Showing posts with label Smiley Lewis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smiley Lewis. Show all posts
November 2, 2022
July 5, 2022
Smiley Lewis & Dave Bartholomew ~ 109 years later
date & photographer unknown
Today is the birthday of New Orleans rhythm and blues singer and guitarist, Overton Amos Lemons, better known as Smiley Lewis, born on July 5, 1913, in DeQuincy, LA. He played clubs in the French Quarter there, often with pianist Tuts Washington (and was sometimes billed as "Smiling" Lewis).
Dave Bartholomew, grew up in the same neighborhood as Lewis and was then beginning a career as a producer with Imperial Records,
this led to a recording session for the trio in March 1950, at which they
recorded the song Tee Nah Nah. Lewis had his first national hit song with The Bells Are Ringing in 1952.
None of Lewis's Imperial singles sold more than 100,000 copies, but
cover versions of his songs were commercially successful for other
artists.
Dave Bartholomew Band
date & photographer unknown
Lewis's recording of I Hear You Knocking was released when U.S.
radio was still mostly marketed to exclusively white or exclusively
black listeners. A version of Knocking, his first solo hit, reached number one in the UK and number four in the United States; it was recorded by Dave Edmunds in 1970, in this version, Lewis is mentioned in the lyrics, along with Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Huey "Piano" Smith. The Gale Storm pop version of I Hear You Knocking reached the top five on the charts (link below).
Lewis's recording of Shame, Shame, Shame was used in the soundtrack of the film Baby Doll in 1956. The song failed to enter the R&B chart. It was covered by the Merseybeats for their EP On Stage in 1964 and Aerosmith included it on their blues album, Honkin' on Bobo, released in 2004. The song also provided the title of the fifth episode of the HBO television series Treme, which included a rewritten version of the song with lyrics critical of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.
A short clip from I Hear You Knocking is included on the Bill Buchanan and Dickie Goodman novelty hit, The Flying Saucer (link below), in which, in an ironic nod to his original stage name, Lewis is referred to as "Laughing Lewis." Like everyone else whose music was appropriated for the record, Lewis was never paid.
In 1975, Sylvia Robinson wrote a song with the same title performed by Shirley & Company, however, it was noting like the Lewis song. It is disco at it's best with a fantastic sax played by Seldon Powell! It was at the beginning of the disco era, so, what more can be said about that?
Lewis was inducted into the Cleveland, Ohio, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Charles & Art Neville of The Neville Brothers in 1991.
Smiley Lewis ~
Huey Piano Smith ~ Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu
Tennessee Williams articles/mentions
June 30, 2022
45 RPMS 70: Smiley Lewis ~ Shame, Shame, Shame
~ 
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.
Credits:
YouTube links:
No, No
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
Label: Imperial – X5418
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1957
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues
Viewfinder links:
Taming the saxophone ~ Lee Allan interview
TIMS ~ Lee Allan
YouTube links:
No, No
Shame, Shame, Shame (Baby Doll soundtrack)
Styrous® ~ Thursday, June 30, 2022
June 16, 2020
45 RPMs 46: Gale Storm ~ I Hear You Knocking & My Little Margie
~
In Gallatin, Tennessee, in November 1954, a 10-year-old girl, Linda Wood, was watching Storm on a Sunday night television variety show, the NBC Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Gordon MacRae, singing one of the popular songs of the day.
Linda's father asked her who was singing and was told it was Gale Storm from My Little Margie. Linda's father Randy Wood was president of Dot Records, and he liked Storm so much that he called to sign her before the end of the television show. Her first record, I Hear You Knocking, a cover version of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis, sold over a million copies.
Today, June 16, My Little Margie debuted on CBS-TV in 1952. The show starred Gale Storm and I thought she was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.
date & photographer unknown
Her character, Margie Albright, was always getting into trouble and her father, silent screen star, Charles Farrell,
had to get her out of it. They were all silly situations but she was
cute and when you're not even a teenager yet, taste is not an option.
Charles Farrell & Gale Storm - 1954
photographer unknown
Gale Storm worked with Billy Vaughn in the course of the show and together they wrote You're My Baby Doll and performed it on My Little Margie, in 1958. There is an instramental version of the song with Vaughn playing a great guitar; it is in REAL STEREO (link below)!
Before Margie, Storm made several films for the RKO Radio Pictures studio. Her first was Tom Brown's School Days, playing opposite Jimmy Lydon and Freddie Bartholomew. She worked steadily in low-budget films released during this period. In 1941, she sang in several soundies, three-minute musicals produced for "movie jukeboxes."
In Gallatin, Tennessee, in November 1954, a 10-year-old girl, Linda Wood, was watching Storm on a Sunday night television variety show, the NBC Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Gordon MacRae, singing one of the popular songs of the day.
Linda's father asked her who was singing and was told it was Gale Storm from My Little Margie. Linda's father Randy Wood was president of Dot Records, and he liked Storm so much that he called to sign her before the end of the television show. Her first record, I Hear You Knocking, a cover version of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis, sold over a million copies.
I Hear You Knocking (or I Hear You Knockin') is a rhythm and blues song written by Dave Bartholomew. The orchestra and chorus was conducted by Billy Vaughn for this recording.
45 rpm record in sleeve detail
detail photo by Styrous®
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A - I Hear You Knocking, written by D. Bartholomew*
Side 2:
B - Never Leave Me, written by Aguavina*, Varnicls*
Companies, etc.
Record Company – Dot Records, Inc.
Published By – Commodore Music Corp.
Published By – Hometown Music Co., Inc.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (A-side label): MW-8951
Matrix / Runout (B-side label): MW-8952
Rights Society (A): BMI
Rights Society (B): ASCAP
Side 1:
A - I Hear You Knocking, written by D. Bartholomew*
Side 2:
B - Never Leave Me, written by Aguavina*, Varnicls*
Companies, etc.
Record Company – Dot Records, Inc.
Published By – Commodore Music Corp.
Published By – Hometown Music Co., Inc.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (A-side label): MW-8951
Matrix / Runout (B-side label): MW-8952
Rights Society (A): BMI
Rights Society (B): ASCAP
Gale Storm – I Hear You Knocking
Label: Dot Records – 45-15412
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: Aug 1955
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal
Viewfinder links:
Dave Bartholomew
Fats Domino ~ I'm Walkin'
Charles Farrell
Movie "soundies"
Gale Storm
Net links:
YouTube links:
Fats Domino ~ I Hear You Knocking
Gale Storm ~
Label: Dot Records – 45-15412
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: Aug 1955
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal
Viewfinder links:
Dave Bartholomew
Fats Domino ~ I'm Walkin'
Charles Farrell
Movie "soundies"
Gale Storm
Net links:
YouTube links:
Fats Domino ~ I Hear You Knocking
Gale Storm ~
I Hear You Knocking
I Hear You Knocking (TV perfomance)
Never Leave Me
Billy Vaughn ~ You're My Baby Doll (Rare 'true' Stereo version 1958)
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, June 9, 2020
I Hear You Knocking (TV perfomance)
Never Leave Me
Billy Vaughn ~ You're My Baby Doll (Rare 'true' Stereo version 1958)
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Dave Bartholomew articles/mentions
~ Smiley Lewis ~ Shame, Shame, Shame
Fats Domino ~ I'm Walkin'
Gale Storm ~ I Hear You Knocking
date & photographer unknown
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