Customer Reviews

Highlights from Crescent City Soul: The Sound of New Orleans, 1974-1974

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This is a 1-CD sampler of songs taken from the box set entitled "Crescent City Soul: The Sound of New Orleans 1947-74." The full box set is rare and going for big buck$ these days, so this sampler is worth its weight in gold, as far as I'm concerned.

It starts off just where it should, with Fats Domino's "Fat Man Blues" and continues on through a myriad of well-known and lesser known artists' best tunes. Whether it Fats, or the original recording of "Bon Ton Roulet," or Dave Bartholomew singing "The Monkey Speaks His Mind" or the original version of "Fortune Teller" ..just too much fun.

The beauty of this collection is that original New Orleans R&B is a unique sound, different from Memphis, Detroit, etc., and this CD brings to life that difference in a way that makes you smile, just like one would smile when one sets foot in the Crescent City for the first time. God Bless New Orleans.

This 30-cut collection is an ample extract from an out-of-print, four-CD, 119-track set produced for the 1996 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. It's filled with great artists like Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Amos Milburn, Roy Brown, and Earl King, who play their original hits and much more. You'll never appreciate the wonderful heritage that is Crescent City Rhythm & Blues until you hear these songs, which range from stride piano and jump blues to doo-wop and rock 'n' roll. In the 1950s and 1960s, these songwriters and performers formed the basis for much of modern popular music.

Some of my favorite selections are the legendary "One Night (of Sin)" (later recorded by Elvis Presley), "I Hear You Knocking," and "Blue Monday," all by Smiley Lewis; the indispensable "I'm Walkin'," "Walking to New Orleans," and "Ain't That a Shame" by the Fat Man, Fats Domino; and the hilarious "Mother-In-Law" and "A Certain Girl," both by Ernie K-Doe.

You also get the rollicking "Let the Good Times Roll" by Shirley & Lee, the wise and witty "The Monkey (Speaks His Mind)" by Dave Bartholomew, the rather unhinged "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" by Jessie Hill, and the heartbreaking "It's Raining" by Irma Thomas. You've gotta love doo-wop groups like The Showmen, The Spiders, and The Bees; the latter group performs "Toy Bell," which Chuck Berry remade into the raunchy "My Ding-a-Ling." To wrap things up, enjoy the original classic "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman. Written by Allen Toussaint, the song was later covered by both The Rolling Stones and The Who. And there are 16 more great songs on this CD!

You can buy the disc from an Amazon Marketplace seller and pay less than $10, versus over $200 for the rare box set. A complete track listing follows, including artist and timing:

1 The Fat Man - Fats Domino - 2:36
2 3 x 7 = 21 - Jewel King - 2:33
3 Stack-A-Lee, Pt. 2 - Archibald - 2:28
4 Goin' Home - Fats Domino - 2:09
5 Bon Ton Roulet - Clarence Garlow - 2:54
6 Toy Bell - The Bees - 2:21
7 Blue Monday - Smiley Lewis - 2:41
8 I Didn't Want to Do It - The Spiders - 2:43
9 Traveling Mood - Wee Willie Wayne - 2:26
10 Feel So Good - Shirley & Lee - 2:47
11 I Hear You Knocking - Smiley Lewis - 2:43
12 Witchcraft - The Spiders - 2:34
13 Ain't That a Shame - Fats Domino - 2:25
14 Let the Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee - 2:22
15 One Night - Smiley Lewis - 2:25
16 Chicken Shack Boogie - Amos Milburn - 2:29
17 Let the Four Winds Blow - Roy Brown - 2:01
18 Sick and Tired - Chris Kenner - 2:30
19 I'm Walkin' - Fats Domino - 2:01
20 The Monkey - Dave Bartholomew - 2:26
21 I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday - Bobby Mitchell - 2:24
22 Ooh Poo Pah Doo, Pt. 1 - Jessie Hill - 2:18
23 Come On, Pt. 1 - Earl King - 2:31
24 Walking to New Orleans - Fats Domino - 1:55
25 Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe - 2:33
26 It Will Stand - The Showmen - 2:19
27 A Certain Girl - Ernie K-Doe - 2:43
28 I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) - Barbara George - 2:22
29 It's Raining - Irma Thomas - 2:06
30 Fortune Teller - Benny Spellman - 2:11

Already two excellent reviews here so I'll keep this simple; 30 songs, over 70 minutes of pure enjoyment! The only regret you'll have if you buy this CD is that you didn't pick it up long ago...it just doesn't get much better!