Lawdy Miss Clawdy

Personnel: Lloyd Price (vocals).
This British import rounds up 16 of the sides Lloyd Price recorded for Specialty between 1952 and 1956 (digitally transferred from the original master and session tapes). The title track wasn't just his biggest hit for the L.A. label, but the first thing he ever recorded. For those who haven't heard it, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," an original composition (covered by Elvis Presley a few years later), is more Fats Domino -- who plays piano on it -- than Little Richard or Chuck Berry, who tended to dance to the beat of a faster drummer. In other words, R&B with the accent more on the B (blues) than the R (rhythm). Price, who is sometimes referred to as "Mr. Personality" (after his 1959 hit "Personality") is a rough and ready vocalist on these early recordings. In place of polish and finesse, he offers grit, soul, and an infectious sense of fun as on vendor's lament "Frog Legs" or the call-and-response "What's the Matter Now." The collection also includes his second single, "Restless Heart," which is virtually a rewrite of the first (pleading tone, stride piano, and all). The other sides allow him to stretch his wings a little more, although "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" remains Price at his youthful best. Ray Topping provided the informative liner notes. ~ Kathleen C. Fennessy