Hard to Find 45's on CD, Vol. 9: 1957-1959

by Hard To Find 45'S On Cd 10 / Va

Overview

Another outstanding entry in Eric Records' Hard to Find 45's on CD series, Vol. 9: 1957-1959 mixes the good with the great and serves to enlighten as well as entertain. From the tale of Tommy Facenda's "strike while the iron is hot" move to create a regional hit (all over the United States) with his "High School U.S.A." by overdubbing the names of specific high schools from the regions in which the song was marketed, to the revelation that Santo & Johnny's "Tear Drop" (the follow-up to their mega-hit instrumental "Sleepwalk") was, like its predecessor, penned with help from the boys' mom, Hard to Find 45's on CD not only serves up obscuro hits, but also fascinating trivia. Everything here is worthwhile and good, but there are some standouts that rise above even this high-caliber stuff. Billy & Lillie's "Lucky Ladybug" got a bit of a second, third, and fourth wind when the Four Seasons covered it in 1963, Vanity Fare in 1968, and Guv'ner in 1999, but none of those versions come close to capturing the cute, sexy, and sassy delivery Lillie Bryant masterfully (and playfully) offers up on the original. Ray Smith stopped runnin' Kentucky moonshine long enough to record his fantastic 1959 tune "Rockin' Little Angel"; Bill Haley's Comets turned in a raucously fun "Everybody Out'ta the Pool" (under the alias of the Lifeguards); Middletown, OH's Shepherd Sisters redefined "cute" with "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)"; and Art & Dotty Todd's Fren-glish "Chanson d'Amour" delights with its "lat da-dat da-dat" injections. All of the tunes have been lovingly fussed over in the remastering department (arguably the best-sounding versions available), and the liner notes are extensive, informative, and fun. Just like the rest of Eric Records' releases, Hard to Find '45s on CD, Vol. 9: 1957-1959 is not only a great collection, it's an indispensable one -- loads of fun and utterly irresistible. ~ J. Scott McClintock

Product Details

Release Date:	04/17/2007
Label:	Eric Records
UPC:	0730531152724

Tracks

1. High School U.S.A.  - Tommy Facenda  - Frank Guida  - Joseph Royster
2. Endless Sleep  - Dolores Nance  - Jody Reynolds
3. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do  -  Jivin' Gene & The Jokers  - Huey P. Meaux
4. Rocking Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu  - Huey "Piano" Smith  -  Smith
5. Robbin' the Cradle  - Tony Bellus
6. Click Clack  -  Doo
7. Lucky Ladybug  -  Billy & Lillie  - Bob Crewe
8. White Bucks & Saddle Shoes  - Bobby Jr. Pedrick  - Doc Pomus
9. Sandy  - Terry Fell  - Larry Hall
10. Rockin' Little Angel  - Ray Smith
11. Mona Lisa  - Carl Mann
12. Honey Love  - Narvel Felts  - Clyde McPhatter  - Jerry Wexler
13. Everybody Out'ta the Pool  -  Lifeguards  - Frank Pingatore
14. Teenage Hayride  -  Tender Slim  - Teddy Vann
15. The Happy Organ  - Dave "Baby" Cortez  - James Kriegsmann
16. Philadelphia U.S.A.  -  Nu Tornados
17. I Don't Know What It Is  -  Bluenotes  - Joe Tanner
18. Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)  -  Shepherd Sisters
19. You  -  Aquatones
20. Tear Drop  -  Santo & Johnny
21. Hideaway  -  Four Esquires  - Bob Goodman
22. Chanson d'Amour  - Wayne Shanklin  -  Todd
23. A String of Trumpets  - Billy Mure  -  Trumpeteers

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Larry Hall   Primary Artist
Dicky Doo & the Don'ts   Primary Artist
Tony Bellus   Primary Artist
Tender Slim   Primary Artist
Carl Mann   Primary Artist
The Nu Tornados   Primary Artist
Bobby Pedrick Jr.   Primary Artist
The Trumpeteers   Primary Artist
Ray Smith   Primary Artist
Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns   Primary Artist
Jody Reynolds   Primary Artist
Tommy Facenda   Primary Artist
Jivin' Gene & The Jokers   Primary Artist
The Four Esquires   Primary Artist
The Bluenotes   Primary Artist
Art & Dotty Todd   Primary Artist
Billy & Lillie   Primary Artist
The Shepherd Sisters   Primary Artist
Narvel Felts   Primary Artist
The Aquatones   Primary Artist
The Lifeguards   Primary Artist
Santo & Johnny   Primary Artist
Dave "Baby" Cortez   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Rom Daly   Audio Production
Bill Buster   Audio Production,Producer
Greg Adams   Liner Notes
Jeff Vorzimmer   Cover Design
George Matthingly   Package Design
Tom Daly   Producer
Joe Tanner   Composer
Huey "Piano" Smith   Composer
Frank Pingatore   Composer
Terry Fell   Composer
Teddy Vann   Composer
Jerry Wexler   Composer
Joseph Royster   Composer
Wayne Shanklin   Composer
Dolores Nance   Composer
Frank Guida   Composer
Doc Pomus   Composer
Clyde McPhatter   Composer
Jody Reynolds   Composer
Billy Mure   Composer
Bob Goodman   Composer
Bob Crewe   Composer
James Kriegsmann   Composer
Huey P. Meaux   Composer