And from the same year, although recorded (in mono) in 1956, please enjoy -- if you can -- the (to my ears) downright creepy original version by The Sparks of Rhythm.
Seriously -- the Sparks record sounds like the lead singer is a stalker or something; he's got the kind of voice I always imagined Rondo Hatton would have had. It's just deeply disturbing and weird, although I'll grant you perhaps I'm missing the joke.
[h/t Steve Dworkin]
That is strange. Maybe they were trying for a "Sixty Minute Man" kind of thing, and, well, missed it.
ReplyDeleteDownright creepy nails it exactly. I think I'm gonna go take another shower.
ReplyDeleteYou say deeply disturbing and weird like it's a bad thing;>
ReplyDeleteThis is a great arrangement. I can imagine Tom Waits doing it completely unaltered.
Jimmy Jones was in the Sparks of Rhythm. He left before they recorded "Handy Man" - lead on that was Andrew Barksdale.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, sir. Jones also co-wrote the song with Otis Blackwell, if memory serves...
ReplyDeleteOtis, my man!
ReplyDeleteYep - I've got a version of him doing it live backed by the Smithereens.
It's the singer not the song, that makes the music move along. - Pete
ReplyDeleteTrey
This sounds like Jimmy Ricks of the Ravens (after ingesting a quart of STP fuel treatment)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlMhnzuuJLM