MUSIC OR DIE #4–Louis Prima, "The Wildest!" (1956)

You do you, honey

Part 4 of my 1000+ part series. 
(For info on that, clickety-click-click)

In which I continue to review things I know nothing about, this time with a swingin' jazz soundtrack. So wild!

TL;DR:
If you appreciate ravioli, gigolos, and pies, then know that THIS IS SO FUN LISTEN TO THIS RIGHT NOW

More below The Cut>>>

The songs:

1.) Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody
Oh my gosh, this medley. Any song where the backing vocals just repeat the word "gigolo" over and over and over is a winner in my book. The vocals are great, as are the trumpets and just the song as a whole. "So lonely/so lonely/so lonely", he practically laughs out. The last minute or so is just an extended epic call and response. Amazing.

Get out.

2.) Nothing's Too Good For My Baby
Keely Smith's vocals figure prominently here, and how lovely they are, especially as a counterpoint to Prima's. The way they say "sssssugar baby" before they proclaim that "just for you I'd learn to bake a pie" is precious.

What am I even doing?

3.) The Lip
"Man alive", take that bass line for a walk! It's self-aware humor here that sings about a great trumpet player and the secrets to his skill. Who is this trumpet player? Perhaps "Lip-erace"? (this is an actual joke in the song i couldn't make this stuff up)

I am so happy that they provided me with the opportunity to use this picture.

Great dialogue and play-arguing, with lines like, "I'll tell you, hon, I read a little bit, but not enough to hurt me none".
Yip-yip-yip-yip!

4.) Body and Soul
And this is where we take it down real easy-like. It's an instrumental track dominated by horn that seems like fairly standard fare, until the tempo makes an abrupt shift at just over the one minute mark, picking up steam. It changes yet again at the 2:20 mark or so, with a shout out to "In the Hall of the Mountain King" or something very much like it. I don't know much about jazz, but this kept me on my toes, which I always like.

5.) Oh Marie
Louis Prima's vocals are back, echoed by male backing vocals. He calls out the saxophonist, asking "Hey, whatsa matter with you?" Again, it is a light-hearted with a great improvisational feel. They sound like they're having fun, which makes you have fun.  A great end to Side One.

6.) Basin Street Blues / It's Sleepy Time Down South
Side Two opens with another medley, now taking us to New Orleans. The latter of the two was most famously done by fellow Louis, Louis Armstrong, though Prima mixes it up well by pairing it with "Basin Street Blues".

7.) Jump, Jive, an' Wail
Oh myyyy. As far as I know, this is the only song on the album penned by Prima himself, and double entendres abound. Wail away, with my blessing.

8.) Buona Sera
This song pays homage to Prima's Italian roots, with a farewell to Napoli. It really starts going about a minute in, once he starts to scat and the tempo picks up again. It's a charming song.

9.) Night Train

....anybody? Anybody?

No, disappointingly this is not an early version of the GnR classic. It's a pretty slow-paced instrumental. It's not really my thing, but it's sultry and appealing in its own way.

10.) (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You
The title alone would be enough to make this album closer phenomenal. "When you're dead and in your grave/No more ravioli will you crave/I'll be glad when you're dead/You rascal you." That sums up the song for me. Apparently it's a song calling out a man who stole the singer's girl...I've never heard of women being compared to "ravioli" before, so that's, um....new and exciting?
But yes to this. All of this.

All hail this

FINAL THOUGHTS:
OK, so I'm most definitely not the first to think this, but I couldn't help but be reminded of Louis Armstrong throughout, from Louis Prima's voice to his trumpet solos. Still, this album stands strong on its own merits. It's so joyous and just a lot of fun, particularly Side One. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which I very much appreciate. I will most definitely listen to this album again.

Personal standout tracks:
"Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody", "The Lip", "Oh Marie", "Buona Sera", "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You"