Big Maybelle Smith was one of the coterie of powerful female blues and R&B singers who lit up the scene during the post-war decades, the highlight coming in her appearance in the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival movie documentary Jazz On A Summers Day. Coming from a gospel-singing background in Tennessee, she recorded for the King, Okeh and Savoy labels, scoring Top 10 R&B hits with songs like Gabbin Man, Way BackHome and My Country Man, as well as recording the original version of Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On, later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis.
This 2-CD set comprises all her A and B sides for those label from her solo debut for King in 1947 through to 1961, along with the tracks from her two albums for Savoy which were not otherwise released on singles. Its a thorough trawl through her core career, and is a worthy tribute to a highly distinctive and influential entertainer. It comes with substantial booklet notes including full recording session and personnel details.
| Disc 1 |
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|
| Track |
Title |
Artist |
| 1 |
Bad Dreams Blues |
Mabel Smith |
| 2 |
Sad And Disappointed Jill |
Mabel Smith |
| 3 |
Indian Giver |
Mabel Smith |
| 4 |
Too Tight Mama |
Mabel Smith |
| 5 |
Little Miss Muffet |
Mabel Smith |
| 6 |
Don't Try To Fool Me |
Mabel Smith |
| 7 |
Gabbin' Blues |
Big Maybelle |
| 8 |
Rain Down Rain |
Big Maybelle |
| 9 |
Way Back Home |
Big Maybelle |
| 10 |
Just Want Your Love |
Big Maybelle |
| 11 |
Send For Me |
Big Maybelle |
| 12 |
Jinny Mule |
Big Maybelle |
| 13 |
Maybelle's Blues |
Big Maybelle |
| 14 |
My Country Man |
Big Maybelle |
| 15 |
I've Got A Feelin' |
Big Maybelle |
| 16 |
You'll Never Know |
Big Maybelle |
| 17 |
My Big Mistake |
Big Maybelle |
| 18 |
I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright |
Big Maybelle |
| 19 |
Ain't No Use |
Big Maybelle |
| 20 |
Don't Leave Poor Me |
Big Maybelle |
| 21 |
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show |
Big Maybelle |
| 22 |
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On |
Big Maybelle |
| 23 |
Such A Cutie |
Big Maybelle |
| 24 |
The Other Night |
Big Maybelle |
| 25 |
New Kind Of Mambo |
Big Maybelle |
| 26 |
Candy |
Big Maybelle |
|
|
|
| Disc 2 |
|
|
| Track |
Title |
Artist |
| 1 |
That's A Pretty Good Love |
Big Maybelle |
| 2 |
Tell Me Who |
Big Maybelle |
| 3 |
Mean To Me |
Big Maybelle |
| 4 |
I Don't Want To Cry |
Big Maybelle |
| 5 |
All Of Me |
Big Maybelle |
| 6 |
Rock House |
Big Maybelle |
| 7 |
Jim |
Big Maybelle |
| 8 |
Ring Dang Dilly |
Big Maybelle |
| 9 |
So Long |
Big Maybelle |
| 10 |
Blues Early, Early Pts. 1 & 2 |
Big Maybelle |
| 11 |
Silent Night |
Big Maybelle |
| 12 |
White Christmas |
Big Maybelle |
| 13 |
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home |
Big Maybelle |
| 14 |
Say It Isn't So |
Big Maybelle |
| 15 |
A Good Man Is Hard To Find |
Big Maybelle |
| 16 |
Pitiful |
Big Maybelle |
| 17 |
Some Of These Days |
Big Maybelle |
| 18 |
I Understand |
Big Maybelle |
| 19 |
I Got It Bad |
Big Maybelle |
| 20 |
Until The Real Thing Comes Along |
Big Maybelle |
| 21 |
I Ain't Got Nobody |
Big Maybelle |
| 22 |
Goin' Home Baby |
Big Maybelle |
| 23 |
There I've Said It Again |
Big Maybelle |
| 24 |
Ramblin, Blues |
Big Maybelle |
| 25 |
Stay As Sweet As You Are |
Big Maybelle |
| 26 |
If I Could Be With You |
Big Maybelle |
| 27 |
I Could Make You Care |
Big Maybelle |