45 RPMS 70: Smiley Lewis ~ Shame, Shame, Shame

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Smiley Lewis ~ Shame, Shame, Shame 

45 RPM label, side 1

photo by Styrous®

I was cruising around YouTube the other day and came across a song I hadn't heard in decades. Smiley Lewis is known for some of the great rhythm 'n blues songs ever written but for me, his recording of Shame, Shame, Shame is at the top of the list!     

 

I first heard the song in the 1956 film, Baby Doll, which was directed by Elia Kazan and produced by Kazan and Tennessee Williams. The score for the film was composed by Kenyon Hopkins who would later score Eleven Against the Ice produced for TV in 1958, The Fugitive Kind with Marlon Brando in 1960, and The Hustler with Paul Newman in 1961.                   

 

 

Smiley Lewis

 date & photographer unknown

 

The personnel on the song is brilliant! Accompanying Lewis's vocal and guitar is Dave Bartholomew doing a fantastic job on trumpet, Huey "Piano" Smith on piano; Smith would release the wonderful Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu a year later when I was in high school and it was one of my favorite songs to dance to.    

 

Then there is Lee Allen wailing away on sax and the hit of the song for me (I've always been a sucker for the sax). Shame, Shame, Shame was recorded on the 11th of August in 1956.   

 

The thing about this record is I like the "B side" better (that's happened a lot over the years). Where Shame, Shame, Shame is fast and furious, No, No, is slow, laid back, pensive and bluesy. With it's tinkely piano intro by Smith and barroom feeling it transports me to a time long gone that was exciting.      

             

Smiley Lewis ~ No, No

45 RPM label, side 2

photo by Styrous®

        

Tracklist:

Side 1:

A - Shame, Shame, Shame, written by Kenyon Hopkins, Ruby Fisher - 1:55

Side 2:

B - No, No, written by  D. Bartholomew*, Pearl King - 2:05

Companies, etc.

    Published By – Remick Music Corp.
    Published By – Reeve Music Co., Inc.

 Credits:

 

Smiley Lewis - vocal, guitar    

Dave Bartholomew - trumpet     

Lee Allen - sax        

Huey "Piano" Smith - piano

 

Notes:

From the Warner Bros. Picture Baby Doll

Barcode and Other Identifiers        

        

    Rights Society (Side A): ASCAP
    Rights Society (Side B): BMI
    Matrix / Runout (Side A (Etched)): Δ5-IM-1100 5418
    Matrix / Runout (Side B (Etched)): Δ5-IM-1033 5418

Smiley Lewis – Shame, Shame, Shame / No, No
Label: Imperial – X5418
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1957
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues        

        

        

        

Viewfinder links:       

         

Lee Allen       
Dave Bartholomew         

Marlon Brando         

Kenyon Hopkins            

Elia Kazan            

Smiley Lewis        

Paul Newman         
     
Net links:       

         

Taming the saxophone ~ Lee Allan interview      

TIMS ~ Lee Allan         

Wbbs Media ~ Lee Allan         

     
YouTube links:      
        
No, No        

Shame, Shame, Shame         

Shame, Shame, Shame (Baby Doll soundtrack)       

Huey "Piano" Smith ~ Rockin' Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu   
        
         

        

        

Styrous® ~ Thursday, June 30, 2022

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