This late-50s reissue on the Audio Lab label brings together King singles from two singers whose specialty was sexual suggestion.
The more well known is April Stevens, who had a few big pop hits with her brother Nino Tempo in the mid-60s, notably "Deep Purple," with April's breathy recitation of the lyrics among its many attractions.
April had been making records as far back as 1950, for the Laurel and Society labels, the latter of which dubbed her "the girl with the sexy voice." If you believe Wikipedia (and who doesn't), Stevens would have been 14 when she started recording, which seems unlikely considering her repertoire and approach. Census records indicate that she (real name Carol LoTiempo) was actually born in 1929.
Stevens had little success on the charts until moving to RCA Victor in 1951. RCA's Henri René backed her on a version of the Cole Porter tune "I'm In Love Again." With April's steamy vocals and René's throbbing arrangement, it became a hit. She went on to make 12 sides for RCA in 1951-52, but none of the others repeated the success of "I'm in Love Again." In addition to the Audio Lab LP, this post includes the hit along with a coupling of "I Like to Talk to Myself" and "That Naughty Waltz" (which is a waltz, but is in no way naughty). In the former song, April's approach is distinctly reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. As far as I can tell, though, the latter siren did not begin singing until the 1953 film
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, so I wonder just how much April influenced Monroe's style.
 |
| April Stevens: one hot tamale |
After RCA, Stevens went to King records in 1953 for six songs, which are collected on the Audio Lab reisssue. Some of these are similar to the RCA recordings, although not nearly as well produced. She also ventures into double entendre with such items as "Hot Tamale," in which she offers her one hot tamale for a peso, to the noisy appreciation of the band.
April was next heard from in 1959, when she again hit the charts, this time for Imperial records, with a version of "Teach Me Tiger." I suspect the success of that song led to this Audio Lab release.
 |
| From a 1949 brassiere ad |
King filled out the Audio Lab LP with four 1951 songs from cabaret artist Margaret Phelan. (King calls her "Marge Phelan" on the cover, although she never went by that name, as far as I can tell.) Phelan was a singer and actress who by the late 1940s was appearing in some of the top hotels - Waldorf-Astoria, St. Regis, Palmer House. In her act, she would start off with semi-classics and pop tunes, establishing a ladylike demeanor, then move into mildly risque material, which was unusual for the time. According to her reviews, the contract of her good looks and classy appearance with questionable material went over very well with the audiences.
These 1951 King recordings give us a clue to her repertoire. First, she tells us "I Want a Man" who "won't believe me when I tell him no-no." You can probably figure out the intent behind "Don't Try to Take It with You When You Go."
In 1952, Phelan complained that Pearl Bailey was stealing her repertoire. Hard to know if that is true or not, but the composer who did two of the numbers here (Evelyne Love Cooper) later wrote songs with Bailey's husband, Louis Bellson. While Bailey was a much more distinctive singer and personality that Phelan, it's possible that the influence was there. Phelan got married and apparently retired in 1953.
