The Subtle Art of Sleazery

VARIOUS - Risqué Rhythm: Nasty 50's R&B

Now I'm no Pollyanna, but the canny use of the double entendré in R&R is all but lost. Unless you count the thousands of macho creeps who've followed Da Nuge's lead with hackneyed, sub-literate Yank Me, Crank Me-isms (Sorry Nuge, ya know I love ya 'n' all, but between your pathetic solo "career" and jingoistic "politics" you leave me no choice other than to use ya as supreme archetype of dimwittedness). Screaming "Let's Fuuuuccck!!" was needed of course, if only to put the final nail in the plastic coffin of the superficial puritan tyranny of the 1950's-- but somewhere along the way, instead of being a form of catharsis, it became tedious to endure yet another creatively-bankrupt moron cursing up a blue streak as a substitute for "lyrics."

GG Allin, at his disgusting, shit-slingin' best ain't got nothin' on Thee High Priest of Smut himself, Wynonie Harris. Often credited as the first-ever Rock 'n' Roller for his smash hit version of Roy Brown's "Good Rockin' Tonite," Harris was also a master of innuendo, as showcased on the 1951 (!) side, "Keep on Churnin' (Til the Butter Comes)" (can you figger out what he might be talkin' about?). Moose Jackson, better known as a saxman, lends his sultry croon to the lascivious "Big 10-inch Record," which you may remember being butchered by Aerosmith on their "Toys in the Attic" LP. And what possibly could the Swallows (hahaha!) have on their mind when explaining to the ladies out there that "It ain't the meat, it's the motion"? This compilation is a fascinating snapshot of a time when things weren't quite as innocent as we may've thought, and some damn fine R&B/proto-R&R to boot. Also keep in mind that nearly every single one of these tracks were huge hits of the era.

The Culprits:

1. Moose Jackson - Big 10-Inch Record
2. Dinah Washington - Big Long Slidin' Thing
3. '5' Royales - Laundromat Blues
4. Fluffy Hunter - Walkin' Blues
5. Wynonie Harris - Wasn't That Good?
6. Roy Brown - Butcher Pete (Pt. 1)
7. The Swallows - It Ain't the Meat
8. Dominoes - 60-Minute Man
9. Sultans - Lemon-Squeezin' Daddy
10. Royals - Work With Me Annie

11. Wynonie Harris - Keep on Churnin' (Til the Butter Comes)
12. Myra Johnson - Silent George
13. Dinah Washington - Long John Blues
14. Bill Doggett Trio - Mountain Oysters
15. Julia Lee - My Man Stands Out
16. Bees - Toy Bell
17. Connie Allen - Rocket 69
18. The Toppers - (I Love to Play Your Piano) Let Me Bang Your Box

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