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''Jim!'' is the first studio album by the English actor, singer and songwriter
Jim Dale Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In Britis ...
, credited to Dale with Ken Jones and his Orchestra and the Michael Sammes Singers. Released as a 10-inch LP on
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
's
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
label in March 1958, ''Jim!'' was produced by the label's head
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
and has been cited as "the first British
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...
LP". It was Dale's only album released during his initial fame as a
teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...
; he quit recording to pursue comedy soon after its release.


Background

Jim Dale Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In Britis ...
began his professional career in entertainment aged seventeen, performing as a comedian in variety theatres across the UK and Ireland. His comedy career led him to work as a warm-up act for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...
television programme ''
Six-Five Special ''Six-Five Special'' is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain. Description ''Six-Five Special'' was the BBC's first attempt at a rock-and-roll programme. ...
''. After singing and accompanying himself on guitar during his set, Dale was asked to return the following week to perform in the programme as a singer. Several subsequent appearances brought Dale to the attention of
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
, who signed him to
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
, then "the poor relation of the
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
combine, with
HMV Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom. The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...
and Columbia being the big boys" according to '' Hi-Fi News & Record Review''. Martin believed Dale to be the label's answer to
Tommy Steele Sir Thomas Hicks (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star. After being discovered at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London, Steele reco ...
. Dale became Britain's first major rock and roll star since Steele when his Martin-produced recording of "Be My Girl" reached number two on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in December 1957. Martin would later reflect "there was no real rock and roll in Britain... "Be My Girl" was as near as we'd get". As a
teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia East Asia possess ...
, Dale found himself returning to the theatres he'd performed as a comedian, with "hysterical, screaming teenage girls" replacing the family audiences. Dale later recalled "I just didn't like it. I had girls sleeping on my doorstep outside my house, and my wife just hated the idea of that". Despite his musical success, he was vocal about still yearning to be a star comedian, something that frustrated Martin. Interviewed by ''
Evening Sentinel ''The Sentinel'' is a daily regional newspaper circulating in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire areas of England. It is owned by Reach plc and based at Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. It is the only newspaper delivering daily news and featur ...
'' in April 1958, Dale commented "A singer's life is short. But look at the comedians who have lasted. I want to be an all-round entertainer.
Max Bygraves Walter William Bygraves (16 October 1922 – 31 August 2012), best known by the stage name Max Bygraves (adopted in honour of Max Miller), was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, s ...
is the ideal examples - a comedian who sings." Though Dale continued to appear frequently on ''
Six-Five Special ''Six-Five Special'' is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain. Description ''Six-Five Special'' was the BBC's first attempt at a rock-and-roll programme. ...
'' whilst recording for Parlophone, concert appearances as a singer were limited; over 1957 and 1958, he was engaged as compère for Stanley Dale's National Skiffle Contest, a lengthy UK tour headlined by the Vipers Skiffle Group and supported by battles between local groups. The format of the tour allowed Dale to "go on in a lounge suit, crack a few gags and introduce another act", something he accepted may "shock" his teenage fans but "to the mums and dads it shows I'm no sequined rock and roll monster".


Contents

''Jim!'' features a variety of musical styles, reflecting Dale's desire to become an all-round entertainer. According to Jackie Moore of '' Disc'', "Crazy For You" and "I Sit in My Window" most resemble the style of Dale's hit singles, whilst the "oldie" " Kisses Sweeter than Wine" "is more the kind of song that Jim sang for pleasure, in the days before he became a top selling disc star". Among the album's remaining tracks are versions of the jazz standards "
Undecided "Undecided" is a popular song written by Sid Robin and Charlie Shavers and published in 1938. Recordings *The first recording was made by John Kirby and The Onyx Club Boys on October 28, 1938, and released by Decca Records as catalog number 22 ...
" and " 'Tain't What You Do", both with
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...
backing. "Tread Softly Stranger", the theme for the 1958 crime film of the same name, was described by the '' New Musical Express'' as "quiet and melodious... ...reminiscent of a cowboy idling along on his horse, singing dreamily to the strains of his own guitar". Dale wrote the album's only self-penned track, the upbeat "Jane Belinda", in tribute to his daughter, Belinda Jane, who was born in January 1958. According to ''
Manchester Evening News The ''Manchester Evening News'' (''MEN'') is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in North West England, founded in 1868. It is published Monday–Saturday; a Sunday edition, the ''MEN on Sunday'', was launched in February 20 ...
'', the song incorporates both rock and roll and Latin rhythms. ''Jim!'' was produced by
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the ...
and recorded at
EMI Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music ...
in under a day in 1958. It has been cited by
Mark Lewisohn Mark Lewisohn (born 16 June 1958) is an English historian and biographer. Since the 1980s, he has written many reference books about the Beatles and has worked for EMI, MPL Communications and Apple Corps.
as "the first British rock and roll LP", though it is predated by Tommy Steele's '' Tommy Steele Stage Show'' and the soundtrack for ''
The Tommy Steele Story ''The Tommy Steele Story'' is a 1957 British film directed by Gerard Bryant and starring Tommy Steele, dramatising Steele's rise to fame as a teen idol. Along with ''Rock You Sinners'', it was one of the first British films to feature rock and ro ...
'' (both 1957).


Release and reception

''Jim!'' was issued as a 10-inch LP on
Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
in April 1958. The album failed to chart upon release. A single, "Tread Softly Stranger" backed with "Jane Belinda", was released in April 1957. Despite publicity generated by the subject matter of "Jane Belinda", the single failed to chart. The album's ten tracks were released on CD in 2009 on Pink 'N' Black Records' compilation "The Early Years", and in 2021 as part of Jasmine's "Be My Girl, the Rockin' Years". Among contemporary reviews, Benny Lee of ''Nottingham Evening News'' deemed ''Jim!'' "a 'first' in every sense - ten tracks with an exciting beat on every one". He praised the album's variety and described "Tread Softly Stranger" and "Jane Belinda" as "both first rate". Writing for '' Melody Maker'', Laurie Henshaw commented that the album "should find a ready response" and singled out "Jane Belinda" as a highspot. Jackie Moore of '' Disc'' cited "I'm in the Market for You", "Undecided" and "'Tain't What You Do" as highlights of the "versatile" album, but noted "I think he still has a lot to learn when it comes straight ballads like "Tread Softly Stranger" - the lyrics don't seem to mean very much yet".


Track listing


Notes


References

{{Authority control 1958 debut albums Albums produced by George Martin Parlophone albums British rock-and-roll albums