Bobby Charles - Chess Masters

Side 1:

01. Watch It Sprocket

02. Yea Yea Baby

03. Don't You Know I Love You

04. Good Loving

05. I'd Like To Know

06. Ain't Got No Home

07. Time Will Tell

08. Take It Easy Greasy

09. You Can Suit Yourself

Side 2:

01. Later Alligator

02. On Bended Knee

03. I'll Turn Square For You

04. No More (I Ain't Gonna Love You No More)

05. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey

06. Lonely Street

07. Mr Moon

08. One Eyed Jack

09. Hey Good Looking

Bobby Charles Chess Masters (Mega)

Bobby Charles Chess Masters (Zippy)

Another revival of an LP originally posted in 2010 and as usual there are new cover and label scans and added information. New material will appear soon on the blog as I have finally purchased a new turntable.

Robert Charles Guidry was born in Abbeville, Louisiana, on 21st February 1938. His earliest musical influences were country and cajun, but he veered towards R&B when he heard Fats Domino on the radio. His songwriting abilities overshadowed his performing abilities, although his slightly flat laconic vocal delivery set the tone for a style which was to become known as swamp pop. One of his early compositions "Later Alligator" went down a storm at his gigs with backing band The Cardinals, so much so that a Crowley record store owner contacted Leonard Chess who signed Charles on the strength of hearing him sing over the telephone.

Bobby's first session for Chess (backed by The Cardinals) took place in New Orleans in October 1955 with "Later Alligator,"along with the ballad "On Bended Knee" as B-Side, being issued in November 1955. The A-Side, which was based on a Guitar Slim number "Later For You Baby," quickly attracted the attention of major record company Decca who had Bill Haley record a version in December 1955. "See You Later Alligator" as the Haley version was titled, stormed the pop charts in January 1956, completely eclipsing the Charles original.

Bobby Charles continued to record for Chess until May, 1958, then for Imperial from July 1958 to November 1960, then a brief return to Chess in March 1961. He had a total of seven singles released on Chess, none of which sold much despite being mostly well crafted R&B /Rock and Roll with strong backing by top New Orleans musicians under the supervision of Paul Gayten. However, it was as a songwriter that Bobby Charles had most impact, writing classic hits for other artists such as "Walking To New Orleans," (Fats Domino) "Before I Grow Too Old," (Tommy McLain) and "But I Do" (Clarence Henry). He continued to write, perform and record into the 21st century and was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame in 2007. He died on the 14th January, 2010.

This Chess Masters compilation from 1977 has the "rough and ready" feel that many other issues in the series also had. The choice of tracks is slightly odd as Bobby Charles had a total of 14 sides released on Chess singles yet some have been omitted in favour of previously unreleased tracks. A false start is included on "Bended Knee" which seems rather superfluous. The sound quality on some tracks is also a little muddy or distorted but in spite of the drawbacks this is an entertaining and enjoyable collection, with its unruly feel providing a certain attraction.

Full details of the tracks are listed below.

01. Watch It Sprocket - unissued

02. Yea Yea Baby - Chess 1670

03. Don't You Know I Love You - Chess 1617

04. Good Loving - unissued

05. I'd Like To Know - unissued

06. Ain't Got No Home - unissued

07. Time Will Tell - Chess 1628

08. Take It Easy Greasy - Chess 1628

09. You Can Suit Yourself - Chess 1658

10. Later Alligator - Chess 1609

11. On Bended Knee (+ false start) - Chess 1609

12. I'll Turn Square For You - unissued

13. No More (I Ain't Gonna Love You No More) - Chess 1658

14. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey - Chess 1647

15. Lonely Street - unissued

16. Mr Moon - unissued

17. One Eyed Jack - Chess 1670

18. Hey Good Looking - unissued

Bobby Charles singles on Chess with release dates. Titles in italics are not on this compilation. Information from 45worlds.com and globaldogproductions.info.

Chess 1609 - Later Alligator / On Bended Knee - November 1955

Chess 1617 - Why Did You Leave / Don't You Know I Love You - March 1956

Chess 1628 - Time Will Tell / Take It Easy Greasy - July 1956

Chess 1638 - Laura Lee / No Use Knocking - October 1956

Chess 1647 - Why Can't You / Put Your Arms Around Me Honey - January 1957
Chess 1658 - No More (I Ain't Gonna Love You No More) / You Can Suit Yourself - May 1957
Chess 1670 - One Eyed Jack / Yea Yea Baby - September 1957

The sessions:

Later Alligator; On Bended Knee; recorded in New Orleans in October 1955. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with The Cardinals - Harry Simontaux, Raoul Prado, Carlo Marino (saxes); Ed LeBlanc (piano); Larry Guidry (guitar); unknown (bass); Kenneth Theriot (drums).

Watch It Sprocket; Don't You Know I Love You; recorded in Chicago in January 1956. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with: Harold Ashby (tenor sax); Harold Burrage (piano); Jody Williams (guitar); Willie Dixon (bass); Billy Stepney (drums).

Ain't Got No Home; Time Will Tell; Take It Easy Greasy; recorded in New Orleans in March 1956. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with: Lee Allen (tenor sax); Red Tyler (baritone sax); Edward Frank (piano); Edgar Blanchard (guitar); Frank Fields (bass); Charles "Hungry" Williams (drums).

You Can Suit Yourself recorded in New Orleans on 28th August 1956. Personnel same as March 1956 session.

Put Your Arms Around Me Honey; Lonely Street; Mr. Moon; I'll Turn Square For You; I Ain't Gonna Do It No More; recorded in New Orleans in December 1956. Personnel: same as on March and August 1956 sessions. Baritone sax out on I Ain't Gonna Do It No More.

One Eyed Jack; Yea Yea Baby; recorded in New Orleans circa June 1957. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with unknown instrumental accompaniment and vocal group.

Good Loving recorded in New Orleans circa May 1958. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with: James Rivers (tenor sax); Red Tyler (baritone sax); Warren Myles (piano); Edgar Blanchard,
Justin Adams (guitars); Placide Adams (bass); Walter Lastie (drums).

Hey, Good Looking; I'd Like To Know - recorded probably in Chicago, March 1961. Personnel: Bobby Charles (vocal) with unknown sax, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Unknown vocal group on "I'd Like To Know."

See You Later, Alligator



US 78 rpm issue courtesy El Enmascarado

Listen to "Later For You Baby" by Guitar Slim, "Later Alligator" by Bobby Charles, and "See You Later, Alligator" by Bill Haley And His Comets:








“See You Later, Alligator” was a catch phrase which I remember my parents using back in the 1960s. No doubt they first heard it on the big selling Bill Haley record of that title.

The Haley opus was a cover of “Later, Alligator” a record released on Chess by a Cajun R&B singer, Bobby Charles (real name Robert Charles Guidry). He had recorded it in New Orleans in October 1955. In his turn Bobby Charles had no doubt been inspired by an earlier recording by Guitar Slim (real name Eddie Jones), entitled “Later For You Baby” which had been recorded in Chicago in April 1954 and released on Specialty.

Bill Haley (real name Bill Haley) And His Comets recorded “See You Later, Alligator” in New York on the 12th of December 1955. One other track was recorded at the session – “The Paper Boy (On Main Street, USA)” which became the B-side of “See You Later, Alligator.”

By now it was the second version of The Comets who were recording, Dick Richards, Joey D’Ambrosio and Marshall Lytle having left in September 1955 to form the Jodimars. The personnel on the record were: Bill Haley (vocal and rhythm guitar); Franny Beecher (lead guitar); Billy Williamson (steel guitar); Rudy Pompilli (tenor sax); Johnny Grande (piano); Al Rex (bass) and Ralph Jones (drums).

This was the second recording session for The Comets Mark II, their first session having been on the 22nd September 1955, when they recorded “R-O-C-K”, “Rock-a-Beatin’ Boogie”, “The Saints Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Burn That Candle.”

US 45 rpm issue courtesy Joan K

“See You Later, Alligator” entered the US pop charts on the 14th January, 1956, where it spent a total of 15 weeks, peaking at number 6. This was Bill Haley’s last top ten hit in the USA, with only “R-O-C-K” / “The Saints Rock ‘n’ Roll” subsequently getting in to the US top twenty in July 1956.

In the UK “See You Later, Alligator” charted twice, reaching number 7 in March 1956, and number 12 in September 1956. Bill Haley records continued to sell strongly in the UK through 1956 and into 1957. “The Saints Rock ‘n’ Roll”, “Rockin’ Through The Rye”, a reissue of “Rock Around The Clock” and “Rip It Up” all made it into the UK top ten in 1956, and “Razzle Dazzle” made it to number 13. “Don’t Knock The Rock” reached number 7 in February 1957, but this was Bill Haley’s last UK hit of the 1950s. “Rock Around The Clock” made it to the top twenty when it was re-issued in 1968 and again in 1974.

With thanks to Joan and El Enmascarado for their scans.

The tracks featured in this post are available on this homemade comp which covers the influences on "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" as well as "See You Later, Alligator":

Tracklist:

01. Around The Clock Part 1 - Wynonie Harris

02. Around The Clock Part 1 - Big Vernon

03. Rock Around The Clock - Sonny Dae & His Knights

04. Move It On Over - Hank Williams

05. (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley And His Comets

06. Thirteen Women And One Man - Dickie Thompson

07. Thirteen Women - Bill Haley And His Comets

08. Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner and his Blues Kings

09. Shake, Rattle And Roll - Bill Haley And His Comets

10. Later For You Baby - Guitar Slim

11. Later Alligator - Bobby Charles

12. See You Later, Alligator - Bill Haley And His Comets

Download from here:

http://www19.zippyshare.com/v/BIPlCjtA/file.html

Bobby Charles - Chess Masters

1977 LP of sides recorded for Chess from 1955 – 1957 by the sadly deceased Robert Charles Guidry. The Paul Gayten band provides sizzling backup on these raw and raucous R&B numbers. A good way to remember one of the true pioneers of rock and roll.

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon

Download from here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/335963077/Bobby_Charles_Chess_Masters.rar

Or here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SA1APRCG

1. Watch It Sprocket
2. Yea Yea Baby
3. You Know I Love You
4. Good Loving
5. I'd Like To Know
6. Ain't Got No Home
7. Time Will Tell
8. Take It Easy Greasy
9. You Can Suit Yourself
10. Later Alligator
11. On Bended Knee
12. I'll Turn Square For You
13. I Ain't Gonna Do It No More
14. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey
15. Lonely Street
16. Mr Moon
17. One Eyed Jack
18. Hey Good Looking