Various – The 1952 R&B Hits Collection – 4CD

This fills in one of the gaps on our strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat’s highly popular “America’s Greatest Hits” series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1952. This great value 90-track 4-CD anthology includes, with the exception of certain records which are unavailable for inclusion due to copyright restrictions, just about every record which peaked during the year in the published Top 10 “Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records” and “Most Played Juke Box Rhythm & Blues” charts. It was a fascinating time in R&B, with different strands of the genre creating the musical landscape from which rock ‘n’ roll was already emerging – Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and Fats Domino’s “Goin’ Home” are among the hits featured. There’s the electric Chicago guitar blues of B.B. King and Muddy Waters, doowop groups like The Orioles and The Clovers, sophisticated vocalists like Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald and Percy Mayfield, old-school jump blues from Roy Milton, jazz stars like Johnny Hodges and Illinois Jacquet, pop crossovers like Johnny Ray, and more. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record as well as full discographical and chart information.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Peppermint Harris With Maxwell Davis And His All-Stars: 1. I Got Loaded -   Dinah Washington: 2. Cold Cold Heart -   Griffin Brothers Orchestra: 3. Weeping And Crying -   Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads: 4. Cry -   B.B. King: 5. Three O'Clock Blues -   The Clovers: 6. Fool, Fool, Fool -   Roy Milton & His Solid Senders: 7. Best Wishes -   Howlin' Wolf: 8. How Many More Years -   Joe Turner: 9. Chill Is On -   Arthur Big Boy Crudup: 10. I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole -   Tab Smith: 11. Because Of You -   Percy Mayfield: 12. Cry Baby -   John Godfrey Trio: 13. Hey Little Girl -   Charles Brown: 14. Seven Long Days -   Rosco Gordon: 15. Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse) -   Roy Brown And His Mighty Mighty Men: 16. Bar Room Blues -   Mel Walker with Johnny Otis Orchestra: 17. Sunset To Dawn -   Ella Fitzgerald: 18. Smooth Sailing -   Arthur Prysock: 19. I Didn't Sleep A Wink Last Night -   John Lee Hooker: 20. I'm In The Mood -   Orioles: 21. Baby Please Don’t Go -   Nat King Cole: 22. Walkin' -

CD2:
Rosco Gordon: 1. Booted -   Eddie Wilcox Orchestra & Sunny Gale: 2. Wheel Of Fortune -   Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads: 3. The Little White Cloud That Cried -   The Mello-Moods: 4. Where Are You (Now That I Need You) -   Muddy Waters: 5. She Moves Me -   Lightnin Hopkins: 6. Give Me Central 209 -   Joe Houston: 7. Worry Worry Worry -   Jimmy Forrest: 8. Night Train -   Charles Brown: 9. Hard Times -   Muddy Waters: 10. Still A Fool -   Dinah Washington: 11. Wheel Of Fortune -   12. Tell Me Why -   Cardinals: 13. Wheel Of Fortune -   John Greer & His Rhythm Rockers: 14. Got You On My Mind -   Amos Milburn & His Aladdin Chickenshackers: 15. Thinkin' And Drinkin' -   Ray Charles: 16. Kissa Me Baby -   Johnny Hodges: 17. A Pound Of Blues -   Dinah Washington: 18. Trouble In Mind -   Lightnin' Hopkins: 19. Coffee Blues -   Edna McGriff: 20. Heavenly Father -   Ruth Brown: 21. 5-10-15 Hours -   Rosco Gordon: 22. No More Doggin -

CD3:
Dinah Washington: 1. New Blowtop Blues -   Joe Turner: 2. Sweet Sixteen -   Percy Mayfield: 3. Big Question -   Jimmy Witherspoon: 4. Wind Is Blowing -   Buddy Lucas & His Band Of Tomorrow: 5. Diane -   The Clovers: 6. One Mint Julep -   7. Middle Of The Night -   Fats Domino: 8. Goin' Home -   Wini Brown & Her Boyfriends: 9. Be Anything (But Be Mine) -   King Pleasure: 10. Moody's Mood For Love -   Roy Milton: 11. So Tired -   Lloyd Price: 12. Lawdy Miss Clawdy -   Billy Eckstine: 13. Kiss Of Fire -   Marie Adams: 14. I'm Gonna Play The Honky Tonks -   Varetta Dillard: 15. Easy, Easy, Baby -   Four Blazes: 16. Mary Jo -   Jimmie Lee & Artis: 17. My Heart’s Desire -  The Clovers: 18. Ting-A-Ling -   Floyd Dixon: 19. Call Operator 210 -   The Clovers: 20. I Wonder Where My Baby’s Gone -   Joe Turner: 21. Don't You Cry -   Johnny Ace: 22. My Song -   Johnny Otis & His Orch. Feat. Mel Walker: 23. Call Operator 210 -

CD4:
Ruth Brown: 1. Daddy Daddy -   Smiley Lewis: 2. The Bells Are Ringing -   B.B. King: 3. Darlin', You Know I Love You -   Little Walter & His Night Cats: 4. Juke -   Roy Milton: 5. Night And Day (I Miss You So) -   Eddie Boyd: 6. Five Long Years -   Fats Domino: 7. Poor Poor Me -   Little Caesar: 8. Goodbye Baby -   Lloyd Price: 9. Restless Heart -   10. Oooh, Oooh, Oooh -   Four Blazes: 11. Please Send Her Back To Me -   Chuck Willis: 12. My Story -   Joe Williams: 13. Every Day I Have The Blues -   The Ravens: 14. Rock Me All Night Long -   The Clovers: 15. Hey, Miss Fannie -   Illinois Jacquet & His Orchestra: 16. Port Of Rico -   The Clovers: 17. I Played The Fool -   Willie Mabon: 18. I Don’t Know -   Fats Domino: 19. How Long -   Little Walter & His Night Caps: 20. Sad Hours -   Shirley & Lee: 21. I'm Gone -   Jimmy Forrest: 22. Hey Mrs. Jones -   B.B. "Blues Boy" King: 23. Story From My Heart And Soul -