''Breaking It Up!'' is an album by Louis Prima, 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), profession ...

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 record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

. Placed under the auspices of Mitch Miller, the head of

artists and repertoire Artists and repertoire (colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumentalist ...

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

Critical response

Cub Koda'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'' is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state. It has been owned by Gannett since 1997. Its reporting staff has been awarded numerous national hon ...

'' 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 Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (give ...

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

Side 2

# "Shepherd Boy" (

Bagdasarian Bagdasarian, Bagdasaryan, Baghdasarian or Baghdasaryan ( hy, Բաղդասարյան) is an Armenian surname with the meaning "son of Baghdasar" (Armenian for Balthazar) that may refer to: Bagdasarian / Bagdasaryan *Aleksandr Sergeevich Bagdasaryan ...

, 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. History "One Mint Julep" was recorded on the Atlantic Records label in New York City on December 19, 1951, and released in March 1952. I ...

" ( Rudy Toombs) - 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, Louis Prima) - 2:19

CD track listing

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

) - 2:21 # "Basta" (Barer, Gomez, Wilder) - 2:28 # "The Bigger the Figure" (Barer, Wilder) - 2:40 # "Boney Bones" (DeMare, Eddy, Louis Prima) - 2:44 # "

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

, Robinson, Robison) - 2:25 # "Shepherd Boy" (

, 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