2007 JULY 9 #190
Dave Gardner
MP3:
1. White Silver Sands (2:46)
(A-Side of OJ Records 45 #1002 - released in 1957)
2. Fat Charlie (2:23)
(A-Side of OJ Records 45 #1002 - released in 1957)
3. Love Is My Business (2:19)
(A-Side of OJ Records 45 #1006 - released in 1957)
4. Mad Witch (2:35)
(B-Side of OJ Records 45 #1006 - released in 1957)
Beloved Southern entertainer Bro. Dave Gardner (1926-1983) had a style that lay somewhere between Andy Griffith and Lenny Bruce. He is best remembered for a series of hit comedy albums released by RCA Victor from 1959 through 1963, but his first recordings were as a singer on these four sides cut for Memphis-based OJ Records in 1957. This very recording of "White Silver Sands" actually cracked the Billboard Top 40, and the song stayed in Dave's stand-up act right up to the end, though the real gem here is the strange minor-key romp "Mad Witch" in which our protagonist is made to play horsey with the Devil's red wife. To my knowledge, except for "Mad Witch" which has been reissued on a couple of obscure European rockabilly compilations, these tracks have been unavailable for close to half a century.
The first four RCA albums have been issued on CD by all-comedy label Laugh.com which is also now distributing a DVD of one of Bro. Dave's last live performances.
- Contributed by: Perry Amberson
Images: A-Side #1002, B-Side #1002, A-Side #1006, B-Side #1006
