That Ain't Nothing But Right - Mac Curtis

That Ain't Nothing But Right - Mac Curtis

2:14

single, 1956

Written by Jim Shell and Joe Price

The narrator likes holding his woman tight, and if that's wrong, he doesn't want to be right.  He also likes his beer cold, his TV loud, and his homosexuals flaming.  Just kidding; there's nothing in the lyrics that explicitly says this, though it's possibly implied.  "Well, I like my coffee black and strong / I like my auto big and long."  I read that when this Texas rockabilly king was a young lad, a school show he put on "shut down due to sexually suggestive on-stage movements."  Cool!

I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues - Duke Ellington & Teresa Brewer

I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues - Duke Ellington & Teresa Brewer

3:19

It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing, 1973

Written by Duke Ellington and Don George, 1937

This is a smooth, swinging mix of sass and sophistication. Brewer brings a playful, almost flirty vocal — light but expressive, with a bright clarity that never overpowers the groove. Ellington’s band, as ever, is a model of polished looseness: sassy, burlesque horn punches, walking bass, and velvet-slick piano comping.  Rather than wallowing in melancholy, their version lounges in it with a sly grin: "When trumpets flare up / I keep my hair up / I just can't make it come down." It’s blues filtered through champagne — elegant, urbane, and slyly tongue-in-cheek. A meeting of jazz royalty and pop charm that goes down easy but leaves a lasting impression of the talent behind the magic.

Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash - The Clovers

Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash - The Clovers

2:57

single, 1954

Written by Charles Calhoun

High-spirited R&B with a sax break.  Not quite doo-wop, but with a lot of "ooh-ooh" background vocals.  The narrator of this song is the ultimate sad sack for whom life reserves all of its heaviest blows.  He flashes a wad of dough at a fine chick, but she's not impressed.  He tries to buy a Cadillac, but can't haggle with the dealer.  He gets robbed and goes to jail for public intoxication.  At the end all he has is "a buffalo" (as in the nickel).  He can't catch a break!  But does he conclude from this that money is the root of all evil?  No.  "Your cash ain't nothin' but trash / But I'm sure gonna get me some more."

Ain't Nothin' But a House Party - The Showstoppers

Ain't Nothin' But a House Party - The Showstoppers

2:38

single, 1967

Written by Del Sharh and Joseph Thomas

This song is sometimes listed as "...Houseparty," one word, and the band itself is sometimes credited as the Show Stoppers, two words.  The vinyl single's label lists the titular party as two words.  Anyhoo, this is a pretty good slice of late '60s soul.  It's got a little funk, and you can see where disco is starting to raise its shiny head.  Did the Castaways copy the rising riff on their 1968 hit "Liar Liar?"  They sound similar to me.

Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around the World) - Little Milton

Grits Ain't Groceries - Little Milton

2:39

Grits Ain't Groceries, 1969

Written by Titus Turner, 1955

Little Willie John released this song in 1955 as "All Around the World."  In it, the narrator professes his love for a girl and gets all Sonnet 116 on us, saying, "Well, if I don't love you baby, I tell ya / Grits ain't grocery / Eggs ain't poultry / And Mona Lisa was a man."  Over shimmering guitar, and muscular drum beat, and blaring horns, Little Milton booms his message out.  It's a masterclass of emotive soul and funk.  The verses are brash, heroic declarations of love and redemption.  Milton's willing to dig a ditch with a toothpick and search the world with blistered feet to win back his woman. In just under three minutes, we get a full arc: boastful devotion, desperate longing, and a confession of past sins from a man who's lost it all, but won't lose her again.

Mama Talk To Your Daughter - J.B. Lenoir

Mama Talk To Your Daughter - J.B. Lenoir

2:22

single, 1955

Written by J.B. Lenoir

The single title was issued spelled as "Mamma," and Lenoir's name was spelled as "Lenore," but I think the spellings here are more standard.  I never heard of this Chicago blues musician; his high-pitched voice made me think it was a woman singing, but that's just his style.  In this song, the narrator tells the titular mama that he loves her daughter, whether that girl likes it or not: "Mama, mama please talk to your daughter 'bout me / She had made me love her and I ain′t gonna leave her be."  Then he gets rough: "Yeah, she don't want me around, she sleep six feet in the ground."  Well that's not nice!  If that weren't enough to put me off, the title is repeated about 12 times in lieu of lyrics.

Mama Get Your Hammer - Bobby Peterson Quintet

Mama Get Your Hammer - Bobby Peterson Quintet

2:00

single, 1961

Written by Bobby Peterson, Joe Pyatt, Emmett Simmons

Know mostly as a novelty polka by Homer & Jethro, this original version is a rollicking piano boogie with buzzing horns and an urgent, shouting, growling vocal.  The titular mama is urged to get the hammer to squash an invading fly.  Peterson is concerned: "there's a fly on the baby's head" (Homer and Jethro changed it to "Daddy's head").  It's a throwaway lyric, but a the music is fun R&B rock.

Mama Don't Like My Man - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Mama Don't Like My Man - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

2:30

I Learned the Hard Way, 2010

Written by Bosco Mann

Mama disapproves, but the love is real.  A stripped-down, mid-tempo soul ballad deliberately evocative of the '60s beat.  Built on little more than brushed drums, a few warm guitar chords, and a bluesy upright bass, the song gives Sharon Jones the perfect space to pour out her aching, gospel-drenched vocals. Her delivery is raw but tender, not brassy or defiant; there's a quiet resistance mixed with sorrow.  

Mama Didn't Lie - Jan Bradley

Mama Didn't Lie - Jan Bradley

2:04

single, 1963

Written by Curtis Mayfield

The narrator of this song know what boys are like.  They're all trying to get a girl, just for kicks, not for love.  "The greatest pastime / In this man's world / Is playing tricks / On every young girl."  But not this one!  Her mama warned her about wolves in boys' clothing.  The vibe is '60s girl-group R&B pop, but the message is modern and relevant.  I like that syncopated rhythm section, and Bradley's terrific vocal strikes a balance between sweetness and quiet defiance.

Mama Don't Allow It - The Boswell Sisters

Mama Don't Allow It - The Boswell Sisters

2:47

single, 1936

Written by Cow Cow Davenport, more or less

I know this swing song from the incredible Julia Lee version, which unfortunately isn't available on Spotify.  This version, like Lee's, calls out specific instruments, followed by showcase solos by the players of the named instruments.  The Boswell singers are not as bold and brassy as Lee, and this is a decent ragtime rendition but nothing special.  (It's quite possible this is a Connie Boswell solo release, but info on the web is contradictory.)