Three albums behind me and I have not heard from one artist who writes his own songs. It seems that artist in the 50s were not able to write their own music. The Louvin Brothers wrote a couple songs as does today’s musician Louis Prima who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana did on his entry The Wildest!
The Wildest is aptly titled from the opening track to the ending song. I had never heard of Prima before listening to this album. My loss and your loss if you have not listened to him. The first song “Medley: Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody (and Nobody Cares for Me)” might be familiar to 80s kids because it was remade by Van Halen’s David Lee Roth when he went solo. Roth’s video is hilarious.
“(I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You” is the closing track of the original album from 1956. It is upbeat and hilarious. There are a few humorous songs on this album. The second track another standout has lyrics that would not pass the #metoo movement nor any other movement that tries to kill art.
Prima: Babe, and just for you I’d hit you in your eye
Keely Smith: And just for you I’d like to see you try
Both: And just for you I’d learn to bake a pie
These are the kind of cheeky lyrics in Prima’s The Wildest! The album has been Remastered so there are a few more fun tracks included. For the sake of time I will only consider songs on the original album, probably, but I cannot be sure.
If you have ever been to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, as I have, then you will have flashbacks of musicians on street corners, doors of strip clubs of females and impersonators slightly opened to entice you to enter if you dare, Hurricanes from Pat O’Brien’s, best beignets from Cafe du Monde and the smell of urine from all the drunks who could not make it to a toilet. And yes, it is a wonderful place to visit and this album is one I would buy to lift the spirits. 8.5/10
an ocean roars 