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in 1957, following Harry Belafonte's huge success with the Calypso
album, RCA decided to issue a sampling of tracks from his first 3 LPs (Mark
Twain, Belafonte, & Calypso) on 45 rpm vinyl discs. In so doing
they hoped to capitalize on the popularity of single-play records amongst younger listeners. The package was augmented with selections from his existing
singles catalogue. In all, it consisted of 21 discs issued in sleeves carrying a
color photo of Belafonte. Of the 42 sides, 10 were drawn from his early singles
portfolio (1952-54), 8 from new singles (1955-57), and the remaining 24 from
LPs. Uninformed music buffs, who had only just tuned into Belafonte, did not
realize that some of these tracks had been around for upwards of 5 years. But
jukeboxes everywhere suddenly had access to a wide variety of Belafonte
repertoire.
The following 3 selections were omitted from the release:
Jerry (This Timber Got To Roll) - 1952
Probably excluded because it was already available on EP.
Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me) - 1953
Belafonte recorded this number under duress. He had been on contract to RCA for
over a year and had not yet
enjoyed commercial success as a recording artist. Consequently the A&R
people pressured him to explore
songs from outside the folk idiom. Although initial sales were encouraging, he
refused to include this number in
his nightclub act and it never achieved its potential on the charts. Considering
these circumstances it may have
been left out of the re-issue intentionally.
Springfield Mountain (Too Roo De Nay) - 1953
Possibly just an oversight.
Also of interest is the fact that the original recording of Matilda
from 1953 was chosen for this release in spite of the existence of an update
from the Belafonte LP of 1955. In contrast, the 1952 reading of Man
Smart was supplanted by the up-tempo track from the Calypso LP
of 1955.
This special edition was made up of the following singles:
Title |
Duration |
Year |
Catalog No. |
Matrix No. |
Pretty As A Rainbow |
2:17 |
1954 |
47-5722 |
E4VW-2804 |
Acorn In The Meadow |
2:39 |
1954 |
E4VW-2805 |
|
Troubles |
3:38 |
1955 |
47-6249 |
F2PW-5805 |
Hello Everybody* |
2:13 |
1955 |
F2PW-5804 |
|
The Blues Is Man (Part 1)* |
2:50 |
1956 |
47-6458 |
G2PW-1826 |
The Blues Is Man (Part 2)* |
2:52 |
1956 |
G2PW-1827 |
|
Jamaica Farewell* |
2:46 |
1956 |
47-6663 |
G2PW-4916 |
Once Was* |
2:53 |
1956 |
G2PW-4908 |
|
Mary's Boy Child* |
2:53 |
1956 |
47-6735 |
G2PW-4902 |
Venezuela |
2:50 |
1953 |
E3VW-1096 |
|
Day-O (Banana Boat) |
3:02 |
1955 |
47-6771 |
F2PW-8702 |
Star-O |
2:04 |
1955 |
F2PW-8703 |
|
John Henry |
3:22 |
1954 |
47-6780 |
E4VW-4107 |
Tol' My Captain |
2:40 |
1954 |
E4VW-4106 |
|
Mo Mary |
2:12 |
1954 |
47-6781 |
E4VW-3982 |
Lord Randall |
4:07 |
1954 |
E4VW-4105 |
|
Man Piaba |
3:20 |
1954 |
47-6782 |
E4VW-4168 |
The Fox |
2:50 |
1954 |
E4VW-3920 |
|
Man Smart |
3:34 |
1955 |
47-6783 |
F2PW-5809 |
Chiminey Smoke |
2:03 |
1952 |
E2VW-5957 |
|
Unchained Melody |
3:20 |
1955 |
47-6784 |
F2PW-7411 |
A-Roving |
3:23 |
1952 |
E2VW-5958 |
|
In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin' |
3:17 |
1955 |
47-6785 |
F2PW-5807 |
Jump Down, Spin Around |
1:58 |
1955 |
F2PW-1999 |
|
Will His Love Be Like His Rum |
2:32 |
1955 |
47-6786 |
F2PW-7369 |
Dolly Dawn |
3:15 |
1955 |
F2PW-7810 |
|
Hosanna |
2:37 |
1955 |
47-6787 |
F2PW-7370 |
I Do Adore Her |
2:45 |
1955 |
F2PW-7809 |
|
Come Back Liza |
3:05 |
1955 |
47-6788 |
F2PW-7813 |
Brown Skin Girl |
2:45 |
1955 |
F2PW-7811 |
|
Water Boy |
3:51 |
1955 |
47-6789 |
F2PW-5810 |
Noah |
4.53 |
1955 |
F2PW-5802 |
|
Danny Boy* |
4:43 |
1956 |
47-6790 |
G2PW-4905 |
Take My Mother Home |
5:55 |
1955 |
F2PW-5800 |
|
Mama Look A Boo Boo* |
2:58 |
1957 |
47-6830 |
H2PW-1273 |
Don't Ever Love Me |
2:46 |
1957 |
H2PW-1276 |
|
Suzanne (Every Night) |
3:09 |
1953 |
447-0320 |
E3VW-0548 |
Matilda |
2:27 |
1953 |
E3VW-1095 |
|
Shenandoah |
3:15 |
1952 |
447-0321 |
E2VW-6873 |
Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair) |
2:42 |
1952 |
E2VW-6872 |
|
Hold 'Em Joe |
2:30 |
1954 |
447-0322 |
E4VW-2807 |
I'm Just A Country Boy |
3:00 |
1954 |
E4VW-2806 |
Footnotes:
1) Selections drawn from the "early singles" portfolio are in
italics, while those from "new singles" carry an asterisk (*).
2) It had not been the intention of the present study to address the subject of
re-issues and compilations, however it was felt that an exception was warranted
in this particular case. The singles launch heralded Harry Belafonte's arrival
as a recording artist with broad popular appeal.
3) Artwork is taken from the Best Of Belafonte, 10 EP boxed set compilation of 1956.