From the Vault...

07/11/2004
#898

info
Somethin' Smith & The Redheads
"Ain't That Somethin':
The Best Of
Somethin' Smith
And The Redheads"

© Collector's Choice
Records

Year of Release: 1997
Rating:

track listing
  • Red Head
  • It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
  • I'm A Ding Dong Daddy
    From Dumas
  • Gee!
  • I'm Gonna Wrap Up
    All My Heartaches
  • When All The Streets
    Are Dark
  • My Melancholy Baby
  • Ma! (She's Making
    Eyes At Me)
  • If I Could Be With You
    (One Hour Tonight)
  • The Mambo,
    Tango, Samba,
    Calypso Rhumba
    Blues
  • In A Shanty In Old
    Shanty Town
  • Give Me The Single Life
  • Candy
  • You Always Hurt
    The One You Love
  • My Baby Just Cares
    For Me
  • Just In Case
    You Change
    Your Mind
  • Heartaches
  • I Don't Want To Set
    The World On Fire
  • Sweet Georgia Brown
  • When I Grow
    Too Old To Dream

  • WSVNRadio Archives
    A B C D E F G H I J K L M
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    Somethin' Smith & The Redheads related sites:
    Somethin' Smith & The Redheads Website
    Wikipedia
    Previous Review: #897
    Black Crowes--Lions
    Next Review: #899
    Journey--Escape
    Somethin' Smith & The Redheads
    "Ain't That Somethin': The Best Of Somethin' Smith And The Redheads"



    My fondest memories of Somethin' Smith & The Redheads, is their 45 rpm Epic single, "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie"/"My Baby Just Cares For Me" I found at one of the many garage sales. Building my 45 singles collection from these garage sales were always a treat for me. When Collector's Choice released Somethin' Smith's Best Of, it was great to see both of these songs I had in their original form.


    What made these songs memorable, was the use of the banjo ("It's A Sin To Tell A Lie"), and great contemporary Jazz ("My Baby Just Cares For Me"). The banjo licks are heard on the opening track, "Red Head." But it is surely missed on songs such as "I'm A Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas" and "Gee!" Both these songs are more of an Easy Listening/Big Band sound. Both of these non-banjo tunes are very good, yet the banjo is unique in popular music, it is missed.


    "I'm Gonna Wrap Up All My Heartaches" is another Easy Listening/Big Band number, where the vocals can be compared to the likes of The Four Aces and The Four Lads. "Wrap Up All My Heartaches" does have some humor though, where the well-done crooning voices are in unison, and another vocalist who sounds as if he's a singing hillbilly (Somethin' Smith) in a sense. "When All The Streets Are Dark" does have the sound as "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie," with the piano "imitating" the rolling banjo. The remaining orchestration (big band) does blend well also. The crooners and "singing hillbily" are also heard on this song too.


    The barbershop quartet sound (along with Smith's "country" voice) is heard on "My Melancholy Baby." "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" fans will enjoy "Ma! (She's Making Eyes At Me)" and "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town." It has the memorable banjo and great remaining orchestration. "If i Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)" is more jazz, as the slow-paced style and saxophone are the standouts. Smith's voice is sultry, as heard in Marilyn Monroe tunes. The big band sound returns on "The Mambo, Tango, Samba, Calypso Rhumba Blues."


    "Give Me The Simple Life" has more of the big band jazz crooning style (Four Aces/Four Lads). Likewise, "Candy" has the crooning style and Smith's "country" vocal style. "You Always Hurt The One You Love" has the vocal style of "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie," but it needed the banjo!


    The sultry sound is heard on "My Baby Just Cares For Me," crooning Jazz with female background singers are heard on "Just In Case You Change Your Mind." The same style heard on "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" returns on "Heartaches," and "When I Grow Too Old To Dream." A very impressive and entertaining version of "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire," a song that should get repeated listens and airplay on today's Easy Listening radio stations. The banjo and piano are the standouts on "Sweet Georgia Brown," being the album's only instrumental, and having a very good ragtime sound.


    Early 1950s stations such as the Chicago area's WCGO and WRLL (Real Oldies 1600) could easily include Somethin' Smith's music as part of their playlists. Fans of jazz, big band, and even country will enjoy this music. It's a different approach than the standard jazz and big band music we normally hear.


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    Previous Review: #897
    Black Crowes--Lions
    Next Review: #899
    Journey--Escape