The Birds and the Bees: The Very Best of Jewel Akens

Jewel Akens | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 23, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00005Y7ZV
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,786 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Birds and the Bees

2. Around the Corner (From My House)

3. Love Potion No. 9

4. Tic Tac Toe

5. It's the Only Way to Fly

6. Sukiyaki (My First Lonely Night)

7. Georgie Porgie

8. King of the Road

9. So This Is Love

10. You Sure Know How to Hurt a Fello

11. Dear Heart

12. A Slice of Pie

13. Michael

14. The Vegetable Love Song

15. Sniff-Sniff-Poo-Pah-Pahdoo [Alternate Take]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Big Hit, September 9, 2007

By 

AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Birds and the Bees: The Very Best of Jewel Akens (Audio CD)

Born in 1940 in Houston, Jewel Akens began his singing career with The Four Tunes [of "Marie" fame], although not on any of their hit records. He then briefly led his own group, The Four Dots and they cut three sides for Liberty's Freedom subsidiary with the first, It's Heaven, coming out in 1958 on Freedom 44002 with a song by a different artist (Jeff Stone) on the flip, and Don't Wake Up The Kids, a regional hit on Freedom 44005 in 1958 b/w Pleading For Your Love.

Then, paired with Eddie Daniels as the duo Jewel & Eddie, he had three singles released in 1960 - Opportunity b/w Doin' The Hully Gully (Silver 1004), which was then re-released with a different flipside, Strollin' Guitar, followed by My Eyes Are Cryin' For You/Sixteen Tons on Silver 1008. None charted.

Then, finding a new home in 1965 at Era Records in Hollywood, launched 10 years earlier by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell, he began his longest stint with any one label, and this is what is covered here in this Collectables release which has excellent sound reproduction and informative notes by Cub Koda. And his first effort there became his best when The Bird And The Bees rose to # 3 Billboard Pop Hot 100/# 21 R&B in March b/w Tic Tac Toe.

But that would be it insofar as a major hit was concerned, and he barely avoided becoming yet another One-Hit Wonder when Georgie Porgie, another novelty tune in the same vein [heck, almost the same arrangement], struggled to # 68 Hot 100 in May, b/w Around The Corner [From My House]. Both hits, and the B-sides, had the backing of Don Ralke & His Orchestra, both hits were written by Herb Newman, and all four sides are here.

Despite a pleasant-sounding voice bordering on Country, and 7 more singles released to 1969, he could not achieve another national hit, as the British Invasion was sweeping aside all but the most outstanding North American talent almost through to the end of the decade. Here you get both sides of the 1965 release You Sure Know How To Hurt A Guy/It's The Only way To Fly (Era 3147) A Slice Of Pie which was released twice, the first time on Era 3156 in 1965 and again in 1969 on Era 3207 (both B-sides are missing - You Better Believe It and A Land Where Animals Are People), the 1966 singles Sniff Sniff-Poo-Pah-Pahdoo (Era 3159) and (Sukiyaki) My First Lonely Night (Era 3164) - again both B-sides omitted - He Who Hesitates Is Lost and Mama Take Your Daughter Back.

Completely missing here are the 1965 single You Don't Need A Crowd/I've Arrived (Era 3156) and the 1969 release Buenos Aires/Mississippi Syrup Sopper (Era 104). Tracks 3, 8, 9, 11, 13 and 14 are from his Era LP EL 110 "The Birds And The Bees" released in 1965.