-Bear Family Records® provides the first comprehensive overview of the decisive years (1955-1966) in the career of a unique musician and songwriter: Bobby Charles.
-Double CD featuring his early ballads from southern Louisiana and his Chess recordings of New Orleans rock & roll, plus additional tunes for Jewel, Paula, and Hub City.
-Swamp Pop - created at a time when that term was not yet common.
-He wrote Walking To New Orleans, Four Winds and What A Party for Fats Domino - we provide Bobby's own versions.
-Detailed biography and session information by Bill Dahl.
-Carefully processed recordings and an extensive illustrated booklet, as is customary with Bear Family releases.

Long before the term 'swamp pop' was coined, Bobby Charles was one of the idiom's primary architects, writing and recording the prototypical mid-'50s South Louisiana ballads On Bended Knee, Why Did You Leave, and Why Can't You. He was also a dedicated New Orleans rock and roller whose sizable output for Chess Records included the original Later Alligator and the Crescent City scorchers Take It Easy Greasy, Laura Lee, and No Use Knocking.
No less than 65 of Bobby's bayou-bred gems for Chess, Imperial, and Jewel/Paula constitute Bear Family Records®' double CD 'What A Party - The Complete Recordings 1955-66', easily the most comprehensive overview of Charles' career ever compiled.
A prolific composer in addition to his recording exploits, Robert Charles Guidry was the first swamp rocker to emerge from The Big Easy, his easy-going vocal approach exhibiting Fats Domino's influence. They both recorded Four Winds and What A Party for Imperial; this set also includes Bobby's own reading of Walking To New Orleans, a massive hit for Fats.
Charles' romping '65 rendition of Jimmy McCracklin's The Walk is here too, along with a handful of rarities new to CD. It all adds up to a deluxe tribute to a south Louisiana treasure who deserved a much higher profile.

Track Listing

• Later Alligator
• On Bended Knee (false start)
• On Bended Knee
• Hey Good Lookin' (unissued)
• Why Did You Leave
• Don't You Know I Love You
• Watch It, Sprocket
• Time Will Tell
• Take It Easy, Greasy
• Laura Lee
• No Use Knocking
• Why Can't You
• Ain't Got No Home
• No More (I Ain't Gonna Do It No More)
• You Can Suit Yourself
• Put Your Arms Around Me Honey
• Lonely Street
• Mr. Moon
• I'm A Fool To Care
• Over Yonder
• I'll Turn Square For You
• One Eyed Jack
• Yea Yea Baby (Yeah, Yeah)
• Good Lovin'
• Your Picture
• Oh Yeah
• Since I Lost You
• At The Jamboree
• Since She's Gone
• Bye Bye Baby
• What Can I Do
• The Town Is Talking
• Nothing Sweet As You
• Four Winds
• Those Eyes

• What A Party
• I Just Want You
• Teenagers
• Tell Me Baby
• I'd Like To Know
• Lovesick Blues
• Everybody's Laughing
• Everyone Knows
• Goodnite Irene
• I Hope
• I Hope (undubbed)
• Preacher's Daughter
• Preacher's Daughter (alt. Take)
• Ain't Misbehavin'
• Oh Lonesome Me (Jewel)
• Oh Lonesome Me (alt. Stereo Mix)
• One More Glass Of Wine
• One More Glass Of Wine (alt. Stereo Mix)
• Worrying Over You
• The Walk
• The Walk (alt. Stereo Mix)
• The Jealous Kind (unissued)
• Cross My Heart (unissued)
• Who's Sorry Now (unissued)
• Walking To New Orleans (unissued)
• See You Later Alligator (unissued)
• Big Boys Cry
• You Made Me Love You
• Sometimes
• 24 Hours

Additional Details

Label: Bear Family Records

Genre: Pop/Rock

Run Time: 155:00 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 12/31/24

UPC: 4000127176967