Legacy Recordings

Wildman, changeling, innovator Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cast a spell on R&B that dizzied James Brown, hypnotized Jimi Hendrix and captivated the Rolling Stones. An orphan from Cleveland, middleweight boxing champ and veteran of 52nd Street jazz gigs, Jalacy Jay Hawkins stirred African roots, shards of desperation, a measure of vaudeville and the poison of extreme possessiveness into a bubbling cauldron. Banned from radio as “cannibalistic,” OKeh had to promise jobs for jocks who were fired for playing the devilish handiwork. Putting voodoo on stage, Screamin’ Jay gave the unmitigated scream a future in rock and soul.

(J. Hawkins); Orchestra under the direction of Leroy Kirkland; Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, lead vocal; Sam (The Man) Taylor, saxophone; Jimmy Shirley, guitar; Ernie Hayes, piano; Lloyd Trotman, bass; David (Panama) Francis, drums; Rec. New York, September 12, 1956. OKeh single 7072; Originally Released 1956

I Put A Spell On You by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

Greased with pomade and sharper than a new Cadillac, The Treniers jump-started a mood that put fear in the hearts of white folks. Slick twins Claude and Clifford Trenier dropped out of college in their native Mobile and took up singing when they saw its power over the ladies. Copping Louis Jordan’s comic act, the twins drove a new model jive tune nationwide. Its high-moaning sax, jumping rhythm and rocking and rolling-black slang for the Act-was an overt racer. But its curves were tamed by the assembly line honkers and screamers revving up as the decade sped on.

(C. Trenier/D. Hill/C. Trenier); Orchestra under the direction of Gene Gilbeaux; Claude Trenier, Cliff Trenier, Milt Trenier, Buddy Trenier, lead and background vocals; Don Hill, alto sax; Gene Gilbeaux, piano; Rec. New York, January 9, 1951. OKeh single 6853; Originally Released 1951

It Rocks! It Rolls! It Swings! by The Treniers

From blues-rock giant Johnny Winter’s brother Edgar Winter’s fourth and most fully realized album, They Only Come Out At Night, “Frankenstein” was one of the biggest hits of 1972, a fact made more unusual by the fact that it was an instrumental hit in an era long past the time when rock instrumentals had been either common–or hits. In an era of sensitive singer-songwriters and wispy country-rockers, “Frankenstein” was just that–and boy, did it sound frighteningly good.

Frankenstein by Edgar Winter
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One of the most successful albums of all time, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out Of Hell yielded three hit singles: “Paradise By The Dashboard Light,” “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad” and “You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth.” Its bombastic theatricality was like nothing that came before it, and little that’s come since, but Meat Loaf and writer Jim Steinman came by it all quite naturally by their training and Broadway backgrounds. Their collaboration resulted in a mix of overblown show music and rock that critics are still trying to figure out. The public, of course, beat them to it long ago.
Paradise By The Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf
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After leaving The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck assembled a crew featuring then unknowns Rod Stewart and Ron Wood-in hindsight, a supergroup in reverse. They weren’t together long enough to reach their full potential, but on tracks like “I Ain’t Superstitious” they produced a template for much British blues-rock that was to follow-most notably, Led Zeppelin. With Beck, Rod Stewart emerged as a great new rock vocalist, the raspy, soulful likes of whom had perhaps only been heard before in Janis Joplin. As for Beck, his wicked string-bending, devilish distortion and fearless approach defines what it means to take musical risks-and to thoroughly succeed.

I Ain’t Superstitious by The Jeff Beck Group
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Recorded in Odessa, Texas in early 1969. Entered chart June 21, 1969, peaked at #1 (six weeks).

Sometimes the work of one-hit artists, like SSgt. Barry Sadler and Denny Sager & Rick Evans, says more about the times than the music of artists with long careers. “In the Year 2525” was already a “break-out” record on Truth Records, Zager & Evans’ own label, when RCA picked up the disc for distribution.

In The Year 2525 by Zager & Evans at Rhapsody or Buy the CD at LegacyRecordings.com.

Recorded in New York, late 1968. Entered chart: April 5, 1969, peaked at #6.

With a name dreamed up as a promotional gimmick by their Canadian record company, The Guess Who garnered an impressive series of hits. Their first major American success was “These Eyes,” which was also their debut RCA release. The band’s lead singer, Burton Cummings, went on to a successful solo career as well.

These Eyes by The Guess Who or Buy the CD at LegacyRecordings.com.

When Columbia signed singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, former Buffalo Springfield and Poco member Jim Messina was brought in to produce. In no time, producer Messina became partner Messina, as he and Loggins became an official duo. “Your Mama Don’t Dance” was a bit on the raucous side for the two, but it fell right into a curious moment on the pop continuum. 1972 was a full-tilt nostalgia boom: Elvis, Chuck Berry and Rick Nelson all returned to the Top 10 that summer, so it was a perfect time for this boppin’ number, which made it there as well. The song was later covered in 1988 by hair-band, Poison.

Listen to “Your Mama Don’t Dance” for free on Rhapsody or Find CD