Marvin Rainwater, "She's Gone" c/w "Hard Luck Blues," M-G-M K-12891 (rel. 5/1960)

 

Here is Marvin Rainwater's final 45 for MGM. This ended a five year stay which resulted in some pop hits and a few rockabilly classics. He flirted with pop, as did many rock 'n' roll artists as public tastes (and the attitudes of record companies) shifted. He created simmering rock 'n' roll classics like "Hot and Cold" and "Whole Lotta Woman" alongside gentler but fervent beauties ("Baby Don't Go" and the anthemic, stirring "That's When I'll Stop Loving You"). He duetted with MGM's big female star Connie Francis and managed one mainstream pop smash with his upbeat "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird."
    By 1960, when his time was up under Leo the Lion, Rainwater moved into a scrapper, more low-down country-folk vibe. His final single for the label anticipates all his later work: a bit outside the norm, wilder and looser than the constraints of 1960 pop allowed. He teamed up with guitar god Link Wray on a series of lo-fi, hi-energy outings that approach punk with their raggedy affect and wild attitude.
    Much of that vibe is present on this hard-hitting, quirky single. "Hard Luck Blues" is a vivid, humorous story-song narrated by a guy who's been through a hell of a time and lived to tell (and sing) about it. 
    The theme and sound owes something to Johnny Cash's work for Sun Records, but it's no pastiche: it's easy to imagine Cash doing this narrative with zeal. Finger-style guitar quotes The Carter Family's "I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow." Rainwater double-tracks his voice in an earthy manner. He ain't no Bobby Vee; his use of double-tracking brings an almost sinister touch to the proceedings. And that's all good in my book!
    The accompaniment is almost all acoustic--a daring touch for the pop market, but ideal for country. Alas, the single didn't succeed in that market. Rainwater had developed throat cancer, and his difficulty in singing led to his exit from MGM and his move to private-press/small label efforts.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dzsxzn4mcprn5kkbutm7v/2155a.mp3?rlkey=5l50g6or4l6x9ett2d6521j1l&st=chm8yogr&dl=0

Cash Box liked this single just fine; they had no idea it was Rainwater's swansong as a mainstream artist.

"She's Gone" is another narrative with a touch of rock 'n' roll and its chorus is fantastic in that regard, with stinging lead guitar and a rollicking band. Rainwater was clever to create a deceptive opening; the launch into rockin' is a surprise. He still had the rockabilly goods in 1960, even if no one was buyin' (or listenin'). Sure sounds good in 2026!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/y1ej8tayxmylp38nibs8s/2155b.mp3?rlkey=efy2t4ywmmxbyovsjeeugau6w&st=43mnimq8&dl=0

This is a revision of yesterday's post. Thursday was a bad day for yours truly, but things look better this morning, and this may be considered lemonade made from some pretty bitter citrus!

Tomorrow: great UK beat from late 1964: no one you'd know.