What can be said about this record! First lets get the sycophantic gushes out of the way and then we will get to the facts. This is without question one of the finest rock n' roll, no! Make that one of the finest records ever released!! When you hear it for the first time, if you are like me you'll immediately think "oh my god, this is amazing!" and then as you realize that you're hearing it for the first time you'll start to get pretty angry about that! There are really very few records this good and while the music industry keeps regurgitating the same tired old fifties tunes over and over again it is really frustrating that stuff like this is still pretty much unknown.
The sound may be familiar to you when you hear it - there's a real good reason for that - firstly Eddie took the musical backing from Al Collins & Orchestra's first and only record for Ace Records "I Got The Blues For You Baby" and added some of the coolest vocal arrangements ever cut onto vinyl, secondly when this thing hit the stores people went crazy for it and it soon reached the ears of Little Richard who's management did an under the table deal with Bo and bought the song for Richard who renamed it as "Slippin' and Slidin' (peepin' and hidin')" recording it for Specialty. Now there is no denying that Richard's version is a stone cold classic - but listen to Eddie's original and you will never listen to Richard's version in the same light again, not only did he barely do anything to it but he couldn't even better it!
A few years later Eddie Would revisit "I'm Wise when he cut a update of the song titled "Baby I'm Wise" for Joe Ruffino's Ric records. "I'm Wise" is credited to Bocage-Collins-Smith - I had often wondered who Smith was, assuming it to be Huey Smith - as it turns out Smith was the name of WBOK disc jockey James Smith who wanted a cut of the record to play and break it! Collins is obviously Al Collins who wrote the tune Eddie created the song around. "Happy Tears is a first class blues ballad credit to Bocage and Smith!
"I'll Be Satisfied" is an amazingly good slowed-down blues side, Eddie's voice is stunning, the arrangement is exceptional and the playing is second to none, an absolute killer side! "Please Forgive Me" is a more uptempo bluesey rocker, another exceptional side with Bo pleading for forgiveness and promising to be a good boy if his baby would only come back home! Some great sax playing on here, no idea who its by? David Lastie I presume, maybe Robert Parker? Lastie most likely. Both sides are credited to Bo and Smith (WBOK disc jockey James Smith who wanted a cut of the record to plug it).
Eddie Bo "My Heart Was Meant For You " / "I Cry Oh " APOLLO 499
Two sides of pure soulful class from Eddie, typical late 50's New Orleans soulful blues, the musicianship and songwriting are of such a high standard that it is truly puzzling that these sides are largely considered as being obscure recordings. If you are a Bo fan and curious about his Apollo recordings I seriously urge you to experiment and just buy them. They are regularly in and out of Ebay or Craig Moerers record lists.
Along with "I'm Wise" this is one of Eddie's most brilliant early recordings, a rock n' roll equivalent to "I'm A Carpenter" and then some! A wild and deranged instrumental from 1956 that like "I'm Wise" should be a classic known in every household around the world. With a dash of "Tequila", boogie, cowbells and the occassional yellin' from the rhythm section of "Hey Bo! Whatdya know?" the only problem is that at 2.11 you'll need to put the needle right back to the beginning of the record a few times to really be satisfied. "Tell Me Why" is a great slowed down rocker with first class guitar playing and Eddie's voice is deliciously good here. I have a Mint- spare copy of this very rare record if anyone has any Bo trades.
Another early rocker from 1956, on this number Eddie belts it out in a style that rivals the big names of the era Joe Turner, Smiley Lewis, Dave Bartholemew etc, a real cool jumpin' record that must have shook many roofs down. "Dearest One" is a mellow late night blues ballad with some incredible arrangements and playing. These Apollo releases are amongst Eddie's best work and I can't recommend them enough if you are interested in hearing great music. They are all pretty tough to find, especially in good condition, but thankfully when they do show up they seldom command big money!
Martin Lawrie www.soulgeneration.co.uk