BOBBY RYDELL – Salutes the Great Ones - (Cameo) - 1961, comment, review, al jolson, frank sinatra, bing crosby.

The era before the rise of The Beatles, The Beach Boys and others was a particularly exciting time, though not for hard-core rock ‘n’ roll enthusiasts.

Pop rock ruled along with big pop ballads, teen dramas, white doo wop, and big band rock.

Does anyone have a name for “big band rock”?

I think I have pontificated on this elsewhere in this blog.

"Rock 'n" swing", "Tin Pan Rock"?

Okay, let’s use “big band rock”

Sure, surf and frat rock were emerging but rock was unsure of where it was to go.

Rock was always a music of music that had come previously, country, rhythm and blues, gospel and even some jazz.

And it would in time discover folk (which would lead to folk rock), classical (which would lead to prog rock) but, in the early 60s it needed somewhere to go.

Trad pop and the Great American Songbook seemed like a good place and a place where the market was bigger. Appeal to the kids and to the grownups. Distance yourself from some of rocks excesses (and excessive performers).

And, it wasn’t alien to rock ‘n’ rollers.

For every other Elvis rockabilly tune there was his “Blue Moon” and a deep and expressed admiration of Roy Hamilton, Mario Lanza, Dean Martin and others.

The much maligned Pat Boone had made a career of singing the Great American Songbook or singing rock songs in the trad pop style.

And it paid off big … Elvis took his trad pop Italian “It’s Now or Never” and his trad pop “Are you lonesome Tonight” both to #1 in 1960, Bobby Darin took the trad pop "Mack the Knife" to #1 in 1959, the French trad pop "Beyond the Sea" to #6 in 1960 and charted with the trad pop songs “Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" (#19 1960), “Lazy River" (#14 1960), and "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" (#5 1961), Connie Francis had been at it a while and had charted the trad songs "Who's Sorry Now" (#4 1957), “My Happiness” (#2 1958), “If I Didn't Care” (#22 1959), “Among My Souvenirs” (#7 1959), “Mama” (#8 1960). .. while Ricky Nelson, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson all dabbled to varying degrees.

The albums were everywhere: Bobby Vee ‘With Strings and Things” (1961), Tommy Sands "When I'm Thinking of You" (1959), "This Thing Called Love" (1959) Dream with Me (1960),

Connie Francis “Songs To A Swinging Band” (1960), Paul Anka ‎”My Heart Sings” (1959), Pat Boone “Moonglow” (1960), Dion & The Belmonts “Wish Upon A Star” (1961), Bobby Darin ‎”That's All” (1959) and “This Is Darin” (1959) …

And the live supper club albums Tommy Sands “Sands at the Sands” (1960), Connie Francis ‎”At The Copa” (1961), Bobby Darin “Darin At The Copa” (1960) and Paul Anka “Anka At The Copa” (1960).

Clearly, Bobby Rydell identified with the music having dabbled in the Great American Songbook in 1960 with his “Bobby Sings / Bobby Swings” album which produced the Italian trad pop hit “Volare” (#4 1960) (and he would again with Rydell At The Copa (1961) and his “An Era Reborn” album from 1962).

Bobby leans to Jolson, Sinatra and Crosby …. The three caricatures on the front to the record and he sings (and swings) wonderfully well. It is clear he enjoys the music. Maybe, because of his youth, he doesn’t have the gravitas of the previous generation but he makes up for it with the humour, cheekiness and enthusiasm you would expect from a young kid brought up in the rock ‘n’ roll era.

Of course the hard-core enthusiasts who rubbish this music are unnecessarily myopic as (many) objects of their affection and adulation all dug into their musical memories revitalised songs from an era (or rather style) past. Rod Stewart, Ray Davies, Paul McCartney, Nilsson, Glenn Frey, Jeff Lynne, Brian Wilson, Art Garfunkel, Boz Scaggs, and many others have tackled the standards.

The late 50s / early 60s big band rock “movement” didn’t last long though it did last long enough to give Frankie Avalon and Bobby Vinton careers singing new songs (as well as old) in a trad pop style.

But as I have said before on this blog … this music is exclusively faithful to the standards. They tended to treat the trad pop standards less reverently, with some rock ‘n’ roll sass (more so than when those same tunes are covered by pop artists today). The band swings a little harder, there are rock instruments in the mix, there are loud backup vocals, and there is usually an Elvis like half smile snarl in the attitude and a little rock ‘n’ roll slur in the pronunciation.

The female backing vocals get a little intrusive from time to time but they don't affect the swing or mood that much.

It’s not rock ‘n’ roll and it’s not trad pop.

It is something in-between.

And, that’s not a bad place to be especially if you like both rock ‘n’ roll and trad pop.

And, I do.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

Mammy – (Lewis-Young-Donaldson) – Though forever to be associated with Al Jolson who first sang it in 1921, the song was performed first in 1918 by William Frawley. Bobby has brought contemporary pop to this … and it's quite good.
That Old Black Magic – (Mercer-Arlen) – Written for film Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) where it was sung by Johnny Johnston. It was first recorded by Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (1942). Judy Garland recorded it in 1943 (Mercer wrote the lyrics with Judy Garland in mind, apparently). Many, many versions have been done including versions by Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Mercer himself, Johnny Mathis, Peggy Lee, Ann Margret, Van Morrison, Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart, Ray Davies (of the Kinks). There is a lot of playful rock 'n' roll attitude here.
All Of You – (Cole Porter) – It was first done by Don Ameche in the Broadway musical "Silk Stockings" (1954) and then in the film version by Fred Astaire (1957). Sammy Davis Jr did a version in 1956 and Bobby Darin did a version in 1963. Despite being before the Bobby Darin version this is done in a Bobby Darin fashion. The orchestrations are standard the vocals done with some rock 'n' roll swing.
Frenesi – (Dominquez-Charles-Russell) – The big hit was by Artie Shaw (#1 1940 US Pop). the song has also been covered by Bing Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, The Four Freshmen, Frank Sinatra). The word frenesí is Spanish for "frenzy".
April Showers – (DeSylva-Silvers) – another song forever identified with Al Jolson who first recorded it in 1921. A favourite of bathroom shower singers everywhere … well, at least, I have sung it in the shower. I'm very partial to this song. The backing vocals are a little distracting but Bobby gets the right pitch of bouncy optimism.
Everything's Coming Up Roses – (Sondheim-Styne) – from the 1959 Broadway musical "Gypsy: A Musical Fable" and first done by (and associated with) Ethel Merman. Johnny Mathis did it in 1960. Nice, but nothing special.

Side Two

There's A Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder – (Jolson-Rose-Dreyer) – Another song identified with Al Jolson, from 1928. Other versions include Frankie Laine (1952) and Bobby Darin (1962). A nice bit of pop without the brashness of Al's more familiar version.
This Could Be The Start Of Something Big – (Steve Allen) – written by (and identified with) TV host Steve Allen who had the song as his theme song on the “Tonight Starring Steve Allen” show from 1956 -1957. Okay.
So Rare – (Sharpe-Herst) – First done (perhaps) by Carl Ravell and his Orchestra (1937). Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (1937) and Gus Arnheim and his Coconut Grove Orchestra (1937) had popular versions. It was a hit for Jimmy Dorsey in 1957 (#2 US Pop, #4 US R&B). Rydell’s version owes a lot to Jimmy Dorsey hit which straddles big band and rock 'n roll.
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams – (Koehler-Moll-Barris) – done by everyone including Frank Sinatra (1954), Frankie Laine (1947 and 1952), Louis Armstrong (1931) and Dean Martin (1958) this will forever be associated with the original hit version from 1931 by Bing Crosby. A great song though more trad than rockin' pop..
The Birth Of The Blues – (DeSylva-Henderson-Brown) – written in 1926 it was used in the Broadway show "George White's Scandals of 1926". It was recorded in the same year by Paul Whiteman and others. The best known version is still, perhaps, by Bing Crosby (1941). Quite good.
Nice Work If You Can Get It – (Ira Gershwin-George Gershwin) – First used in movie "A Damsel in Distress" (1937) and sung by Fred Astaire. It became a jazz standard. Frank Sinatra did a version in 1956 (and 1962). Good swinging pop.