David Orrell, "Be My Baby" c/w "You're The One," Felsted 45-8515 (rel. 4/1958)
Yesterday's record was from the commercial peak of rockabilly in 1956. Today's comes two years later, as rock 'n' roll has run its course as a social fad. It's still alive and well, but its codex has been cracked by the major labels and unconvincing imitations have saturated the market.
Most of these big-city efforts ruined the sparse settings of rockabilly with vocal choruses (because Elvis used The Jordanaires, in an effort to replicate the Black vocal group sound), big-band instrumentation and cutesy arrangements. Raw, unadorned rockabilly still existed, hidden in plain sight. Felsted Records was one reliable conduit for the real deal.
Felsted is what we record-collector folk call a "sleeper" label. There are some hard-hitting goodies hidden amidst sappy pop stuff and dreadful teen novelties. Excellent rhythm and blues, rock & roll and instrumentals lurk 'neath its orange label. I learned the label's story: it was created in 1954 in the UK as a subsidiary of that country's Decca Records--not associated with the American label of that name. Felsted got its odd name from that of a village where UK Decca head Sir Edward Lewis lived. Its existence was to release American material. This Felsted did so well in jolly olde that an American clone began in 1957. It was a subsidiary of London Records, which was the American arm of UK Decca, who couldn't use that name because there had been a US Decca label since 1933. And that's not at all confusing.
Most of these big-city efforts ruined the sparse settings of rockabilly with vocal choruses (because Elvis used The Jordanaires, in an effort to replicate the Black vocal group sound), big-band instrumentation and cutesy arrangements. Raw, unadorned rockabilly still existed, hidden in plain sight. Felsted Records was one reliable conduit for the real deal.
Felsted is what we record-collector folk call a "sleeper" label. There are some hard-hitting goodies hidden amidst sappy pop stuff and dreadful teen novelties. Excellent rhythm and blues, rock & roll and instrumentals lurk 'neath its orange label. I learned the label's story: it was created in 1954 in the UK as a subsidiary of that country's Decca Records--not associated with the American label of that name. Felsted got its odd name from that of a village where UK Decca head Sir Edward Lewis lived. Its existence was to release American material. This Felsted did so well in jolly olde that an American clone began in 1957. It was a subsidiary of London Records, which was the American arm of UK Decca, who couldn't use that name because there had been a US Decca label since 1933. And that's not at all confusing.
Okay. Where was I? (rummages through papers) Oh, yes; today's record. From Texas came David Orrell, teenager with crew-cut who made one single. It pretends that rockabilly hadn't changed one iota from 1956.
A raw, urgent sound blasts from the speakers as "Be My Baby" (no relation to the song by The Ronettes) greets the listener. Out-of-tune piano, twangy guitar and a gruff, earthy vocal chorus (anti-Jordanaires!) surround young Orrell's Southern voice as he belts out this demand for companionship as though he means it.
A raw, urgent sound blasts from the speakers as "Be My Baby" (no relation to the song by The Ronettes) greets the listener. Out-of-tune piano, twangy guitar and a gruff, earthy vocal chorus (anti-Jordanaires!) surround young Orrell's Southern voice as he belts out this demand for companionship as though he means it.
No great shakes as a song, "Be My Baby" is most enjoyed for the force of its performance. Orrell was the polar opposite of a Ricky Nelson. He had a real edge to his voice and this record let him be hisself without filters. I'd love to know who the band is, where and when it was recorded, etc., but that's spendy information, as will be explained later in this post.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a record more grating than Cathy Linden's "Billy." This single got reviewed in Cash Box's country singles for the week of April 5, 1958.
On the B (or the A, in Cash Box's view), "You're the One" got a second life when Texas rocker Mac Curtis covered it for Dot Records in 1962. The inclusion of steel guitar might make this one what they call a hillbilly bopper. Then again, Orrell's drawling, lazy vocal and a solid guitar solo blur the boundaries. Then a trumpet enters the picture. What is this, Sun Records? The anything-goes style of this side is fascinating and similar to some of Sam Phillips and Jack Clement's experiments over in Memphis. Despite the magazine's insistence, "You're the One" is B-side material--and not in a bad way. The flips, as we've seen, are often the spot where musicians try unusual things out, just to see if they'll fly. Bonus points for its standup bass opening and coda.
For bonus fun, here is Mac Curtis' rockin' 1962 version of the song:
This was recorded in Major Bill Smith's Fort Worth, TX studios, which might indicate that David Orrell made his original there. And, as usual, that's all we've got.
Bear Family Records issued a 13-track 45-rpm vinyl album of Felsted-label rockers and r&b called Left Behind (13 Black & White Rockers From The Felsted Vaults). This spendy item comes with a CD containing 34 tracks of Felsted material and would be a nice thing to own.
Bear Family Records issued a 13-track 45-rpm vinyl album of Felsted-label rockers and r&b called Left Behind (13 Black & White Rockers From The Felsted Vaults). This spendy item comes with a CD containing 34 tracks of Felsted material and would be a nice thing to own.
Tomorrow: The Blue Jays deliver some solid LA-based Black vocal group goodness with the 1962 follow-up to their hit "Lover's Island."
"You're The One" is a fabulous song. Love the slow opening and fade in of guitar. The stand-up base in the foreground and (I'm assuming) a droning fiddle in the background make this a most interesting song. This song feels futuristic as to what rock and country would become. Orrell is not so much channeling Elvis but is giving us his own intimate true voice.
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