Thursday, December 21, 2023

The Two Sides of Carmen Taylor

 



The daughter of a Philadelphian bandleader and a Cuban dancer, Carmen Taylor was born in Cuba ca. 1928. She came to the United States of America at age two, began singing at age three. She sang with musicians like Tito Puente and Duke Ellington.  As Elen Madera, she had an international hit with the song "Pepito,"  

She was also a prolific songwriter, and her repertoire included Clyde McPhatter's "Seven Days," as well as the Clovers' "Little Mama." 

There was never, as far as I know, any Carmen Taylor biography published, in print or on internet, a compilation of her songs neither.

Early in June 1974, bride of a day, Carmen Taylor (Carmen Griffith) was gunned down by her ex-convict husband at Fifth and Market Streets in San Francisco.

A talented woman whose life remains a mystery.

tracklist

1 - Can't Understand It (Mercury, 1951)
2 - Lovin Daddy (Atlantic, 1953)
3 - Ding Dong (Atlantic, 1953)
4 - Mama Me And Johnny Free (Atlantic, 1953)
5 - Big Mamou Daddy (Atlantic, 1953)
6 – Freddie (Atlantic, 1954)
7 - Ooh I (Atlantic, 1954)
8 - No More No Less (Guyden, 1954)
9 - The Bride Should Have Been Me (Okeh, 1955)
10 - Teenage Ball (Apollo, 1956)
11 - Oh Please (Apollo, 1956)
12 - So What (King, 1957)
13 - Love Me Baby (Teen Time, 1962)
14 - You're Puttin' Me On (Kama Sutra, 1965)
15 - Hey Son (aka My Son) (Kama Sutra, 1965)
16 - Willie B (EL Toro, 1959)

As Elen Madera : 

17 – Pepito (Decca, 1960)
18 - El-Chipi-Chipi (Decca, 1960)
19 - Otra Vez (Decca, 1960)
20 - Callate Corazón (Decca, 1960)
21 – Florecita (Decca, 1960)
22 - Quisiera Saber (Decca, 1960)
23 - Pu-Chung Ga (Decca, 1960)
24 – Tu Eres Todo  (Columbia, 1961)
25 - Canto Karabali (Columbia, 1961)
26 - Mi Cumbia Son (Decca, 1967)

If you have any information or missing songs not listed above (a total of some 60 songs were released), feel free to leave a comment.

Carmen or Elena

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Friday, December 15, 2023

Be Bop Boogie

 


Collectables (US) CD. Compilation from the vaults of Oak Records (North Carolina) previously issued by Krazy Kat in England. Notes by Philip J. Tricker.

See listing here

Let's Boogie

 

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Lightnin' Hopkins : All the Classics 1946-1951

 

JSP 5-cd boxset issued in 2003 (as time flies!) (for details, see Discogs)

Disc A

Disc B

Disc C

Disc D

Disc E

Friday, December 8, 2023

Hank Williams : Hillbilly Hero

 


Proper Records 4-cd boxset. For details see discogs

Move It On Over


Thursday, December 7, 2023

Vintage RCA Rockabilly '56-'59

 

tracklist

1 - Joe Clay - Duck Tail
2 - Joe Clay - Sixteen Chicks
3 - Joe Clay - Doggone It
4 - Joe Clay - Goodbye Goodbye
5 - Joe Clay - Slipping Out And Sneaking In
6 - Joe Clay - Get On The Right Track
7 - Joe Clay - You Look That Good To Me
8 - Joe Clay - Cracker Jack
9 - Joe Clay - Did You Mean Jelly Bean (What You Said Cabbage Head)
10 - Ric Cartey - Ooh-Eee
11 - Ric Cartey - Heart Throb
12 - Ric Cartey - I Wancha To Know
13 - Ric Cartey - Let Me Tell You About Love
14 - Ric Cartey - Born To Love One Woman
15 - Ric Cartey - Mellow Down Easy
16 - Ric Cartey - My Babe
17 - Homer & Jethro - Two Tone Shoes
18 - Pee Wee King - Catty Town
19 - David Houston - Sugar Sweet
20 - Tommy Blake & The Rhythm Rebels - Honky Tonk Mind (Woman I Need)
21 - Tommy Blake & The Rhythm Rebels - All Night Long
22 - Martha Carson - Now Stop
23 - Janis Martin  - Love Me To Pieces
24 - Janis Martin  - Two Long Years
25 - Janis Martin  - All Right Baby
26 - Dave Rich - Chicken House
27 - The Sprouts  - Teen Billy Baby
28 - Milton Allen - Don't Bug Me Baby
29 - Morgan Twins* - Let's Get Goin'
30 - Jimmy Dell - Rainbow Doll
31 - Gordon Terry - It Ain't Right
32 - Roy Orbison - Almost Eighteen
33 - Hoyt Johnson - Little Boy Blue

Booklet included

Get Hot Or Go Home

 

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Rockin' At The Drive-In

 


tracklist :

1 - The Beavers - Rockin' At The Drive-In - Capitol (1968)
2 - Sammy Gowan - Kissin' At The Drive-In - United Artists (1958)
3 - Mickey Gilley - Drive-In Movie - Khoury's (1959)
4 - Eddie Cochran - Drive In Show - Liberty (1957)
5 - The Aquatones - The Drive-In - Fargo (1959)
6 - The Academics - Drive-In Movie - Elmont (1958)
7 - Cookie Roberts - Draggin' The Drive-In's - Eric (1962)
8 - Gary Shelton  - Kissin' At The Drive-In - Mercury (1958)
9 - Ron Hargrave - Drive-In Movie - Cub (1959)
10 - Ted Harris - Little Drive-In - Columbia (1960)
11 - Mack Vickery - Drive-In - Sun unissued (1957)
12 - Morgan Twins - Sittin' In The Drive-In - Peak (1959)
13 - The Beach Boys - Drive-In - Capitol (1964)
14 - Mark Valentino - Jivin' At The Drive-In - Swan (1963)
15 - Cardigan Brothers - Let's Go To The Movies - Chairman (1962)
16 - Clay Cole - Queen Of The Movies - Imperial (1961)
17 - Sonny Knight - Teenage Party - GoGo (50s)
18 - Troy Ferguson  - At The Jamboree - Flame (50s)
19 - Rickey Martin  - Boppin' At The High School Hop - Tops LP (1957)
20 - Jerry Lee Lewis - Milkshake Mademoiselle - Sun
21 - Ronnie Dove - Lover Boy - Dove (1959)
22 - Harold Dorman - Soda Pop Baby - Rita unissued
23 - Jackie Blanchard - The King Of Hearts - Mida (1959)
24 - Connie Francis - Playin' Games - MGM (1962)
25 - Freddy Dame - After School - Nic-Nac (1962)
26 - Autrey Inman - Remember The Night - RCA (1956)
27 - Robert Luke Harsman - Girl Of My Dreams - Guyden (1959)
28 - Buddy Love - Ummm, Kiss Me Goodnight - Crest (1958)

*


Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Hep Cats from Big Spring

 

Texas Rock 'n' Roll from the 50's and 60's. Twenty tracks (of which fifteen are unissued or alternate takes)

01 - Move Mama - Ben Hall
02 - Be Bop Ball - Ben Hall
03 - Blue Days- Black Nights - Ben Hall
04 - Honey You Talk Too Much - Orville Fox & Harmony Masters
05 - Silly Sally - Sammy Lara & Skytones
06 - Little Girl - Sammy Lara & Skytones
07 - Tell Me - The Regals
08 - Waitin' On The Steps At School - The Regals
09 - Lover's Regret - The Classics
10 - Hep Cat - The Teen Kings
11 - Some Sweet Day - David Box & Ravens
12 - That's All I Want From You - David Box & Ravens
13 - I Do The Best I Can - David Box & Ravens
14 - Waitin' (Don't Wait Too Long) - David Box & Ravens
15 - Guitar Hop - Larry Welborn
16 - It's Gonna Happen - Bob Osburn
17 - Heart Thief - Bob Osburn
18 - Too Young To Love - Don Nicholas & Four Teens
19 - Goin' Back To Louisiana - Bob Osburn
20 - Bark Like A Dog - Bobby Allison

Move Mama + booklet



Monday, December 4, 2023