Following the success of Yakety Sax there was a rush to capitalize on Boots' moment in the spotlight and so some compilations were thrown together. Allmusic.com has a nice breakdown on how this album came together. The review isn't so much a review of the music as much as it is a review of how the thing was slapped together.I like this record. It is early Boots and has some fun numbers.
"Big Daddy" is a song that isn't even an instrumental. It's a carefree number about Big Daddy who is running from just about everyone in town and is heading to Alabama. Boots' sax works well with this running theme. Think about how Benny Hill used Yakety Sax.
"Teach Me Tonight" is essentially an instrumental. There are some "ooh ahh" singers in there, but they're just that, "ooh ahh" singers. The song is a pleasant mood setter that kind of really lays in there toward the end. So don't give up on it. Stick around until the big finish.
"After You've Gone" is a speedy little number that sizzles. Again the "ooh ahh's" fill in the background.
"So Rare" is fine. Nothing super special, but not offensive.
"Sleep" is a nice loungy easy listening number. Not very country at all. In fact it's not. I think it could fit in on any cocktail compilation. Those "Ooh Ahh" singers kick it into that category solidly. Here they actually have some lyrics to sings. I like this one a lot.
"The Battle Of New Orleans" is a classic song. I have an album of Johhy Horton singing this song and I love it. This has the same infectious quality, but with the Boots signature sax. Another gem in my opinion.
"La Golondrina" is a nice romantic number. Slow and sensuous. It's nice mood music over a quiet dinner.
Then there is the requisite appearance of "Yakety Sax". I find it funny how the song is buried on side 2. I wonder what the thinking was behind this. Whatever the reason, the song livens things up.
"Sleep Walk" is a great surfy song. It could fit in on a surfy compilation I think. It is beautiful. Definitely another highlight of the record.
"Bongo Band" is a novelty type number with back up singers singing "Bong band" and "Bongo Bong bongo band". Again this isn't an instrumental. There is actually some guy singing on here. I'm sure it isn't boots, but I don't know who it is. I'm sure the idea here was to capitalize on some bongo fad that was probably happening at the time. I don't know that for sure, but the lyrics are so cheesy it just smells of opportunistic exploitation. Have a listen and let me know what you think. With that said, 40 some odd years later the song has a kitschy charm to it.
So join me in going back to the early days of Boots Randolph with this early comp.
Enjoy!
01 Big Daddy.m4a
02 Teach Me Tonight.m4a
03 After You've Gone.m4a
04 So Rare.m4a
05 Sleep.m4a
06 The Battle Of New Orleans.m4a
07 La Golondrina.m4a
08 Yakety Sax.m4a
09 Sleep Walk.m4a
10 Bongo Band.m4a
The Yakin' Sax Man.zip
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