Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers - Hey Lollie Lollie!: The Modern Recordings 1953-55 (2009)

Tracklist
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01. Roll Hot Rod Roll
02. Take Your Shoes Off Pop
03. All That Oil In Texas
04. The Honey Jump Pt 1
05. Dig That Crazy Santa Claus
06. Love Me Tonight
07. Hey Lolly Lolly
08. What You Call 'Em Joe
09. The Honey Jump Pt 2
10. Mama Don't Like It
11. Eternal Love
12. Hot Banana
13. Lolly Pop
14. Pretty Girl
15. Wiggle Toe
16. Hot Banana
17. Mama Don't Like It
18. Roll, Hot Rod, Roll
Eighteen of McLollie's 1953-55 uptempo sides are collected on this CD. Like many collections of early-to-mid-'50s R&B on the Modern label, there's some sameness to the material and arrangements that limits its appeal for non-specialists. Yet it's a little more enjoyable than many such single-artist collections, though, due to the nonchalant humor of much of the material and McLollie's vocals, and to the lingering big band-jump blues feel. At times some of these later sides got close to rock'n'roll, particularly "Roll Hot Rod Roll," which starts off with a "one for the money" chorus that resembles, just a little, the one that Carl Perkins would use to kick off "Blue Suede Shoes" a bit later. "All That Oil in Texas" is also a highlight for those who like their R&B-swing droll and witty ("all that oil in Texas, and not one drop is mine"). Completists might be a little miffed that this actually is not the complete output of McLollie for the Modern label. Because it was decided to focus the anthology on his uptempo work, it doesn't have his doo-wop recordings for the label. In addition, it uses previously unissued alternate takes of "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus" and "Hey Lolly Lolly," and an undubbed version of "Wiggle Toe," though the versions that appeared on Modern singles are available on other reissues. This CD also includes previously unissued instrumental versions of "Hot Banana" and "Mama Don't Like It," as well as a previously unissued alternate take of "Roll Hot Rod Roll."
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