Blowing the Fuse 1959

If you have begun to notice that some very familiar tunes sound different in this set it is likely because these are the originals by the black artists rather than the white covers that sold more copies and are more often played.

"Blowing the Fuse: 29 R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox in 1959 is among the finer entries in this excellent series issued by the Bear Family label. For starters just look at the list of artists that appear here: James Brown, Lavern Baker, Lloyd Price, Bo Diddley, Jackie Wilson, Brook Benton, the Coasters, the Flamingos, and more. It's loaded. Just looking over the contents makes a serious music listener wistful for a culture where the juke box still thrived everywhere, from diners to bars and even bowling alleys. These early sides by some of the greatest R&B artists are not to be missed. Brown's "Try Me," drips with so much lonely ache, you want to help him find his woman. Likewise, the lonely sax blowing behind Baker is a response to her every brokenhearted line. Price's "Stagger Lee" is one of the great reads of the song -- whether Greil Marcus likes it or not -- the groove is tight, tough, and it sounds like the unfolding of an epic, and it all happens in two-minutes-and-22 seconds. There's also a smoking version of Wilbert Harrison's stroller "Kansas City." Hank Ballard's "The Twist" is rawer than the Chubby Checker version, which is why the latter was probably the hit. There isn't a track on this monster that doesn't shimmy, shake, or groove, and you need it. Period." Jurek, AMG