Poem music archives. When Phil added dates (if they weren't on the records) it was almost always based on research, often ads or other references to records having been released in Billboard, or some other industry magazine. Norris definitely submitted his material to BB and advertised it at times, as well, so I'm guessing that's where Phil got the 1956 date.
Bob
Replying to this old comment from Fuzzy: there were plenty of 45s in the 1950s, especially during the second half, and there were definitely plenty of 45s around in 1956. There are lots of song-poem (and vanity) 45s from as early as 1954 (and even earlier). The 45 overtook the 78 during the 50s, not during the 60s.
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