6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Greatest Hits (Volume 2), December 10, 2000
This review is from: Five Guys Named Moe (Audio CD)
This is a very enjoyable album, full of jumping small-group swing and jive music. The music is from the 1940s and early 50s, but the recording quality is really fine, the music is timeless, and Jordan's lyrics are still clever and funny. I get the sense that the "swing revival" has probably peaked, but Jordan's music will never go out of style.
This CD a companion to "The Best of Louis Jordan" (MCAD-4079), with only one song that overlaps that #1 greatest-hits album. If you buy only one Louis Jordan CD, make it "The Best of Louis Jordan." On the other hand, if you DO buy that album, you're likely to want this one too.
Best songs here: "G.I. Jive" (a terrific WWII song), "Life Is So Peculiar" (a duet with that Louis Armstrong), "Azure Te," and "Boogie Woogie Blue Plate". No duds. Buy it, but get "The Best of Louis Jordan" first.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Moe moe moe moe moe, February 1, 2005
This review is from: Five Guys Named Moe (Audio CD)
After getting the first Louis Jordan's greatest hits, the next compilation of wild jump-swing and humorous rapping jams, and mellow jazz numbers is Five Guys Named Moe. Many of these songs feature the ensemble who sang in the play of the same name. So, what else is on there aside from the title track, which was also on the first greatest hits?
"Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" is a slow trumpet and piano number and one of Jordan's bigger hits. This would be later done by Renee Olstead on her self-titled album.
Given the collapse of my personal life last October, I oughta take "Safe Sane and Single" as a personal anthem. Using some of "Oh Susannah"'s rhythms, this fast jam details how women become vicious once married-"a woman and a man came to a parting of the ways/the judge gave her the bank account and gave him 90 days." How true.
The two Louises, Jordan and Armstrong, wax on the poetry of life in "Life Is So Peculiar." It's basically wondering about the obvious basics and facts in life "you get so wet in the rain", "when I get up in the morning there's nothing to breathe but air", "a fork belongs with a knife." and how there's nothing to brood about.
"Open The Door Richard" features a character named zig who was "booted with liquid", "abnoxicated", "inebriated", "well, he was just plain drunk" and his stream of consciousness rants. A funny line involves the landlady demanding back rent and him saying, "she'd be lucky if she got some front rent."
"Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" is about the stuff a waitress asks the cook for at a diner. The upbeat "Pettin' and Pokin'" has some fast-talking jams from Jordan about a bickering couple named Jack and Jill who were "always petting and poking and jabbing and joking and cooing and crackin and neckin and knockin and singin and sockin" and so on. Now try and rap that fast! Jordan sings to a girl with "big blue eyes" why "(You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse." That girl definitely went too far in that beauty booth!
Given 2000 and 2004, "Jordan for President" seems a comforting anthem, a rap where Jordan says what he'll do if elected, and a satire on politicians in general, with a chorus of people cheering him on. "If you send me to Washington as your leader, I'll personally see to it that every living American will get their portion-after I get mine." With rhyming name-dropping of Estes Kefauver, MacArthur, Truman, Eisenhower, Stassen, and Robert Taft, it's clear this was sung during the 1952 election. "If you want a hipster who won't take no sassin', vote for Stassen." Yes, that's Jordan on the swing ticket-notice the pun. I'll vote for him, as he promises new shoes so we can all go dancing and forget those blues.
"Look Out (Sister, Look Out)" is a response to "Brother Beware" and uses the same rhythm, where in his jive-talking schitck, he gives advice to women on no-good men the same way he tried to men on women who wanted commitment. Jordan's preference on women is done in the sax and piano boogie of "I Like `Em Fat Like That," while he has another go on calypso on "Push Ka PeeShee Pie," which is the new calypso bebop.
Two numbers more on the leisure side is "Azure Te" with its accompanying piano, and the first song I ever heard by Jordan back in a documentary (I didn't know it was him), and the lightly swinging "G.I. Jive," written by Johnny Mercer during American involvement in WW2, on the life of the GI.
Most of the better songs ended up on the first compilations, but there are many worthwhile nuggets here worth jamming to. So, is you is or is you ain't gonna get this CD?
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