Salty Dog Blues - Flat & Scruggs

Salty Dog Blues - Flat & Scruggs

2:27

single, 1950

traditional

I know this song from Blind Willie McTell's version.  Apparently someone named Zeke Morris claimed he wrote it; it had been recorded before the Morris Brothers, but perhaps he wrote the specific lyrics that Flatt & Scruggs sing here.  "Standing on the corner with the lowdown blues / A great big hole in the bottom of my shoes."  The hillbilly lyric and rapid-fire fingerpicking make this a catchy, light romp worth revisiting.

I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine - Dean Martin

I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine - Dean Martin
1:57
single, 1950
Written by Mack David, 1949

This is a funny, playful song about how the narrator prefers the night time because that's when he gets to smooch his baby.  "I don't care if the sun don't shine / I get my loving in the evening time when I'm / With my baby."  It's a perfect song for Dean's carefree, swinging pubic persona.  His smooth, easy croon blends nicely with the big band and Dixie horns.  Fun fact: this song was written for the film Cinderella, but wasn't used in it.  Which makes sense, because it's just a shade risqué and doesn't really fit with the Disneyfied fairy tale tone of the film.

Orange Colored Sky - Nat King Cole

Orange Colored Sky - Nat King Cole

2:34

single, 1950

Written by Milton Delugg and Willie Stein

In this song, the narrator is struck, quite literally, with love, as if by an epiphany, yea, like unto Saul on the road to Damascus."I was walking along, minding my business / when love came and hit me in the eye / Flash! Bam! Alakazam! / Out of an orange colored sky."  The song doesn't mention anything about the object of his affections.  Does he like her walk, her talk, her light brown hair, jeepers creepers, her peepers?  This is like Homer deliberately not describing Helen of Troy so the listener can use his imagination.

Pink Cadillac - Paul Bascomb

Pink Cadillac - Paul Bascomb

2:23

single, 1950

Written by Paul Bascomb

A slick swing-blues number à la Louis Jordan, with hot sax licks in between real cool half-spoken lyrics: "I might look funny but I got plenty loot / I got enough to make an elephant a swagger suit."  And "Keep cool / You fool / I know the Golden Rule / I got this money / From a gal named Honey." The man wants a car, and insists it must be pink!  For those who like the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, this here is the original.  (Note, online there are several sources that say this was released in 1960, but I think it's more likely 1950.)