Martha Raye Sings

Martha Raye, if she is remembered at all these days, is known as acomic actor. But she was a pretty good singer, as well, as this late 40s LP attests.

Martha was a child of vaudevillians and on the stage herself from a very young age. Later on she became a band singer, and even made a few records in the 1930s before she broke into films.

She handles a variety of material here - the usual ballads, one nondescript piece by music director Phil Moore, and even Lotus Land. Then there is Ooh, Dr. Kinsey, inspired (if that is the right word) by the Kinsey Report on male sexuality, which came out in 1948 and was quite a sensation. This is a somewhat suggestive blues number. I've read that it sold a half million copies, but I think that's highly unlikely.

Discovery Records spent some money on this production - it has strings and all, even though Phil Moore's boppish arrangements are not very compatible with Raye's style, which is something like Mildred Bailey's.