Tracks: 1) I Cried A Tear; 2) If You Love Me; 3) You’re Teasing Me; 4) Love Me Right; 5) Dix-A-Billy; 6) So High So Low; 7) I Waited Too Long; 8) Why Baby Why; 9) Humpty Dumpty Heart; 10) It’s So Fine; 11) Whipper Snapper; 12) St.
I cannot comment on anything except "I Cried A Tear." I never noticed until you pointed it out that it is the exact same melody as "What Am I Living For," but while LaVern Baker undoubtedly was a better performer than Chuck Willis (kind of goes without saying), I sort of still prefer the humble sadness and longingness of the original. I think the original was already an ideal creation as is, smooth and slick with an undercurrent of melancholy, and probably had Chuck's most sincere performance. I find Chuck's straining of notes towards the end a bit more resonant than LaVern's "operatic rocket blasts" as you put it. I think making the song more pompous makes it a tad inadequate. Still, I enjoy both songs anyways, so I'm just nitpicking. And anyways, her best interpretation of a Chuck Willis cover/original was later with See See Rider anyways. Good review George!
I cannot comment on anything except "I Cried A Tear." I never noticed until you pointed it out that it is the exact same melody as "What Am I Living For," but while LaVern Baker undoubtedly was a better performer than Chuck Willis (kind of goes without saying), I sort of still prefer the humble sadness and longingness of the original. I think the original was already an ideal creation as is, smooth and slick with an undercurrent of melancholy, and probably had Chuck's most sincere performance. I find Chuck's straining of notes towards the end a bit more resonant than LaVern's "operatic rocket blasts" as you put it. I think making the song more pompous makes it a tad inadequate. Still, I enjoy both songs anyways, so I'm just nitpicking. And anyways, her best interpretation of a Chuck Willis cover/original was later with See See Rider anyways. Good review George!