Recorded by Basie

This is a songbook of tunes recorded by the Count Basie band back in the 1950's. It's from the same estate sale as 52nd Street Theme. I won't bore anyone with the story right now.

The book contains lead sheets to 23 songs written by the likes of Quincy Jones, Frank Foster and Ernie Wilkins. The text in the photo is almost readable, but here's a list anyway:

Basie's Back in Town Basie Talks Big Red Down For the Count Sixteen Men Swinging The Blues Done Come Back Stereophonic Shiny Stockin's Blues Back Stage The Midnite Sun Will Never Set For Lena and Lenny Basie Goes Wess Blues Go Away I Need's to be Bee'd With She's Just My Size Jessica's Day Meet Benny Bailey Bootsie Lady in Lace Bread Did'n You Magic Blues For the Count and Oscar

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Smack Up

I figured I might as well post the A-side of the record as well. The photo is just a reminder that "Smack Up", though more well known as an Art Pepper recording, was written and first recorded by Harold Land.

Thinking about it, it seems interesting that these drug-related songs are so darned cheerful. We've been conditioned, I think, to expect any song about heroin to be really heavy ("God Damn the pusher man...", "Men die for that spoonful..." and so on). But "Smack Up" is a really happy tune. The songs from "The Connection" are also downright cheery.

This one is from my "House Advantage (Fake) Book" also.

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