Thursday, October 13, 2011

Nobody knows....


Big Sam is the artist possibly better known as Big Sambo, real name James Young, who worked for a number of years in the Port Arthur/Beaumont area. He had a good sized hit with his recording of "The Rains Came" [which is one of the cuts you most often hear, the flip-side "At The Party" being the other].

Actually, I should point out that anyone who draws a hard line between Southwestern Louisiana and Southeast Texas has obviously never been to either. Geographically, culturally, they are the same. Ya know, like some imaginary political demarcation makes any difference at all? It takes about an hour to drive from Lake Charles, Louisiana to either Beaumont or Port Arthur, Texas. For some, that's just a daily commute.

Anyway, this is an odd pressing. The original is on Huey Meaux's Tribe label, but apparently Meaux had some kind of arrangement with Major Tom/Jim/Bill Smith [I forget which] in Fort Worth, Texas. Running Bear was owned by the Major, but the Indian head design is lifted straight off of Meaux's Tribe label. As to what was going on here, your guess is as good as mine.

Hope ya'll enjoy....if this isn't a sweet tune, then I don't know what is.

9 comments:

  1. merci beaucoup
    but

    a song by Roy Ames
    produced by Huey Meaux
    pub:Crazy Cajun
    on Major's Running Bear
    ain't that too much for Big Sambo?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good One....Thanks Ana !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anon...Quoi? I'm afraid you've lost me.

    rekkis, or is that rekkids?....Glad you like it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Someone probably owed someone a "favor." Either way I'm sure Big Sambo got the the short end of the deal. Or... maybe if the tune got released twice (once by Big Sambo, once by Big Sam) more money could be made? I love these mysteries.
    Either way a great song.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Running Bear was the original name for the Tribe label. Both were owned by Meaux. I don't think there was any Major Bill involvement.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wired for Sound...thanks for the info. I'm not really doubting you but I'm sure I read that Major Bill was involved. I often get little things wrong but it's not very often that I go into full-on fantasy mode. But ya know, perhaps my original source was wrong. It definitely happens.

    ReplyDelete
  7. hi
    sorry i did'nt want to get you lost
    i just wanna say it was fun to see all thoses
    names ,label,designe etc ... on the same little 45 & it seems like the all story of thoses guys was there

    et merci encore pour toute la musique
    & laissez pas votre papa mangé vous

    ReplyDelete
  8. This blog never ceases to amaze. A million thanks for sharing all this terrific music. The Singing Bones playlist is always the first one I turn to on the iPod when walking my dogs along the beach. Wilf, Hove, UK

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anon....Merci pour l'explication. Je suis content que vous appreciez le blog.

    Wilf...I love it when folks tell me they keep my rips as a separate playlist. Thanks for the kind words.

    ReplyDelete