Record #0827: Birth of the Boogie / Mambo Rock – BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS

Rhythm BM 5405 (original) UK Finland, 1955 (around summer)
Words & Music by:  Side A – Bill Haley, Billy Williamson, Johnny Grande; Side B – Bix Reichner, Mildred Phillips, Jimmy Ayre
Musicians: Bill Haley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Franny Beecher (lead guitar), Al Rex (upright bass), Billy Williamson (steel guitar), Joey Ambrose (tenor sax), Johnny Grande (piano), Billy Gussak (drums), Dick Richards (tom-toms)
Recording sessions: Produced by Milt Gabler at Decca Studios, Pythian Temple, New York, NY on 5. January 1955
Highest chart positions: (Finland, none) Side A – US #26, Australia #14; Side B – US #18, UK #14

When this was released, rock’n’roll was still fairly unknown genre in Finland. The reception in local newspapers and magazines was highly critical and bewildered. This music was considered an eccentric gimmick or noisy, cacophonous jazz that would be just a passing trend. Well, little did they know. 😊

The record wasn’t a commercial success. The movie “The Blackboard Jungle” premiered in Finland in November 1955. After that, things started happening.

List price: Not listed and no selling history in eBay. Estimated market value for a VG+ would be about €15-€25.

 

Record #0826: See You Later, Alligator / The Paper Boy (on Main Street U.S.A.) – BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS

Decca BM 05530 (original, 1^st pressing) UK export, February 1956
Words & Music by:  Side A – Robert Guidry; Side B – Bill Haley, Catherine Cafra
Musicians: Bill Haley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Franny Beecher (lead guitar), Al Rex (upright bass), Billy Williamson (steel guitar), Rudy Pompilli (tenor sax), Johnny Grande (piano), Ralph Jones (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by Milt Gabler at Decca Studios, Pythian Temple, New York, NY on 12. December 1955
Highest chart positions: Finland #6, US #6, US R&B #7, UK #7 (the single entered the UK chart on 10. March 1956)

I’ve posted the original US release here.

The matrix numbers (88995-1 and 88996-1) stamped into the dead wax indicate that this is the first pressing of the record. These were made in England for export only. The ones made for the UK market were under Brunswick label (Brunswick 05530).
These were exported to the continental Europe and especially to the Nordic countries; and this copy ended up in Finland.

List price: No list price could be found. The estimated market value is €25–€50 for a copy in Very Good condition and €100 or more for one in Near Mint condition.