Julia Lee - King Size Papa: The Julia Lee Collection 1927-52 / it is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1902, pianist and singer Julia Lee grew up singing and playing in the musical hotbed of that city's jazz scene in the '20s and '30s, developing a style that featured "the songs my mother taught me not to sing" - risqué material with unsubtle double entendres - and in 1944 signed to the fledgling, but already successful Capitol label. This great-value 72-track 3-CD collection comprises early recordings with the orchestra of her brother George Lee and then with Jay McShann, followed by most of her A & B sides with Her Boy Friends on Premier/Mercury and Capitol from this era. It features all her career hits, including her R&B No. 1s "Snatch It And Grab It" and "King Size Papa", and her Top 10 hits "Gotta Gimme Watcha Got", I'll Get Long Somehow", "Tell Me Daddy", "That's What I Like", "You Ain't Git It No More" and "I Didn't Like It The First Time". She was a highly distinctive performer, and hugely entertaining, and this collection, as well as being a substantial and reasonably comprehensive overview of the primary era of her recording career, is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B.
1 (Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch and Grab It
2 I Was Wrong
3 My Sin
4 Doubtful Blues
5 King Size Papa
6 When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You)
7 That's What I Like
8 Crazy World
9 Wise Guys (You're a Wise Guy)
10 All I Ever Do Is Worry
11 Tell Me, Daddy
12 (It Will Have to Do) Until the Real Thing Comes Along
13 Charmaine
14 Christmas Spirits
15 Cold Hearted Daddy
16 Living on the Back Street for You
17 I Didn't Like It the First Time (The Spinach Song)
18 Sit Down and Drink It Over
19 The Glory of Love
20 Take It or Leave It
21 Tonight's the Night
22 After Hours Waltz
23 Oh, Chuck It (In a Bucket)
24 You Ain't Got It No More
- Disc 3 -
1 Draggin' My Heart Around
2 Blues for Someone
3 Don't Save It Too Long
4 Ain't It a Crime?
5 Decent Woman Blues
6 Do You Want It
7 There Goes My Heart
8 Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
9 My Man Stands Out
10 Don't Come Too Soon
11 Pagan Love Song
12 I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
13 Bleeding Heart Blues
14 It Won't Be Long
15 Pipe Dreams (Up on Cloud Nine)
16 Ugly Papa
17 I Know It's Wrong
18 Mama Don't Allow It
19 Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)
20 Scream in the Night
21 If You Hadn't Gone Away (I Wouldn't Be Where I Am)
22 Out in the Cold Again
23 Goin' to Chicago Blues
24 Last Call for Alcohol
Julia Lee - King Size Papa: The Julia Lee Collection 1927-52 / it is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1902, pianist and singer Julia Lee grew up singing and playing in the musical hotbed of that city's jazz scene in the '20s and '30s, developing a style that featured "the songs my mother taught me not to sing" - risqué material with unsubtle double entendres - and in 1944 signed to the fledgling, but already successful Capitol label. This great-value 72-track 3-CD collection comprises early recordings with the orchestra of her brother George Lee and then with Jay McShann, followed by most of her A & B sides with Her Boy Friends on Premier/Mercury and Capitol from this era. It features all her career hits, including her R&B No. 1s "Snatch It And Grab It" and "King Size Papa", and her Top 10 hits "Gotta Gimme Watcha Got", I'll Get Long Somehow", "Tell Me Daddy", "That's What I Like", "You Ain't Git It No More" and "I Didn't Like It The First Time". She was a highly distinctive performer, and hugely entertaining, and this collection, as well as being a substantial and reasonably comprehensive overview of the primary era of her recording career, is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B.
