Gary: “I am partial to hard edged Rock and Roll or Rockabilly, but I also love Grindin’ Music, Yes that’s what we called it back in the 1950′s.
Here is absolutely one of my favourite ‘Grinder’ songs of all time. This one was professionally recorded – not a chance thing like another favourite “In the Still of the Night” by the Five Satins, which was recorded in a Church basement (but they could never improve or recreate that sound). This one was recorded in an old abandoned aircraft hanger in San Marcos, California on 2-track equipment, but that was the take that was eventually put on a label by a very ruthless record company who took them for most of the royalties.
Rosie Hamlin was 14 years old when she wrote a poem “Angel Baby“. She eventually wrote the melody for her poem but was never given credit.
How it got to the market in 1960 is a story about musicians that worked for it. Although they were thoroughly screwed over by their record company, the song is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s, One Hit Wonder Wall.
I have 3 CD’s with the song on it, but only one is the accurate version. Even Time Life‘s “Rock and Roll era 55 through 60″, which they guarantee is original, is not quite. In all fairness only a person like myself, who absolutely loves the song, would notice the missing 8 or 9 seconds, but I did. But I have one that is totally accurate and that’s the one I have posted here.
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Here is another song by Rosie and The Originals you may not have heard:
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Now, here is a little bit of a rattlesnake for you.
After completing “Angel Baby” the group had to record a B side… They got a friend of theirs, Bluford Wade, to sing the B side, called Give me Love. If you listen to both sides, they do not sound like the same group, because Rosie does not sing on it. I like the B side. It’s not polished; it’s raw and really different.
Now keep in mind this is the same group, The Originals; Alfred Barrett was not there (because he had to stay home and cut the grass) and Tony Gomez, the bass player, did the sax solos. It is definitely very simple, but that’s why I enjoy it so much… definitely not over-produced! Today they have the tendency to over produce everything just a little bit; in the past, this was not the case, as you can hear!
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I found an actual live video. It is not with the Originals, but it’s at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh.
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For more details about Rosie, click here.
-Gary
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