1. DONNIE ELBERT-"A Little Piece Of Leather" WI 377 1965
Falsetto Donnie Elbert launched his first of two Sue releases with this cut which was originally issued in the States a few months earlier (Gateway 45-757, the same label as his Sue label mate Harold Betters). "A Little Piece Of Leather" was one of Sue's most in demand releases thanks to it's massive popularity on modernist dance floors both then AND now.
Falsetto Donnie Elbert launched his first of two Sue releases with this cut which was originally issued in the States a few months earlier (Gateway 45-757, the same label as his Sue label mate Harold Betters). "A Little Piece Of Leather" was one of Sue's most in demand releases thanks to it's massive popularity on modernist dance floors both then AND now.
2. BOBBY BLAND-"That Did It" WI 4044 1968
Blues master Bobby Bland had a long run of U.K. releases on the Vocallion label before Sue issued his one and only single for the label rather late in their career (Sue ceased functioning less than two months after this was issued). Released almost a year after it's American debut (Duke 421) it's brassy delivery is classic Bobby at his best.
3. BOB & EARL-"Harlem Shuffle" WI 374 1965
Bob & Earl released three singles on Sue in England and their 1963 smash "Harlem Shuffle (issued in the States back in October 1963 as Marc 104) was the first of them and without a doubt was their biggest selling U.K. single (a fact backed up by the 1969 Island reissue as WIP 6053 and again in 1971 on Jay Boy as BOY 25).
4. INEZ FOXX-"Ask Me" WI 314 1964
Inez Foxx (along with her brother Charlie) was one of the label's most prolific artists with six singles issued during 1963-1964 (four credited to Inez and two as a duo). "Ask Me" was their third, launched in May 1964 (previously issued in the States as Symbol 926 in December 1963). Curiously "Ask Me" was issued by U.K. Sue with "Hi Diddle Diddle (a previous U.S. A side) as the flip.
5. PHIL UPCHURCH COMBO-"You Can't Sit Down Pt.s 1 & 2" WI 4005 1966
Jazz guitarist/bassist Phil Upchurch had previously made his U.K. debut with this two part double sider instrumental back in July of '61 (as HMV POP 899) shortly after it's American release on Boyd. Like many of the label's sides it was a mod dance floor smash.
6. THE WALLACE BROTHERS-"Precious Words" WI 334 1964
The Wallace Brothers were a gospel/r&b combo who made their U.K. debut with this release in October, their first of three singles for the label. Originally it was released back in the States on Sims 174 in April, it was covered by Joe Cocker on the flip of his debut of the Fab Four's "I'll Cry Instead" (Decca F 11974). My copy has had everything on the label obliterated!!
7. JOHN ROBERTS-"Sockin' 1, 2, 3 ,4" WI 4042 1967
One of Sue's later releases from their final singles run, the "4000 series", was this uptempo/funky number issued the previous year in America (on Duke 425). Sue's later releases varied from "contemporary" soul (like this particular record) to much older/earlier blues/R&b sides.
8. LARRY WILLIAMS-"Strange" WI 371 1965
I first heard this track via a Small Faces slightly legit LP of a live gig from '66 in France and I immediately sourced it to Larry Williams. The lyrics are almost psychedelic in their nonsensical content ( "Whistler's Mama in her rockin' chair doin' the jerk and all the Beatles in the barber shop cuttin' off all their hair..") but the music is pure soul. Originally issued in the States on the small Los Angeles label L&W as L&W 69. This was Larry's first of two singles for the label.
9. JAMES BROWN AND THE FAMOUS FLAMES-"Night Train" WI 360 1964
James Brown's one and only Sue U.K. was the release of the mod favorite "Night Train" (originally as King 45-6514 in 1962). It was originally released in the U.K. in 1962 on Parlophone (R 4922) and was covered by Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames on the debut live album, 1964's "Rhythm And Blues At The Flamingo (Columbia 33SX 1599).
10. ELMORE JAMES-"It Hurts Me Too" Sue WI-383 1965
Bluesman Elmore James had several releases on Sue: four singles, which this was the second and an LP ("The Best Of Elmore James ILP-918 in 1965), quite ironic considering Elmore passed away in 1963, but such was his cachet among British blues connoisseurs that all of his Sue releases we wildly successful . Originally it was released in the States back in 1957 (as Chief 7004).
No comments:
Post a Comment