Crate Digger's Gold

Those of us who love the soulful music that came out of Memphis in the ’60 and ’70 will find it hard not to mourn the recent passing of the great Willie Mitchell (03/23/1928 – 01/05/2010). His achievements as a musician, band leader, record producer and label owner are almost unmatched when you consider how much his signature sound influenced the soul and R&B recordings from Memphis to Motown during those two decades. More popularly known for his production and arrangements of Al Green’s outstanding catalog, Mitchell himself released a string of moderate hits in the ’60s including our featured track, Bum Daddy.

This is an instrumental party track in the classic sense—complete with a hootin’ and hollerin’ crowd in the background—akin to The Bar-Kays’ Soul Finger or Stop, Inc.’s Second Line. The label mentions this track was available on the “Willie Mitchell Live” LP though I doubt, and it has been posited by others as well, that the crowd sound is anything more than Willie’s and the band’s friends gettin’ rowdy in the studio. Nevertheless, they do add a raucous feel to an already driving dance number. The straight-forward drums and pronounced horn arrangement of Bum Daddy provided a hint to anyone listening at the time of the genius that would follow in Mitchell’s work with Al Green. Thanks, Willie for all this great music! | c.1968; Hi Records; HI 2524

So, you think you’ve got troubles? Just listen to the “Frogman” go on about “da rent man” and his wife and such and you will quickly shut yer mouth and start shakin’ yer rump. It was the A-side that quickly became the B-side after Ain’t Got A Home stole the spotlight via that darn, career-defining, novelty frog voice. Just as Gary Anderson forever carried his moniker after those early “U.S. Bonds” releases (a scheme cooked up by Legend Records label owner Frank Guida) Clarence Henry was never able–nor do I think he ever tried–to shake the “Frogman” nickname after the success of that single. I’ve got a small stack of 45s by Henry–all pre-Frogman era–that certainly demonstrate his capabilities and personality. But, a hit is a hit and, in the pre-web/iTunes/MySpace world of 1956, any way to make it onto the radio was a good bet. Well, that story has already been written a number of times, so let’s get back to the featured track, Troubles, Troubles.

I love a song that starts with a solo vocal line and Henry’s first two words here set the burning tempo that doesn’t quit until the finish a mere two minutes later. I couldn’t find any info on which session players were backing him up on this recording, but one can only imagine by the thumping kick drum and bouncing horns that it may have been laid down in New Orleans rather than Chicago (home of Chess/Argo).