The Jumping Jacks - Roasted Peanuts
This 1961 LA instrumental comes over as a titty-shaker version of Huey Smith & The Clowns’ Don’t You Just Know It. Lots of shouting and yeah-yeah-yeahs, lots of honking sax, a truly great turn by the drummer and whaddya know - it’s a killer combination! Can’t remember where I got this but it’s a really recent addition to my record box…
Little Willie John - Leave My Kitten Alone
Killer Little Wille John track from 1959. Gotta love the “meow” backing vocals! Leave My Kitten Alone was famously covered by The Beatles who recorded a cover of it in August 1964 during their studio sessions for the Beatles For Sale album. It never made it on to the LP and wasn’t released until the Anthology collection came out in 1995.
Rueben Bell, less famously, covered the track in 1973 on Deluxe - but that’s not up on YouTube!
Emmet Davis - How About It Baby
Any track that features the lyrics “Scooby-dooby-doo-wop” gets my vote – and this track actually opens with these precise words. However, don’t be fooled: this ain’t no doo-wop ditty. How About It Baby by Emmet Davis (I can’t find out anything about this record but I’m guessing it’s a repro of a rare 50s 45) is a breakneck-jiver of a rhythm’n'blues number with a killer sax break. Scooby-dooby-doo-wop on this you crazy fools!