''Breaking It Up!'' is an album by

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (; December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he ...

, first released in 1958. It features an accompaniment by

Keely Smith Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928The reference work ''The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet'' gives Smith's date of birth as March 9, 1932. – December 16, 2017), professio ...

Background

The end of the big-band era saw Louis Prima switch record labels several times. He eventually formed his own label, Robin Hood Records, to release his own material. His hit ''Oh Babe!'' on his own label rekindled interest in him from major labels, and he signed in 1951 to

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

. Placed under the auspices of

Mitch Miller Mitchell William Miller (July 4, 1911 – July 31, 2010) was an American choral conductor, record producer, record-industry executive, and professional oboist. He was involved in almost all aspects of the industry, particularly as a conductor ...

, the head of

artists and repertoire Artists and repertoire (or A&R for short) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for scouting, financing, and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists and songwriters. It also acts as a l ...

at Columbia, Prima's loose style clashed with Miller's production-conscious manner. The resulting recordings were Prima's combination of Italian shuffle, R&B, and comic novelties, and Miller's staid arrangements. A few of the tracks featured Keely Smith on vocals. Prima left Columbia over a dispute over who would record "

Come On-a My House "Come On-a My House" is a song written by Ross Bagdasarian and William Saroyan and originally released by Rosemary Clooney in 1951. Cousins Bagdasarian, a songwriter, and Saroyan, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, wrote the song while driving a ...

", and returned to recording for his own Robin Hood Records until such time as Capitol revived his recording popularity.

Critical response

Cub Koda Michael John "Cub" Koda (né Uszniewicz; October 1, 1948 – July 1, 2000) was an Americans, American rock and roll musician, songwriter, and critic. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine considered him best known for writing the song "Smokin' in the Boys ...

's AllMusic review calls this release as inferior to much of Prima's other material, but indicates the material is "interesting" with merely "one dud". Ed Kaz of the ''

Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...

'' opined that the package "swings from end to end" and specifically notes Smith's frenetic vocals, which contrasts with her sedate image cultivated later. Kaz also highlights the cover art, considering the art alone to be worthy.

Releases

During his tenure at Columbia Prima released 7 singles, or 14 sides, issued soon after recording. Columbia packaged eleven of these together in LP format (CL 1206), along with the previously unissued recording "Chop Suey, Chow Mein", in 1958 after Prima's Capitol albums became big sellers. The album was first released in digital compact disc format in 1998, with an additional track added.

LP track listing

Side 1

# " Barnacle Bill the Sailor" ( Luther, Robinson, Robison) - 2:25 # "Luigi" (Antonio, Araco, DiLeo) - 2:44 # "Chop Suey, Chow Mein" (White) - 2:39 # "Paul Revere" (Darnell, Shanon, Stillman) - 2:32 # "Eleanor" (

Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 17, 1983), later in life changing his name to Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing ...

, Paone) - 2:04 # "The Bigger the Figure" (Barer, Wilder) - 2:40

Side 2

# "Shepherd Boy" ( Bagdasarian, Carlyle) - 2:33 # "

One Mint Julep "One Mint Julep" is a R&B song, written and composed by Rudy Toombs, that became a 1952 hit for the Clovers. The song has received over 100 cover versions, both with lyrics and as an instrumental. History "One Mint Julep" was recorded on the ...

" (

Rudy Toombs Rudolph Toombs (1914 – November 28, 1962) was an American performer and songwriter. He wrote " Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B song, and other hit songs for her, including " 5-10-15 Hours". He also wrote " One M ...

) - 2:45 # "Basta" (Barer, Gomez, Wilder) - 2:28 # "Chili Sauce" (Kinberg) - 1:54 # "It's Good as New (I Painted It Blue)" (Bernier, Charlap) - 2:14 # "Oh, Marie" (DeCapua, DiCapua,

) - 2:19

CD track listing

# "Eleanor" (

, Paone) - 2:04 # "Shake Hands with Santa Claus" (DeLugg, Hilliard) - 2:27 # "Oooh-Dahdily-Dah" (

) - 2:21 # "Basta" (Barer, Gomez, Wilder) - 2:28 # "The Bigger the Figure" (Barer, Wilder) - 2:40 # "Boney Bones" (DeMare, Eddy,

) - 2:44 # "

" (

) - 2:45 # "Chili Sauce" (Kinberg) - 1:54 # "Oh, Marie" (DeCapua, DiCapua,

) - 2:19 # "Luigi" (Antonio, Araco, DiLeo) - 2:44 # "Paul Revere" (Darnell, Shanon, Stillman) - 2:32 # "It's Good as New (I Painted It Blue)" (Bernier, Charlap) - 2:14 # " Barnacle Bill the Sailor" ( Luther, Robinson, Robison) - 2:25 # "Shepherd Boy" ( Bagdasarian, Carlyle) - 2:33 # "Chop Suey, Chow Mein" (White) - 2:39

CD reissue personnel

*Billy Vera - Liner Notes, Reissue Producer *Lawrence Cohn - Reissue Producer *David Mitson - Mastering, Restoration, Archival Restoration *Tim Morse - Design *Patti Matheny - A&R *Tom Burleigh - Product Manager *Darren Salmieri - A&R *Will Friedwald - Photography, Sessionography

References

{{Authority control 1953 albums Columbia Records albums Louis Prima albums Keely Smith albums Albums produced by Mitch Miller