Prison Worksongs Recorded at Angola Prison in Louisiana.   A Folkways field recording.   Collected by Harry Oster.

(50 votes, average: 3.84 out of 5)

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“Li’l Abner Fo Chillun” Created and illustrated by Al Capp for United Features Syndicate, Inc. 20th Century Fox Records.

Li’l Abner was the title character in the long-running (1934-1977) syndicated newspaper strip by cartoonist Al Capp. Hardly “li’l,” Abner was a hulking, naive man-child, and the frequent foil for Capp’s satiric stories about American life and politics. This simple-minded citizen of humble Dogpatch was a paragon of virtue in a dark and cynical world. Abner often found himself far from home, whether in the company of unscrupulous industrialist General Bullmoose, in hapless snowbound Lower Slobbovia, or wherever Capp’s whimsical and often complex plots led our heroic hillbilly.

Li’l Abner was the unlikely son of tiny Mammy (Pansy) and Pappy (Lucifer) Yokum. Mammy was the industrious “sassiety leader” of backward Dogpatch who instilled honesty and All-American ideals in Li’l Abner. Pappy, in contrast, was an illiterate and hopeless parasite. From the inception of the strip, Abner was vigorously pursued by Daisy Mae, a beautiful Dogpatch damsel hopelessly in love with the bumbling, unappreciative and seldom amorous bachelor. Abner spent nearly two decades outracing Daisy in the annual Sadie Hawkins Day race but the couple finally married in 1952, a fictional event that captured national attention and was a cover story for Life magazine. Their only child, Honest Abe was born in 1953.

Li’l Abner generally had no visible means of support but he sometimes earned his living as a mattress tester. When not involved in worldwide escapades, he was engrossed by his favorite “comical strip,” Fearless Fosdick He interacted with many marvelous and fantastic characters creating language and situations which have become permanent parts of the American lexicon. — Li’l Abner.com

(32 votes, average: 2.63 out of 5)

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Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (Aka, “Hot Heat and Sweet Groove”) (1968)   Warner Records.   Includes “Spreadin’ Honey,” and “Fried Okra”.       Bill Cosby writes the liner notes here as he brought the band to Warner Bros. after they backed him on his comedy LP “Silver Throat”.   They were the first soul group to be signed by Warner Bros.   The band’s biggest hit was “Express Yourself” which was on their second album out a year later.   Love it, love it, love it.   And what a funky cover!

(32 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

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Brenton Wood “Oogum Boogum” Double Shot Records. (1967) This lp features the AM radio staple “Gimme Little Sign” and “Oogum Boogum” another charting hit. Coming out of Compton, Los Angeles there’s a Chicano or Latin-soul vibe to Brenton’s records. I love his songs, especially the sweet soul sounds of “Catch You On the Rebound,” “Baby You Got It” and also on this album “I Like the Way You Love Me”.

(24 votes, average: 3.13 out of 5)

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“GOOD TIMES” The vocal & harmonica blues of SHAKEY JAKE (Harris) with Jack McDuff on the B3 and Bill Jennings on guitar. No bass or drums on the session. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s legendary Englewood Cliffs studio and released on Prestige/Bluesville. (1960) Featuring Worried Blues; My Foolish Heart, (a take on Muddy Water’s Mannish Boy); Sunset Blues; etc.

(28 votes, average: 3.64 out of 5)

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“Les Joyeux Lurons”   Robert Trabucco.   France.   The first rule of Fight Club is – never make a record about Fight Club.

(27 votes, average: 2.48 out of 5)

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