This fills in one of the gaps on our strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat’s highly popular “America’s Greatest Hits” series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1952. This great value 90-track 4-CD anthology includes, with the exception of certain records which are unavailable for inclusion due to copyright restrictions, just about every record which peaked during the year in the published Top 10 “Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records” and “Most Played Juke Box Rhythm & Blues” charts. It was a fascinating time in R&B, with different strands of the genre creating the musical landscape from which rock ‘n’ roll was already emerging – Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and Fats Domino’s “Goin’ Home” are among the hits featured. There’s the electric Chicago guitar blues of B.B. King and Muddy Waters, doowop groups like The Orioles and The Clovers, sophisticated vocalists like Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald and Percy Mayfield, old-school jump blues from Roy Milton, jazz stars like Johnny Hodges and Illinois Jacquet, pop crossovers like Johnny Ray, and more. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record as well as full discographical and chart information. 1-1 I Got Loaded 2:29 1-2 Cold Cold Heart 3:21 1-3 Weeping And Crying 3:22 1-4 Cry 3:04 1-5 Three OClock Blues 3:01 1-6 Fool, Fool, Fool 2:33 1-7 Best Wishes 2:42 1-8 How Many More Years 2:43 1-9 The Chill Is On 2:46 1-10 Im Gonna Dig Myself A Hole 3:17 1-11 Because Of You 3:13 1-12 Cry Baby 2:50 1-13 Hey Little Girl 3:05 1-14 Seven Long Days 3:03 1-15 Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse) 2:53 1-16 Bar Room Blues 3:02 1-17 Sunset To Dawn 3:11 1-18 Smooth Sailing 3:07 1-19 I Didnt Sleep A Wink Last Night 3:18 1-20 Im In The Mood 3:08 1-21 Baby Please Don’t Go 2:24 1-22 Walkin 2:47 2-1 Booted 3:06 2-2 Wheel Of Fortune 3:02 2-3 The Little White Cloud That Cried 2:16 2-4 Where Are You (Now That I Need You) 3:17 2-5 She Moves Me 2:57 2-6 Give Me Central 209 2:58 2-7 Worry, Worry, Worry 2:16 2-8 Night Train 2:59 2-9 Hard Times 3:10 2-10 Still A Fool 3:18 2-11 Wheel Of Fortune 2:14 2-12 Tell Me Why 2:58 2-13 Wheel Of Fortune 2:51 2-14 Got You On My Mind 2:41 2-15 Thinkin And Drinkin 2:24 2-16 Kissa Me Baby 3:10 2-17 A Pound Of Blues 3:10 2-18 Trouble In Mind 2:50 2-19 Coffee Blues 2:40 2-20 Heavenly Father 2:42 2-21 5-10-15 Hours 3:13 2-22 No More Doggin 2:43 3-1 New Blowtop Blues 2:37 3-2 Sweet Sixteen 2:55 3-3 The Big Question 2:51 3-4 Wind Is Blowing 2:52 3-5 Diane 3:07 3-6 One Mint Julep 2:29 3-7 Middle Of The Night 3:02 3-8 Goin Home 2:11 3-9 Be Anything – Be Mine 3:10 3-10 Moodys Mood For Love 3:02 3-11 So Tired 3:12 3-12 Lawdy Miss Clawdy 2:31 3-13 Kiss Of Fire 2:31 3-14 Im Gonna Play The Honky Tonks 2:41 3-15 Easy, Easy, Baby 2:38 3-16 Mary Jo 2:36 3-17 My Heart’s Desire 2:30 3-18 Ting-A-Ling 3:04 3-19 Call Operator 210 3:06 3-20 I Wonder Where My Baby’s Gone 2:59 3-21 Dont You Cry 2:30 3-22 My Song 3:01 3-23 Call Operator 210 3:06 4-1 Daddy Daddy 2:51 4-2 The Bells Are Ringing 2:26 4-3 Darlin, You Know I Love You 3:05 4-4 Juke 2:43 4-5 Night And Day (I Miss You So) 3:03 4-6 Five Long Years 2:41 4-7 Poor Poor Me 2:13 4-8 Goodbye Baby 2:29 4-9 Restless Heart 2:36 4-10 Oooh, Oooh, Oooh 2:38 4-11 Please Send Her Back To Me 2:52 4-12 My Story 3:12 4-13 Every Day I Have The Blues 2:34 4-14 Rock Me All Night Long 2:46 4-15 Hey, Miss Fannie 2:25 4-16 Port Of Rico 2:44 4-17 I Played The Fool 2:52 4-18 I Don’t Know 3:09 4-19 How Long 2:02 4-20 Sad Hours 3:11 4-21 Im Gone 2:20 4-22 Hey Mrs. Jones 2:54 4-23 Story From My Heart And Soul 2:56
