BOBBY RYDELL – We Got Love – (Cameo Parkway) – 1959

This is Bobby Rydell’s first album

He was 17 at the time.

Check out my other comments for Bobby Rydell detailed biographical detail, but … Robert Ridarelli was born 26 April 1942 in Philadelphia. He won first prize on "Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club" at age eight, and was a regular on that show for three years. After changing his last name to Rydell, Bobby played drums in Rocco and the Saints, a group that also featured Frankie Avalon on trumpet. Rydell signed with the Cameo-Parkway label in early 1959, and eventually became that company's second most popular artist, behind Chubby Checker, securing hits into the mid-1960s. He remains active on the "oldies" circuit and has toured as part of The Golden Boys stage production since 1985 (with Frankie Avalon and Fabian).

They are my words though in a late night haze maybe I lifted them from somewhere unintentionally.

Bobby Rydell was from Italian dominated South Philadelphia. This may not be the "mean streets' but it wasn’t a walk in the park either …

Working class first and second generation migrants from southern Europe, specifically Italy, may create a vivid and vibrant environment but not one without hardships that any similar enclave will have.

Rocky Balboa may be the most famous South Philly resident even if he is fictional but he couldn’t sing (or doesn’t yet).

Frankie Avalon, Fabian, James Darren, Mario Lanza, Al Martino, Jim Croce and others either grew up or where one time residents of the area.

And it wasn’t all Italians either. Jewish Eddie Fisher and Afro-American Chubby Checker were also from South Philadelphia.

Music was a way to escape the working class existence. And, many Italian-Americans jumped at the chance.

Early Bobby Rydell was in many ways the Justin Bieber of his day – a child star who had a huge following as a teen (he signed a recording contract and by 1959, at 16, had his first hit).

He branched out into television and film but his Career at the top was over within five years.

But his work at the time is so specific to the time and place and milieu that, even now, you can listen to the music and make no mistake as to what it is and where it is from.

I like that, and, I think that the milieu is so persuasive that it reflects on Bobby’s place in popular culture. For instance, it is not surprising that Grease (the musical / film) is set in 1959 at the Rydell High School.

And Bobby referred to that “Oh, I mean, what an honor!'  Rydell says. "You know, in a major motion picture which became a classic, it was so nice to know that the high school was named after me. And I said, 'Why me?' It could have been Anka High, Presley High, Everly High, Fabian High, Avalon High. And they came up with Rydell High." http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/mc-bobby-rydell-book-20160721-story.html

This first album is made up of variety of different song sources. Hits of the day, familiar songs from eras past and importantly, songs written for and designed to showcase the new artist.

Central to the album are the seven songs written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe for Bobby. They signed him to their label, they nurtured him and directed him (he was after all only sixteen years old). Mann (a lyricist) was good friends with Lowe who was a songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist and bandleader. Mann and Lowe (both Philadelphia born) were the founders and owners of Bobby's label, Cameo (later Cameo-Parkway) based in Philadelphia.  That's one way to get your songs recorded (own the label). To be fair there was a bit of talent in them. They had written "Teddy Bear" for Elvis Presley (#1 US Pop 1957), "Remember You're Mine" for Pat Boone (#6 US Pop 1957), "Teen Age Prayer" for Gale Storm (#6 US Pop 1955) (also a #19 US Pop for Gloria Mann in 1955). They knew their way around a pop tune (from writing through to recording).

The other songs are either recent rock hits (something familiar for the young ones) or trad pop songs updated (something familiar for the older crowd). Italian Americans love their trad pop, even the rock and rollers. The covers, mainly from the trad pop stable reflects this, though Mann and Loew, both born 1917, are the right vintage for knowing all the trad pop tunes.

The surprising thing about the originals written for Bobby is Mann and Lowe’s pop sensibility. This is pure pop rock. Harder than Pat Boone but without losing its appeal to ears who didn’t like the regional accents or the rough edges of Elvis and the first generation rock ‘n’ rollers.

And, it paid off in spades.

Of course it came at the right time

In the late 1950s, rock and roll was undergoing (perhaps inevitable) changes as it was adopted into the mainstream industry. Some major stars dropped from public view … Elvis Presley was drafted 9for two years though he was raely out of the public eye), Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper died in 1959 and Eddie Cochran died 1960 in an accident that also left Gene Vincent scarred, the Everly Brothers were shaken by close friends Holly’s death, Chuck Berry was in jail, Jerry Lee Lewis had been disgraced by press reports that he married his 13-year-old cousin, Bill Haley and fats Domino were in their 30s and creeping towards middle age, Little Richard had turned to God, and Johnny Cash was fighting personal demons (and in any event turning more to country music). .

There were many less well known musicians sticking to their “rock ‘n’ roll” guns but there was a general softening of the sound in the mainstream.

It had been coming … for every rough rock tune Elvis cut there was another pop tune and a (rock) ballad.  People always seem to forget all the pop and ballads Elvis recorded in the 50s. (arguments may rage about who “invented’ rock n roll but the rock ballad and mid-tempo pop rock tune is his own creation and a product of his own sensibilities).

He wasn’t adverse to pop and balladry (albeit with a rock attitude normally).

And, second to Elvis in sales in the youth market was Pat Boone, who made a career of crooning pop ballads with ties to the trad pop past.

Pop was always in the air and would exert its influence (despite hat lazy music “historians” say).

This was good news for careers of Ricky Nelson, Tommy Sands, Bobby Vee, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Dion, Connie Francis, Gene Pitney, Del Shannon, Brenda Lee, Bobby Darin and Bobby Rydell.

Bobby Rydell and the Italian-Americans from Philadelphia with their Neapolitan sensibilities, and music mentors from the east coast trad pop scene were (especially) well placed to take advantage of the same.

Don’t get me wrong there is some choice material here and it may be pop but then so was a lot of what Elvis did (before and after the army), the Beatles did, and many others did.

Bobby Rydell fits in perfectly. He may be young, the girls may like him, and he may be non-threatening to parents but if he can’t sing this doesn’t amount to much.

He can sing, he his own distinctive voice and he is quite a stylist.

As the back sleeve says "Looks + Talent + Personality = Bobby Rydell"

What is most interesting here I that, being a first album, there is quite some experimenting with Bobby’s “sound”. It’s all pop rock but there are ballads (some rocky, some bluesy, some trad pop) and rock tunes (some pure pop, some, more rock ‘n’ roll) which are quite different in musical texture. I don’t think he ever got as much room to play around with different songs as he did on this album.

And importantly, the styles attempted are all held together my Bobby’s sensibilities.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

• We Got Love  – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) – a great poppy ballad given some gentle rock attitude.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Got_Love_(Bobby_Rydell_song)

• Ain't That A Shame – (D. Bartholomew) – written by Fats Domino (not credited initially) and Dave Bartholomew and released in 1955 reaching #1US R&B, #10 US Pop. Pat Boone covered it in 1955 and took it to #1 US Pop. It has been often covered. Bobby does a credible and good version.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain't_That_a_Shame
• You're The Greatest  – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) – a trad pop of the style Pat Boone would be doing with sweet, angelic backing vocals.
• Home In Your Arms  – (Kal Mann) –  a up-tempo popper with a "Down by the Riverside" feel.
• Teach Me Tonight – (Sammy Cahn, Gene DePaul) – A jazz standard, often covered including Jo Stafford (#15 Pop US 1954), The DeCastro Sisters (#2 Pop US 1955), and Italian-American Helen Grayco (#29 US Pop 1954), and Johnnie Ray did a version on his 1958 album "'Til Morning". This is what it is though it is given a contrmporary (1959) preppy feel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teach_Me_Tonight
• Like A Baby – (Paul Anka) – written by the prolific Paul Anka and first recorded by Bobby. Annette Funicello recorded it in 1960 for her “Annette Sings Anka" album. It is ver Paul Anka, not surprisingly. One to make the girls swoon. And, it is very catchy.

Side Two

• Kissin' Time – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) – This was Bobby's first Top 20 hit and has been often covered including by Kiss, covered on their debut album (1974). Bobby would re-record (?) it for his 1963 album “Wild (Wood) Days”. It's very catchy and can be transposed to many places in the world.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kissin%27_Time_(song)
• Because Of You – (A. Hammerstein, D. Wilkenson) – a often covered trad pop song. Tony Bennett had a #1 with it (US Pop 1951). Connie Francis recorded a version in 1961. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Because_of_You_(1940_song)
• Lovin Doll  – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) –  Bobby would re-record (?) it for his 1963 album “Wild (Wood) Days”. Another up-tempo pop song. Great fun.
• All I Want Is You  – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) –  a big ballad with strings.
• You Were Made For Me  – (Kal Mann, Bernie Lowe) –  a gentle popper with whistles and all. Not bad and not unlike some of the songs Elvis would be cutting for films in his post army career.
• That's My Desire – (Loveday Kresa) – another often recorded trad pop song. Frankie Laine had a #4 US Pop hit with it in 1946. Louis Armstrong recorded it in 1947 (and 1952), The Channels (1957), Dion and the Belmonts (1960), Buddy Holly (1958), The Lettermen (1961), Jim Reeves (1957) amongst others. The pacing, pronunciation and backing vocals are all v erfy Elvis like. I like it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That%27s_My_Desire
• What'd I Say – (Ray Charles) – Ray Charles' classic R&B, soul, rock song from 1959 (#6 US Pop, #1 R&B US 1959). The song has been covered hundreds of times though Bobby's version is, perhaps, the first cover. Jerry Lee Lewis had a #30 with it in 1961 and it was central to a dance sequence in the Elvis film "Viva las Vegas" (#29 Pop 1964). It has also been done by Cliff Richard (1961), Bobby Darin (1962), Teddy Randazzo (1962), Clyde McPhatter (1962), Rod McKuen (1962), Trini Lopez (1963), The Searchers (1963), Roy Orbison (1964), The Ronettes (1964), Brenda Lee (1964), The astronauts (1964), The Righteous Brothers (1965), Johnny Cash and June Carter (1967), Nancy Sinatra (1967), Bill Haley & The Comets (1968), '68 Comeback (1999), Lyle Lovett (2000), etc etc. A great song and Bobby gets the groove. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27d_I_Say

And …

I like this music. I like this album. It is happy and uncomplicated. It is perfect for dinner parties or drinks and finger food. Is that rock 'n' roll? No. But try eating dinner or finger food to Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and see how far you get. In other words there is a time and place for everything. And, that is important … I'm keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1959 Kissin' Time #11 US Pop, #29 US R&B

1959 we Got Love #6 US Pop

Album

—

England

Nothing.

Sounds

We Got Love

live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csqvBhbwX1I&t=36s

mp3 attached

Ain't That A Shame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqO_-Jbg-c

You're The Greatest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCvCZ3EqzIE

Home In Your Arms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0jgyFCeaTo

Teach Me Tonight         

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD7_DNHNGZ0

Like A Baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg4YwMIG544

Kissin' Time

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ89Cf3q8Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVb1Qk4hWJ0

Because Of You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BkQnzZzx4E

Lovin Doll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZIkvyKYjy0

All I Want Is You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk-CteaMWSM

You Were Made For Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyUxg3uh-xU

That's My Desire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubALDSBzO9Y

What'd I Say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmqlIQZlpq8

Others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPM3VoWrTQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij73TurStlY

Review

Do ‘serious” music critics review Bobby Rydell?

It seems not.

Bio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Rydell

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-rydell-mn0000062270/biography

http://www.mainlinetoday.com/Main-Line-Today/June-2016/Bobby-Rydell-Comes-Clean-in-His-New-Autobiography/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal_Mann

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Lowe

Website

http://www.bobbyrydell.com/

Trivia

• The album was released as "Wild One" in the UK in 1960 with "Wild One" replacing "We Got Love". “Wild one: was a #7 hit in the UK in 1960 whilst “We Got love” didn’t chart.
• Get Bobby into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame. https://web.archive.org/web/20110121220849/http://www.petitionsforchange.com/petitions/view/82/BobbyRydellInductionintoTheRockandRollHallofFame/