Search - Julia Lee :: Snatch & Grab It: The Essential Julia Lee

Queen Of Risque R&B

07/31/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This import CD, which captures the best offerings of Julia Lee And Her Boyfriends [Dave Cavanaugh on tenor sax and the great Benny Carter on alto sax, among others], amply demonstrates why she was regarded in many quarters as the "Queen of Risque R&B."



Born in 1902 in Boonville, Missouri, she took to the stage at age four with her father's band, and from 1920 to 1933 was a featured performer with her brother George E. Lee's orchestra. Her earliest known recordings date from 1927 on the Merritt label, but she really came into her own in 1944 when she formed her own group.



After securing a contract with Capitol, she hit the charts for the first time in 1946 with Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got which made to # 3 b/w Lies on what then passed for the R&B charts {Most-Played Juke Box Race Records]. She followed that up in early 1947 with the # 5 I'll Get Along Somehow b/w Young Girl's Blues. Not one of those four sides is included here.



Later in 1947, the smash (Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch And Grab It [track 7] made it to # 1 and held that spot for TWELVE weeks b/w I Was Wrong [track 11], and the A-side also became her first Pop crossover, reaching # 24. That also was the case with her first hit in 1948 when King Size Papa peaked at # 1 R&B, where it stayed for NINE weeks, and # 15 Pop b/w When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) - not here. Three more hits followed in 1948, That's What I Like [# 6 R&B - track 12] b/w Crazy World (not here), Tell Me, Daddy [# 9 R&B) b/w (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along - neither side included here, and Christmas Spirits [# 14 R&B - track 15] b/w Charmaine [not here].



Her final three charters came in 1949, beginning with I Didn't Like It The First Time (The Spinach Song) which topped out at # 4 R&B and # 29 Pop (track 14) b/w Sit Down And Drink It Over (not here), followed by Tonight's The Night [# 13 R&B - track 16] b/w After Hours Waltz (not here) and You Ain't Got It No More [# 9 R&B - track 22) b/w Oh Chuck It (In A Bucket) - not included here.



Julia, who died of a heart attack at age 56 on December 8, 1958, is not as well known today as some of her more famous contemporaries who sang similar songs [e.g., Dinah Washington], but for a time there she certainly ranked with the best.



A decent enough collection from the folks at Epm Musique, but I had to deduct 2 stars due to the missing hits and all those great flipsides."