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Sophie Tucker ~ Bigger And Better Than Ever
vinyl LP front cover
cover photographer unknown
photo of album cover by Styrous®
Today is the birthday of Sophie Tucker, who was a Ukrainian-American singer, comedian, actress, and radio
personality known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs. She was one of the most popular entertainers in the U.S. during the
first half of the 20th century. She was known by the nickname "the Last
of the Red-Hot Mamas"
Sophie Tucker ~ Bigger And Better Than Ever
vinyl LP front cover signed
cover photographer unknown
photo of album cover by Styrous®
She was born Sofiya "Sonya" Kalish (Ukrainian: Соня Калиш; Yiddish: סאָפיאַ קאַליש) in 1886 to a Jewish family in Tulchyn, Russian Empire, now Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine. She began singing at her parents' restaurant for tips.
Between taking orders and serving customers, Tucker recalled that she
"would stand up in the narrow space by the door and sing with all the
drama I could put into it. At the end of the last chorus, between me and
the onions, there wasn't a dry eye in the place.
vinyl LP back cover
cover photographer unknown
photo of album cover by Styrous®
In 1907, Tucker made her first theater appearance, singing at an amateur night in a vaudeville establishment. The producers thought that the crowd would tease her for being "so big and ugly." Early in her career, Tucker appeared in blackface
as a minstrel singer, but she disliked this work and would sabotage the
act by revealing that she was white at the end of the show, first
removing a glove to reveal her white hand, then by pulling off her wig
and exposing her blonde hair.
Tucker also began integrating "fat girl" humor, which became a common
thread in her acts. Her songs included I Don't Want to Get Thin and Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love.
Sophie Tucker ~ Bigger And Better Than Ever
vinyl LP back cover details
cover photographer unknown
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®
In 1909, Tucker performed with the Ziegfeld Follies. Tucker released Some of These Days on Edison Records, written by Shelton Brooks. The title of the song was used as the title of Tucker's 1945 biography. In 1921, Tucker hired pianist and songwriter Ted Shapiro
as her accompanist and musical director, a position he would keep
throughout her career. Besides writing a number of songs for her,
Shapiro became part of her stage act, playing piano on stage while she
sang, and exchanging banter and wisecracks with her in between numbers.
vinyl LP back cover details
cover photographer unknown
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®
In 1929, she made her first movie appearance in Honky Tonk.
During the 1930s, Tucker brought elements of nostalgia for the early
years of the 20th century into her show. She was billed as "the Last of
the Red Hot Mamas" as her hearty sexual appetite was a frequent subject
of her songs, unusual for female performers of the day after the decline
of vaudeville.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
Side 1:
A1 - Take A Look At Yourself
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:56
A2 - Be As Big As The World You Live In
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 4:19
A3 - Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Dick Bailey
Written-By – Dick Bailey (3), Mac Maurzda* - 4:55
A4 - With Your Life You Can Do What You Will
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:17
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:56
A2 - Be As Big As The World You Live In
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 4:19
A3 - Open Your Heart, Open Your Mind
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Dick Bailey
Written-By – Dick Bailey (3), Mac Maurzda* - 4:55
A4 - With Your Life You Can Do What You Will
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:17
Side 2:
B1 - I'm Bigger And Better Than Ever
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Ted Shapiro
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Ted Shapiro - 2:31
B2 - Love Is My One Bad Habit
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Ted Shapiro
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Ted Shapiro - 3:22
B3 - The Fountain Of Youth
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 4:15
B4 - I'm As Modern As Tomorrow And As Old As Yesterday
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:50
B5 - Sophie's Matrimonial Mart
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 6:00
Credits:
Piano, Orchestra – Ted Shapiro
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Ted Shapiro
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Ted Shapiro - 2:31
B2 - Love Is My One Bad Habit
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Ted Shapiro
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Ted Shapiro - 3:22
B3 - The Fountain Of Youth
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 4:15
B4 - I'm As Modern As Tomorrow And As Old As Yesterday
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Reginald Montgomery
Written-By – Mac Maurzda*, Reginald Montgomery - 4:50
B5 - Sophie's Matrimonial Mart
Accompanied By – Ted Shapiro
Written By – Mac Maurzda, Alex Studer
Written-By – Alex Studer, Mac Maurzda* - 6:00
Credits:
Piano, Orchestra – Ted Shapiro
Sophie Tucker – Bigger And Better Than Ever
Label: Wing Records – MGW 12176
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Comedy, Easy Listening
Label: Wing Records – MGW 12176
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Comedy, Easy Listening
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