This is an odd one.
It's not an LP, it's a 12" EP.
It was put together for a record executive who wanted an album of some of his favourite 1950's songs.
The breakout song was a crooner done by a rock 'n' roll singer who feared it would ruin his career.
It's called Volume One but if you're looking for Volume Two, don't hold your breath.
It was released on Es Paranza Records, a boutique label used only for Robert Plant solo recordings.
That last one gives a clue to who the Honeydrippers were, or at least one of them. Robert Plant used a few of his mates as a pickup band on occasion and so when he was approached to do this album he pulled together Led Zepp's Jimmy Page, ex Yardbird Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers the co-founder of Chic and Paul Shaffer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and David Letterman musical director.
Five tracks giving a very small window into the 50's but on the whole performed faithfully by some of the biggest names of the 60's, 70's and 80's.
As mentioned above, the #1 hit was 'Sea of Love' and proved to be Robert Plant's biggest selling single. He was pretty much mortified fearing that people would think of him as a crooner and not a rock and roller. Originally the single was released with the faster 'Rockin' at Midnight' on the A-side but the radio stations were playing 'Sea ..' more than 'Rockin'..' so it was issued with the sides reversed.
'I Get a Thrill' starts the first side off with a classic 50's feel. Doo-wop style background, instrumental middle break and coming in at 2:40 to fit the format.
'Sea of Love' swirls in with violins and atmosphere, then ...
'I Got a Woman', the Ray Charles standard is a good rollocking swingalong, firing on all cylinders.
'Young Boy Blues' starts like so many other 50's half-song half-speech heart-wrenching weepies. Achy-breaky hearts, make believe kisses and so lost and lonely since losing you stuff. Mandatory for any self-respecting 50's collection.
The EP ends with 'Rockin' at Midnight' based on Roy Brown's 1947 jump blues song 'Good Rocking Tonight'. It's a fitting end to a short burst of recordings, seemingly done more for fun than anything else. It was never repeated or extended or built upon, so for it's unique take on some great songs this deserves to have a place on the shelf.
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