Search - Nappy Brown :: Don't Be Angry!

So-So Collection Of Nappy Brown's Best

09/01/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know who "Kelly Owens" is (the name currently appearing below the album title above), but believe me, this is Nappy Brown.



Having cleared that up, let me add that most of the songs offered here are pretty weak efforts, many of them failing as single releases. His first was, of course, his best. The bouncy Don't Be Angry made it to # 2 R&B and # 25 Billboard Pop Top 100 in May 1955 b/w the soulful It's Really You on which Nappy, backed by Howard Biggs & His Orchestra, screams and wails much like Clyde McPhatter did on The Bells in 1953 while with The Dominoes.



For my money I much preferred The Crew Cuts' interpretation of Don't Be Angry on Mercury which made it to # 14 Hot 100 at the same time. The Biggs band was also there on his second hit that year, Pitter Patter [# 10 R&B but shut out on the pop charts] b/w There'll Come A Day, neither of which is included here. When nothing else worked over the next two years Savoy released Little By Little, recorded in 1955 with The Zippers Quartet, which topped out at # 57 Top 100 in January 1957 b/w another soulful entry from the same album, I'm Getting Lonesome. But this time it couldn't crack the R&B charts! Both sides are here.



Late in 1958 Nappy scored again, this time backed by Teacho Wiltshire's Orchestra, with It Don't Hurt No More which made both charts, going to # 8 R&B and # 89 Top 100 in December b/w My Baby (neither includede here). Then, a year later, would come his final charter, I Cried Like A Baby, which was actually recorded back in 1956 with the Kelly Owens Orchestra, and when finally released only scored on the R&B charts, going to # 22 b/w So Deep (the B-side is omitted here).



Later Nappy would return to his gospel roots with The Bell Jubilee Singers for the Jewel label. What we need is a Rhino or Ace treatment of his hit singles and their B-sides."