Why did you go....

I may be wrong, but I don't think there's a collection of Alvin Robinson's output currently in print. May even be that there as only ever one issued: "Shine On" released by Charly in 1988.

If so, that's a serious shame.

Here's a cut from Robinson's first 45. Sure would like to know who did the beautiful arrangement. Could be it's Joe Jones. He worked with Robinson quite a lot.

Hope ya'll enjoy, it's from 1961......

Turn the record over...Part 2

I didn't really plan it this way, but here are the flip-sides of three already posted 45s....all arranged by Wardell Quezerque.

1. "I Don't Need You Anymore" by Willie Harper. While I understand that not everyone loves ballads the way I do, this one is just too gorgeous to pass up. That line, "tired of your cheating, your lies....misusing me", gets to me every single time I hear it. The flip is Harper's stunning, slowed down, version of "A Certain Girl".

2. "Bottom Of My Soul" by Alvin Robinson. The flip is a cover of Earl King's "Come On [Let The Good Times Roll]" that's so good I'm never sure I don't think it's better than either version by King himself. "Bottom Of My Soul" is to my mind one of those absolutely perfect tunes. Certainly one of Robinson's best.

3. "Robert & W.Q's Train" by Robert Parker. This is the instrumental track to "Funky Soul Train".....which might just be the rarest record I own [although probably not worth all that much]. I'm not usually a fan of slapping backing tracks on b-sides, but this one is worthy of exception. And it seems like Mr. Q must have agreed as I don't think any of his instrumental tracks show up on any other 45s.

Hope ya'll enjoy.....

Whatever you had brought my heart down to my knees....

We're moving fairly soon. So, on top of everything else I'm having to sort through all our stuff. Actually two houses full of stuff, 'cause the one we're moving into is full of an older relative's treasured possessions. She died recently [bless her soul] and left me the house along with everything in it. Which is just amazing, even life changing....except for all the, uhmmm, stuff.

I thought of having a yard sale but there's really no time.

Anyone need a vacuum cleaner?

Basically, I'm beyond the point of exhaustion. Joe Jones, blah blah blah "You Talk Too Much", blah blah blah, "California Sun". Alvin Robinson, blah blah blah, love the man. Only 45 on the label, blah blah blah. Hope ya'll got that.

Oh yeah, turns out I was wrong in saying Robinson's sides for Leiber and Stoller owned labels were recorded in New Orleans.....NYC is more like it, but with a bunch of N.O. sidemen. Nobody's perfect.

"Whatever You Had" is Robinson's answer to his own version of "Something You Got". If anything the man cuts loose more on this side than the original. "You Brought My Heart Right Down To My Knees " is nothing short of terrific. Yep, another great two-sider. Can't beat it with a stick. Once again, Joe Jones is the man in charge.

Whatever You Had You Ain't Got It No More

You Brought My Heart Right Down To My Knees

[Oops, I said I would make a mention and then didn't. Ya'll should really check out the new blog, Shreveport Songs. It's off to a jaw-dropping start with a great piece on drummer Chico Chism and a listen to his super rare 45 on the Clif label. An amazing recording. Drumming like that, from that time, is always worth paying attention to. I can't wait till the next post.]

Searchin' for something you've got....

As luck would have it, Larry Grogan has done a far better job than I ever could of presenting both records I'd planned to post in honor of Jerry Leiber. No problem, Larry's the one who turned me onto the Coasters version of "Down Home Girl" in the first place. Credit where credit is due.

So, in case you haven't been over to Funky 16 Corners in the last 24 hours or so, you should check out what Larry has to say, here. In fact, you should probably head on over there before going any further.

Obviously my post was blown after I saw Larry's piece, so in trying to think of some other tune to feature it occurred to me that Alvin Robinson cut yet another Leiber and Stoller song, in fact one which was originally recorded by the Coasters. I'd like to think of it as 'tit for tat'.

This is a cheap and easily found 45 that occasionally draws confused/confusing reactions. Ya see, it's been my experience that some folks think they know this record when in fact they don't, and are surprised when they actually hear it. Could be confusion over who first recorded/wrote "Something You Got" [Chris Kenner] is to blame....or for that matter even a certain kind of blindness to cheap records. But those are just guesses, I wouldn't know for sure about either.

What I do know is that this is a great two-sider more or less hiding in plain sight.

Tiger was one of Leiber and Stoller's labels. All of the sides Robinson cut for the duo, including those on sister labels Red Bird and Blue Cat, were recorded in New Orleans. Joe Jones gets credit for "Something You Got".

Something You Got

Searchin'

My pride is all gone....

Geek time.

I'm such a lunatic. I already own two copies of the standard single....and so that means I was supposed to pass up this one sided test pressing?

While I'd hate to say this version is better than Marvin Gayes' original, ya know....maybe it is.

Hope ya'll enjoy....

Some people live in make believe...

Yeah, I know....this is the third version of this song I've posted.

But, I've got to say, if any version can go toe to toe with Earl King's Imperial 45, it's this one.

The record isn't exactly rare, but it is the hardest to find of the four singles Robinson cut for Leiber and Stoller. Most copies I see are beat to hell and and will run ya around $15.

Fortunately, I happen to own a very nice copy...hope ya enjoy.

[btw, that killer guitar work is probably by Robinson himself]

Every time you move like that....

Leiber and Stoller deserve a great big kiss for this one. Wish I owned the later version by the Coasters, I'd love to post both together.

Enjoy

I wanna know...

Al Robinson is, perhaps, slightly better known as Alvin Robinson.

Before he put out a handful of records on Leiber and Stoller's Tiger/Red Bird/Blue Cat labels, Robinson recorded four sides with Dave Bartholomew for Imperial.

I like 'em..

Enjoy