6/25/10 – The “Java” Cat Fight!
Posted: June 25th, 2010 | Author: Matt The Cat | Filed under: Doo Wop, Jazz, Pop, Rock n' Roll | Tags: Friday Night Cat Fight, Matt The Cat, Podcast, Rock & Roll | 11 Comments »Friday Night Cat Fight Show
“Java”
The Cat Fight puts 3 versions of the instrumental “Java,” by 3 different cats from Louisiana up against each other this week. All 3 versions appeared on RCA Victor. Allen Toussaint, who originally recorded for RCA under the name “Tousan,” wrote the tune and recorded the first version. Then, piano master Floyd Cramer took it to the charts in 1963. But “Java” didn’t really heat up until Al Hirt hit #4 with it back in 1964. Listen to all 3 and vote for the one that moves you the most!
Plus, I’ll feature a terrible cover of the Buchanan & Goodman classic, “The Flying Saucer” as well as a groovy tune that got a lot of inspiration from Santo & Johnny. All this and more on this week’s Friday Night Cat Fight Show!
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I voted for Allen Toussaint, my what a tune he wrote. Obviously Al Hirt and Floyd Cramer thought so too. The whole show was great even one by Burl Ives, we will miss the longer versions but certainly understand you have to earn a living, I can’t even imagine how much time you must pour into these shows. So, once again thank you for all you do to entertain us The Night Prowlers.
Thanks for playing Burl Ives.
Al the big Hirt gets my nod !! And a nice go with David i told you so Dante before the Evergreens !! I rather a shorter Cat Fight or no Cat Fight at all !! Matt go there and make a living and do the voodoo that you do so Well !! Hedley La Mar and little old me!!
I’m most familiar with the Al Hirt version, and thought Allen Toussaint’s version had a great sounding rinky tink piano, but with Floyd Cramer’s version I felt like I was standing on the sidelines of a New Orleans street watching and listening to a band coming down the street passing by in front of me, so he got my vote.
I’ve always preferred strings and keyboards to horns, but Al can really blow some! Guess he’ll get my vote this week, though I’d like to have all three! You know how I’ve always felt about R&B, but if that’s what it takes for you to earn a decent living, I say go for it, all the best, and great that the radio stations are picking it up! So relieved that you’re not giving up the FNCF’s totally though, or I’d have to bow out completely.
The “C” man got my vote this week. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Arkansas several years ago but Big Al was very close. I loved listening to the greatest “make out” instrumental of all time, Sleep Walk. Thank you Matt, what a great FNCF, again.
Man, all 3 versions were good. Pretty much a straight line from Tousan to Hirt. It points out what a polished piano player Cramer was. In the end, I have to give it to Big Al. Found his version the most satisfying (perhaps due to familiarity).
Matt, I’m sure we all understand your need to dial back on the Cat Fight length and will be happy to have it in whatever form you choose. You’ve certainly gone way above and beyond providing this for us.
The household was split on this one, I liked the Allen Toussaint version, but Deb went for Al Hirt. In the end we voted for Al his trumpet brought up a serious need to dance. All three versions were quite similar in feel which made this one a difficult one to choose. Matt, who did the back-up singing on the Floyd Kramer version- maybe the Anita Kerr Singers?
Bruce,
I can’t imagine anyone else providing those backup vocals other than the Anita Kerr Singers. They were on almost everything coming out of Studio B in Nashville during this time.
Yo Furry Leader
That was a very interesting cat fight. Though all versions of Java were great, I had to go with the original. Al Hirt’s version is just too common, and although Floyd did a great job, Tousan’s version grabbed me the most.
As far as some of the other songs you played, That cover of Flying Saucer is a lost treasure that should stay lost. Wherever you dug it up from, please bury it again. Alan Freed did some great stuff, but that wasn’t one of them.
I really dug, Bitter Wind. That was a great instrumental. Instrumentals are an almost extinct species these days.
It’s kind of sad, that the cat fight will be shortened, but I realize how much time and effort it takes to put together a radio show. A short cat fight is better than no cat fight, and I know you do your best to provide great programming. Juke in the back is a prime example. It’s a fantastic show. We’ll take anything you give us, because we know it’ll be fantastic, and I for one, will be very happy.
Best of luck on finding real work. I know how that goes. Been there, done that.
All the best, and, KEEP ON PROWLIN!!!!!
Although I LOVE that Licorice Stick of Al’s, I am a string person, first! I had to go with Floyd Cramer..
You just keep doin’ what you gotta’ do to get a “real job”. We’ll keep listening to whatever we can get!