JOE TEX month Day 4: Jalynne and the Pickwick Perplex

After Joe left the Ace label, he made a pit stop at the New York based Jalynne Records. As far as I can tell he only released one 45 for this label, featuring the countrified "Wicked Woman" (more domestic drama in the work-a-day world) on the A side and the bluesy "Goodbye My Love" on the flip.

At least it's also available in mono

Once Joe achieved some fame, a number of comps of his early material became available through budget labels. This Pickwick one, unfortunately, is deceptive. Beyond the released Jalynne material there are some songs that sound a lot like Joe Tex, but an awful lot of the material doesn't. Roctober's very useful Joe Tex album guide confirms my long time suspicion that a lot of these cuts aren't really Joe Tex. At least Crown Records or Guest Star had the decency to hip a collecta to the fact that they were only getting a few cuts by the artist Fazzio'd on the front!

One of the songs that I'm pretty sure is Tex, due to the voice and the ridiculousness of the subject matter, is the rockin' "Talkin' Dog", which, beyond the Jalynne single, is the main reason to spring for this should you ever see it in a dolla bin at the flea market.

Joe Tex Show

Thanks to Todd from Our Facebook Page

JOE TEX - Rock and Roll Cowboy: The Ace Years

After Joe moved on from King records he released a half a dozen singles on the New Orleans label ACE. All of them are comped on this early 70s (Post-"I Gotcha") Pride budget label comp "History of Joe Tex".

caveat emptor - rechanneled stereo!!

The Ace recordings continue to see a Tex in development - heavily under the thrall of Little Richard and not penning a whole lot of his own tunes. Nickname king Joe was this time billed as "The Rock 'n' Roll Cowboy" and the persona didn't always suit him. But, like the King recordings, there are hints here of things to come, and some pretty great music in its own right.

On his first single for Ace - the Chuck Willis penned "Cut It Out" - we hear what as far as I can tell is the first appearance of one of his most crucial performance techniques - the mid-song laugh.

On the self-penned Mother's Advice, the B-side of the hot "You Little Baby Face Thing", Joe seeks counsel from his mom, launching a long series of songs about moms, grandmas, dads and granddads and really sticking in the autobiographical details (the bit at the end about his dad dying early shows up in later songs). The song's narrative style of balladry is of course, with a few tweaks, what eventually made him a star.

sorry for the crappy photo above and for no photo for Mother's Advice

I tragically don't actually own these records!

But what's probably the hottest performance Joe released on ACE didn't even come out under his own name! The smokin' hot and DJ-scaringly short "Open the Door" was released by Little Booker as the flip of the instrumental "Teenage Rock". Little Booker was in reality NOLA piano and organ MEGAGENIUS James Booker, but the vocal on the flip was actually sung by an uncredited Tex.

JOE TEX on KING: 1955 - 1957

It took Joe about 10 years and half a dozen labels before he truly found his voice. He doesn't really start preaching (on record, anyway) until a couple of magnificent 45s he cut for Anna in the early 60s. And although his good humor is always present, he doesn't really start incorporating the folksy wisdom that makes him so unique until he gets to Dial and Nashville knob-twiddler Buddy Killen starts producing him.

But even on his earliest hits for his first label, King, you can hear some of his later writing and performing tics loud and clear.

On "Pneumonia" for instance, we get to hear his love for the one-upping "answer record" (in this case to "Fever", obviously), his fondness for writing songs about funny diseases, and his strange and slightly uncomfortable tendency to use comedic domestic violence as a, uhm, punchline.

On "Davey, You Upset My Home" we can hear his skill with funny social commentary, a little bit of his country influence, and . . . his strange and slightly uncomfortable tendency to use comedic domestic violence as a, uhm, punchline.

Do you like the Chipmunks?

If you do (and what right-thinking American doesn't?), then I strongly recommend you go have a look at this swell blog stuffed full of photos of rare Chipmunks items. It looks like she may have given up on it, but perhaps a flood of comments might wake things up again.

Battle Of The Blues

Joe Williams and T-Bone Walker duke it out, with Della Reese serving as ref. It's another incredible photo from the JET archives.

Joe Tex - Chicken Crazy!

Now playing on SOUNDSBOX

Joe Tex On Soul Train

February is JOE TEX month!

The New Boss. The Dapper Rapper. The Soul Preacher. The Clown Prince of Soul. There's lots of stuff to know about Joe Tex - whose career spanned the entirety of the classic soul era and peaked with some of the most consistent, hilarious and wise soul LPs of the 1960s. But the first thing you need to know is that Joe didn't play.

I'm serious! Dude quit school in the very first grade because they had recess every day!

JOE!

He's got a bulldog jaw...

50 years ago Dick Tracy was everywhere - especially thanks to his short lived but memorable 1961 cartoon adventures.

He almost got back on the tube in 1967 but the live action pilot didn't get picked up as a series...

 

despite the KICKASS theme music by the Ventures!

Everyone's fave arm of the law was even immortalized on 45 earlier in 1961 by NY group The Chants during the height of Dick Tracy-mania.

Have a listen and remember group, crime doesn't ever pay.
 

Dick Tracy

Tassel Twirler Tuesday!

El_Monkey!

Comic Book Crazy

Little Sammy Yates - Comic Book Crazy
What? No Archie!?

Wynonie Harris, 1954

No matter where he goes, no matter what he does, the law enforcement ladies want to bust up Wynonie's party! Ten hours later: "Good morning, judge!" Photo courtesy the JET archives.

Wynonie Harris, 1958

From the JET archives.

"Mini-skirts, Kids, Stores and Long Hair" ("Magasins Des Jeunes Mini Jupes et Cheveux Longs")

Documentary footage from France. Featuring an Ultra-Cool French Pop-Psych/Freakbeat band called "Les Something", who I don't think made any records. I couldn't find any info on them, anyway. Lots of great shots of cool 60's French dancing teens. It was labeled "Magasins Des Jeunes Mini Jupes et Cheveux Longs" which Google Translate tells me means "Mini-skirts, Kids, Stores and Long Hair". Not sure if that's an actual title or just something somebody made up. No idea when this was broadcast or on what show. via Bedazzled.tv

The Impressions

With Binky Griptite and the Dee-Kays!!!

The Impressions - We're A Winner (2:18)

Desperate Man Blues

Tune in to Joe Bussard's Country Classics every Friday from 5-6 PM on WREK.  Underwritten by Dust-to-Digital records.

Podcasts via itunes

1966

These photos were shot in 1966 at an NCO club in Amberg, Germany. Via mcbooney.

Ted Barron Live On The Ichiban Webstream

Tune in to the WFMU Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban webstream every Wednesday night from 8-10 PM to hear Ted Barron spin some of his favorite rock 'n' soul hits!!  Ted is the proprietor over at the Boogie Woogie Flu blog and a damn fine photographer to boot.  Expect to hear plenty of 78 RPM discs, the way rock 'n' soul was meant to be heard.

Playlists and archives will be available for your convenience.  Welcome Ted!!

Tassel Twirler Tuesday!

Alba's_Shake!

That Fly Belongs To Me

Lanz Miles - That Fly Belongs To Me
There sure is a lot going on in this song. R&B vocals, Country/Jazz instrumentation, Outer Space, Singing Flies... What more could you want? And just dig that label art!

(Your Last Kiss) TAKE IT AND GIT! - Pete Cooke and the Baby Dolls

Pressed on wacky Easter-egg blue vinyl in the early 60s. The Baby Dolls just want Pete to git, despite his hollering protestations that him not gitting will git them all the pleasures of the world. At least they give him one last kiss as they kick him out the door.

Git! Git! Git git git git!

I Dig You Baby

Marvin Rainwater

Behind the scenes at FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, AL (1969)

Featuring Brook Benton & Booker T & The MGs recording sessions (could this really be them recording "Time Is Tight?"), The Muscle Shoals horns working out an arrangement (that's gotta be Isaac Hayes playing sax, right?) and more. (A L'affiche Du Monde 3.22.69) via Bedazzled.tv

MARVIN & LINK CRY TOGETHER

Grab yo'sef some of that tasty Link Wray backing!

1961 Boo Hoo

Tassel Twirler Tuesday

Louie_and_the_Fat_Men_-_Fat_Man!

"Cajun" Radio Promos

Here are some old cajun themed radio spots for a New Orleans car dealership.
Trosclair Radio Spots

MLK Mover: Shirley Wahls

KIP ANDERSON: I Wanna Be the Only One

Kip Anderson's first record. Blazing guitar by (I believe - let's see how long it takes the internet to tell me I'm wrong) Drink Small, singer of the immortal "Tittie Man" (on Ichiban Records). Things get pretty ridiculous at a minute thirty.

I Wanna Be the Only One

Ichiban New Bin

Norma Jean - Heaven Help The Working Girl

Happy Sunday from Bunker Hill!!!

The Mighty Clouds Of Joy featuring David "BUNKER HILL" Walker on scorching lead vocals.
HALLELUJAH!!!

The Mighty Clouds Of Joy - You'll Never Know (1963)

Marijuana Grave (MP3)

Sam & Annie Taylor - Marijuana Grave

Here's some first-rate anti-drug propaganda warning of the perils of marijuana use.

Marvin Rainwater Month

Texas Bill Strength - Hillbilly Hades

Marvin Rainwater - A Gambler AND A Lover

Two goodies from Marvin Rainwater - both with ass whuppin' guitar!

First we have Marvin's version of Gamblin' Man (Roving Gambler)

And here's the loving "Rustic Rhythm" of  (There's Always) A Need For Love

Ichiban Live, Take Two!!

Last week, as you recall, we debuted a live show on the Ichiban webstream.  Tune in every Friday from 3-5 PM for Debbie Does WFMU!!  Or catch the archives at your convenience.  For requests/dedications email me at Debbie@wfmu.org. Live accuplaylist at HQ.

Coming soon: Todd-o-Phonic Todd, Matt Fiveash and Ted Barron LIVE on the Ichiban webstream!!

Tonkobushi!

Tonkobushi Rock & Roll

Rainwater Goes Fuzztone!

Marvin Rainwater - Indian Momma (1:56)

Here's a breathtakingly cool Marvin Rainwater track with some extra snarl provided by a fuzztone guitar.

Marvin Rainwater - Mr. Blues

Marvin Rainwater - Mr. Blues

Monday Morning wake 'n' shake: GUITAR GABLE and KING KARL go Walking in the Park

Ever wonder what happened when Aunt Mary finally caught bald head Sally and Uncle John "ducking" in the alley?

Turns out, Sally gets a truly brutal tongue lashing, climaxing with the immortal quatrain: "I'm gonna tear you apart like a dishrag; ain't gonna give you a chance to cry - and when I get through, you know that you will have to get better to die!"

Sally flees. Uncle John gets dragged home and accepts his lot in life.

Walking in the Park

Don't Knock Elvis (MP3)

Felton Jarvis - Don't Knock Elvis

In celebration of what would've been Elvis Presley's 77th birthday, here's an odd artifact from a very early stage in the career of songwriter and producer Felton Jarvis (1934 - 1981).

Jarvis was Elvis Presley's producer between the years 1966 and 1977, when Presley died. While still struggling to make a name for himself, he recorded this Elvis Presley tribute 45, which was released on the tiny VIVA label in August, 1959. While in the Marines in 1955, Jarvis experienced a life-changing event when was lucky enough to catch a live Elvis Presley show in Norfolk, Virginia.

Upon getting out of the Marines, he returned to Atlanta and went to work as a sheet music printer at Bill Lowery's National Recording Company (NRC). At the time, the label was over-flowing with talented performers who, in less than a decade, would be national stars: Jerry Reed, Mac Davis, Joe South, Ray Stevens and Freddy Weller. Jarvis moved into songwriting and producing, making a name for himself in 1961 by producing Every Beat Of My Heart, the first R&B #1 hit (of eleven, in all) for a local band called the Pips, soon to be renamed Gladys Knight & The Pips. From NRC, Jarvis went to work for the ABC label, where he produced "Sheila" a huge national hit for Tommy Roe, another graduate of Lowery's NRC concern. After a few years at ABC, he moved over to RCA where he and Presley established a solid working relationship that worked out pretty well for both of them.

Welcome to the Marvin Rainwater Friendship Club

Marvin Rainwater Friendship Club Record (thanks to Billy Miller)

Marvin Rainwater - The Haircut (MP3)

Marvin Rainwater - The Haircut (2:37)

Marvin's problem? His kid refuses to get a haircut, so Marvin rounds up one of his pals and they hatch a plan give the kid a haircut that even Sgt. Carter would love. Let's just say things don't exactly go according to plan.

Hot And Cold

Whole Lotta Woman!

It just can't be Marvin Rainwater month without this clip.
Live in London!!!

January is Marvin Rainwater Month!

Down In The Cellar - Marvin Rainwater

Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders Live

Os Mutantes - "Caminhante Noturno" (English Version) (Chansons Du Bout Du Monde 7.20.69) Live in Color with Orchestra

Rare Os Mutantes clip from French TV, I don't think they ever recorded this song in English. cross-posted from Bedazzled.tv

THE BIG MASHER: Lee "The Big Masher" Lilly

Like, oh baby, here I am! The Big Masher!

Happy New Year!

Takeshi Tadatsu

Starting Friday, January 6, 2012

Ichiban Live 3-5 PM

On the Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban webstream!

Request line - debbie@wfmu.org