Sam Sacks Sings!

[janradder]

Sing it Again, Sam! is quite simply, the greatest vocal achievement ever committed to vinyl.  My friend Matt found it years ago at a yard sale and was unable to pass it by after seeing this fantastic cover shot of Sam Sacks.  He made a copy of it for me but, unfortunately, his original was lost to fire some years back.  I don't think I have ever heard anything like it before or since.

Who is Sam Sacks, you ask?  Do you mean to tell me you've never heard of his virtuoso vocalist, often described (on this very record, in fact) as a "singer's singer?"  Just listen to Sam's wonderful rendition of "Ol' Man River" and hear the range in his voice as he reinterprets this classic to truly make it his.  Or how about the amazing version of Neil Sedaka's 50's hit, "Diana."  Of course, Sam also has his temperamental side as most of the greats do which  is evidenced by his irritable insistence in being the one to announce the song titles at the start of "You Too, You Too."  One of the greatest features of this album is that alternate takes are often included, showing how Sam strives to get each song just right as is heard on "That Old Black Magic" and "There's Only One of You."  Nothing of course, can compare to Sam's absolute masterpiece, "Yodel Blues."  Just hearing Sam tear in to chorus, you can help but sing along.  What more can I say about Sam  but "Diddely doo, diddely doo, diddely diddely diddely doo, diddely diddely diddely doo-ooo, diddely diddely doo!"

(To hear the rest of the album, you can visit the WFMU blog.)

Comments

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

What I really wish is that we could read the liner notes. Those were my favorites.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

If you go to the WFMU site, you can click on the photos of the front and back cover and you should be able to read the liner notes. They certainly do help to make this record a masterpiece.

[rsheslin.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I don't think I've ever actually seen the phrase, "The inimitable song stylings of..." on a real album cover before.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

You can't deny that it is inimitable, though.