This is a record that I'd only heard recently for the first time and it was one of those jaw dropping moments; when the vocal came in I knew IMMEDIATELY that this was a record that I needed to own!
Turns out that Betty was a night club singer (and song writer, as she wrote this one!)from Baltimore, MD; her husband also played guitar in the group. She was discovered by budding record entrepreneurs (who later founded the great NYC based Carnival record label) Joe Evans and Bobby Johnson. The single was released by their New York label Cee Jay and the song became a local hit, where it popped up on the radar of Chess records who licensed it for national release. Betty released two more singles for Chess then disappeared.
I absolutely love how this record has strong elements of blues, rockabilly and soul- proving once again that labels only get in the way of the fact that great music can come from anybody in any style.
from 1961...
BETTY JAMES - I'M A LITTLE MIXED UP
9 comments:
Anyone loving this tune (and who could blame you) - look for it online as it's just had a repress so you can bag a copy on a brand new 45 for just a few dollars right now... what a tune - nicely flagged up Derek. Nice to see what the original label looks like too.
Great record, but it was not a hit at all in NY City. Where it was a hit was Pittsburgh, made the Top 3 on the local charts.
The first time I heard this was by Tav Falco's Panther Burns around 1988 or 1990, then I later found out about the original version on one of the Desperate Rock'N'Roll albums. There is also a Hillbilly version but I cannot remenber who it was by. Anyway thanks for the enlightnement on Betty James I knew next to nothing about her.
great song.
I had never heard this record before and it just blew me away. I love late 50's early 60's music and had not heard anything in years as good as this record.
Koko Taylor later did a great version of this that just kills.
Thanks for the information. I just heard this on the Ronnie Wood Radio Show, when Flea of RHCP was visiting. Loved it right away, had never heard of her.
I found this track, played in a supermarket by Diana Krall! Great version too, check it out on YouTube.
http://youtu.be/dm1n-8OEY_U
Of the Original is a great track too, only found the original by looking on youtube.
http://youtu.be/bpoq5YwFW4I
It's the syncopated guitar part that's get me on this record. The song isn't up to much in my opinion but the performance is fantastic. I've often wondered who the guitar player was believing it to be someone well known going undercover with Lightnin Hopkins as a front runner. Interesting to discover it was Betty James husband. Not sure who he was, but he plays a killer part.
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