Rhino’s 1990 Best-of is likely the choicest collection of Gary “U.S” Bonds’ ’60s hits. As a Tidewater native, I carry a candle for this guy. I’m also fascinated with the bizarre way that the Norfolk R&B Sound, pioneered by Bonds’ producer/manager, Frank Guida & his house band, The Church Street Five, demonstrates such a strong affinity for West Indian Calypso. No doubt, Harry Belafonte’s Caribbean sound was a hot-selling revelation for American audiences at the time. Bonds’ 2nd LP was even called Twist Up Calypso (1962). While a little odd, theirs was an adaptive formula that worked for making fresh, upbeat party records for the 60’s American Bandstand set.
One song- School Is In- is my son Amos’ favorite thing in the entire universe. I have played this 45 so many times that the sound must be stuck to my walls. Man, he just loves it:
Some trivia: A censored version of Not Me became a hit for The Orlons in 1963. Also, Frank Guida claimed that Dion’s Runaround Sue was a rip-off of Quarter To Three.
1 New Orleans
2 Take Me Back to New Orleans
3 Quarter to Three
4 No More Homework
5 School Is Out
6 School Is In
7 Dear Lady Twist
8 Twist, Twist Senora
9 Havin’ So Much Fun
10 Do the Bumpsie
11 Perdido (Parts 1 and 2)
12 Seven Day Weekend
13 Soul Food
14 Copy Cat
15 I Wanna Holler (But the Town’s Too Small)
16 Lover’s Moon
17 Not Me
18 Where Did the Naughty Little Girl Go