Hank Ballard
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, ‘What You Get When the Getting Gets Good’. A rocking Charley Records compilation from 1985. Charley, along with Ace, are the best re-issue specialists in the world; sourcing the best original master tapes, sensitive remastering, and the loving care spent on design and packaging. Now you know. Anyway, Hank Ballard wrote ‘The Twist’, made HUGE by Chubby Checker. Hank’s version from 1958 is here and is more R&B than what you’re probably used to. I think it’s better. Ooh, controversial…
Hank had a great soul voice like Jackie Wilson, high pitch in tone. The songs here span from 1954 to 1961. ‘Work with Me Annie’, ‘Don’t Change Your Pretty Ways’, ‘Rock and Roll Wedding’, ‘Rock, Granny, Roll’ and ‘Sexy Ways’ are early rock n roll shuffle with shoobedoowop vocals, tinkling piano, wailing sax and guitar licks. Tight and swinging. ‘Open Your Back Door’ (rude) is a dirty guitar blues riff. ‘Tore Up Over You’ a slow bump and grind blues riff. ‘Is Your Love For Real’ has twangy rockabilly guitar. ‘Teardrops on Your Letter’ is slow doo-wop balladry with gentle piano and yearning vibrato vocal from Hank. ‘Kansas City’ is one of the best versions of the song, ever. Thumping piano, oohs, splashing cymbals, honking sax. ‘Sugaree’ is a joyous blast of noise with tight drums, guitar riff, stop/start dynamics, a ripping sax solo and one of my fave lead guitar breaks ever – I mean, face melting. Play LOUD. ‘Finger Poppin’ Time’, ‘What is This I See’, and ‘Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go’ follow the Twist formula with bouncy beats, handclaps, sax, doo-wopping. ‘I’m Gonna Miss You’ ends the set with Little Milton-esque smooth blues, an end-of-the-dance smooch number.
Let’s twist again, like we did before the Lockdown!
Hank Ballard
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, ‘What You Get When the Getting Gets Good’. A rocking Charley Records compilation from 1985. Charley, along with Ace, are the best re-issue specialists in the world; sourcing the best original master tapes, sensitive remastering, and the loving care spent on design and packaging. Now you know. Anyway, Hank Ballard wrote ‘The Twist’, made HUGE by Chubby Checker. Hank’s version from 1958 is here and is more R&B than what you’re probably used to. I think it’s better. Ooh, controversial…
Hank had a great soul voice like Jackie Wilson, high pitch in tone. The songs here span from 1954 to 1961. ‘Work with Me Annie’, ‘Don’t Change Your Pretty Ways’, ‘Rock and Roll Wedding’, ‘Rock, Granny, Roll’ and ‘Sexy Ways’ are early rock n roll shuffle with shoobedoowop vocals, tinkling piano, wailing sax and guitar licks. Tight and swinging. ‘Open Your Back Door’ (rude) is a dirty guitar blues riff. ‘Tore Up Over You’ a slow bump and grind blues riff. ‘Is Your Love For Real’ has twangy rockabilly guitar. ‘Teardrops on Your Letter’ is slow doo-wop balladry with gentle piano and yearning vibrato vocal from Hank. ‘Kansas City’ is one of the best versions of the song, ever. Thumping piano, oohs, splashing cymbals, honking sax. ‘Sugaree’ is a joyous blast of noise with tight drums, guitar riff, stop/start dynamics, a ripping sax solo and one of my fave lead guitar breaks ever – I mean, face melting. Play LOUD. ‘Finger Poppin’ Time’, ‘What is This I See’, and ‘Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go’ follow the Twist formula with bouncy beats, handclaps, sax, doo-wopping. ‘I’m Gonna Miss You’ ends the set with Little Milton-esque smooth blues, an end-of-the-dance smooch number.
Let’s twist again, like we did before the Lockdown!