A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry

Last updated
A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry
A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry.jpg
Studio album by
Released1958
Recorded11–21 October 1957 in New York City
Genre Jazz, traditional pop
Length31:59
Label Roulette R-52005 [1]
Joe Williams chronology
One O'Clock Jump
(1957)
A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry
(1958)
Breakfast Dance and Barbecue
(1958)

A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry is a 1958 album by the American jazz singer Joe Williams arranged by Jimmy Mundy. [2] It is an album of ballads and torch songs. [2]

John Bush, reviewing the album for Allmusic, praises Williams as "an excellent balladeer with a rich vibrato and the confidence to let a straight reading speak for itself". [2]

Gramophone critiqued the arrangements as using "strings quite excessively" and Williams's performances as "stress[ing] sentiment rather than swing". [3]

The initial Billboard review from February 3, 1958 said that the album was a "convincing, well-performed ballad set" and that Williams's talent was "formidable". Mundy's orchestral arrangements were "mellifluous yet unobtrusive". [4]

Track listing

  1. "What's New?" (Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart) – 2:43
  2. "It's the Talk of the Town" (Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes) – 3:10
  3. "I'll Never Smile Again" (Ruth Lowe) – 2:59
  4. "I'm Through with Love" (Gus Kahn, Fud Livingston, Matty Malneck) – 2:54
  5. "Where Are You?" (Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh) – 2:50
  6. "I've Only Myself to Blame" (Redd Evans, Dave Mann) – 2:50
  7. "Say It Isn't So" (Irving Berlin) – 2:54
  8. "What Will I Tell My Heart" (Irving Gordon, Jack Lawrence, Peter Tinturin) – 2:40
  9. "You've Got Me Crying Again" (Isham Jones, Charles Newman) – 2:46
  10. "Can't We Talk It Over?" (Ned Washington, Lester Young, Victor Young) – 2:36
  11. "I Laugh to Keep From Cryin'" (Lew Brown) – 2:58
  12. "A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry" (Norman Gimbel, Frankie Laine, Irving Reid) – 3:33

Related Research Articles

<i>The Atomic Mr. Basie</i> 1958 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra

The Atomic Mr. Basie (originally called Basie, also known as E=MC2 and reissued in 1994 as The Complete Atomic Basie) is a 1958 album by Count Basie, featuring the song arrangements of Neal Hefti and the Count Basie Orchestra. Allmusic gave it 5 stars, reviewer Bruce Eder saying: "it took Basie's core audience and a lot of other people by surprise, as a bold, forward-looking statement within the context of a big-band recording." It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Will Fulford-Jones calling it "Basie's last great record." It was voted number 411 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

James Mundy was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and composer, best known for his arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovesick Blues</span> 1949 single by Hank Williams

"Lovesick Blues" is a Tin Pan Alley song, composed by Cliff Friend, with lyrics by Irving Mills. It first appeared in the 1922 musical "Oh, Ernest", and was recorded that year by Elsie Clark and Jack Shea. Emmett Miller recorded it in 1925 and 1928, followed by country music singer Rex Griffin in 1939. The recordings by Griffin and Miller inspired Hank Williams to perform the song during his first appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in 1948. Receiving an enthusiastic reception from the audience, Williams decided to record his own version despite initial push back from his producer Fred Rose and his band.

"It's the Talk of the Town" is a popular song written by Jerry Livingston, the lyrics by Al J. Neiburg and Marty Symes.

<i>Aint That Good News</i> (album) 1964 studio album by Sam Cooke

Ain't That Good News is the eleventh and final studio album by American R&B and soul singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released mid-February 1964, on RCA Victor Records, in both mono and stereo, LPM 2899 and LSP 2899. Recording sessions for the album took place at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World Studio in February and December 1963 and January 1964. The cover photo was taken by American photographer Wallace Seawell. Ain't That Good News was the final studio album to be issued during Cooke's lifetime, before his death at the age of 33. With the exception of "Another Saturday Night", which had been released as a single early in the previous year, Ain't That Good News comprised the first material that Cooke had recorded in the six months following the drowning death of his 18-month-old son Vincent.

<i>Without a Song</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Willie Nelson

Without a Song is a studio album by the American country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1983. Similar to Stardust (1978), it consists of renditions of traditional pop standards. The album was produced by Booker T. Jones.

<i>I Dont Want to Cry!</i> 1961 studio album by Chuck Jackson

I Don't Want to Cry! is Chuck Jackson's debut studio album, released in 1961. The album is completely devoted to songs about crying.

<i>Where Did Everyone Go?</i> 1963 studio album by Nat King Cole

Where Did Everyone Go? is a 1963 studio album by Nat King Cole, arranged by Gordon Jenkins. This was the fourth and final album that Cole and Jenkins recorded together, following Love Is the Thing (1957), The Very Thought of You (1958) and Every Time I Feel the Spirit (1959).

<i>The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin</i> 1962 studio album by Aretha Franklin

The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin is the third studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released in 1962 by Columbia Records. It was her first album to achieve any commercial success, reaching number 69 on the Billboard pop album charts. Unlike its predecessor, however, it did not have a hit single. The album was recorded at Columbia Recording Studio, in New York City.

<i>But Beautiful</i> (Nancy Wilson album) 1971 studio album by Nancy Wilson

But Beautiful is a 1971 studio album by Nancy Wilson, with musical accompaniment by the Hank Jones Quartet. It entered the Billboard Top 200 chart on July 17, 1971, and remained for five weeks.

<i>The Youngbloods</i> (album) 1966 studio album by the Youngbloods

The Youngbloods is the debut self-titled studio album by the American rock band the Youngbloods, released in 1967. It was also reissued in 1971 under the title Get Together after the popular single from the album. The album peaked at number 131 on the Billboard 200 although two years later the single "Get Together" reached number five and sold more than a million copies.

<i>The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live</i> 1961 live album by Billie Holiday

The Essential Billie Holiday: Carnegie Hall Concert Recorded Live is a live album by jazz singer Billie Holiday that was recorded on November 10, 1956 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The two concerts promoted Billie Holiday's autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues.

<i>Full Nelson</i> (album) 1963 studio album by Oliver Nelson Orchestra

Full Nelson is a jazz album by Oliver Nelson recorded in 1962 and 1963, and released on Verve Records. It is one of his first big band albums. Nelson has also arranged his Hoe Down, originally based on an Aaron Copland composition, which initially appeared in a septet version on The Blues and the Abstract Truth, in a driving big band arrangement that features Clark Terry.

<i>Brubeck and Rushing</i> 1960 studio album by Dave Brubeck and Jimmy Rushing

Brubeck and Rushing is a 1960 album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet and the singer Jimmy Rushing.

<i>The Heart and Soul of Joe Williams and George Shearing</i> 1971 studio album by Joe Williams and George Shearing

The Heart and Soul of Joe Williams and George Shearing is a 1971 album by jazz pianist George Shearing and singer Joe Williams. The album was released on Shearing's own record label, Sheba Records. All the songs on the album have the words "heart" or "soul" in their titles.

<i>Politely!</i> 1958 studio album by Keely Smith

Politely! is a 1958 album by Keely Smith, with arrangements by Billy May.

<i>That Old Black Magic</i> (album) 1965 studio album by Keely Smith

That Old Black Magic is a 1965 album by Keely Smith, with arrangements by Ernie Freeman.

<i>The Sisters</i> (Sister Sledge album) 1982 studio album by Sister Sledge

The Sisters is the sixth studio album by American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released in 1982 by Cotillion Records. The album is the group's first self-production. It contains a remake of the Mary Wells hit "My Guy". The Sisters peaked at No. 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as well as No. 69 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<i>Joe Williams Live! A Swingin Night at Birdland</i> 1962 live album by Joe Williams

Joe Williams Live! A Swingin' Night at Birdland is a 1962 live album by the American jazz singer Joe Williams recorded at the Birdland jazz club in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Harris (musician)</span> American guitarist, music arranger and songwriter

Dennis Harris is an American session guitarist, songwriter and arranger. Historically he played a significant part in the Philly Sound, playing on many of the hits during the 1970s. The hits include, "Only the Strong Survive" by Billy Paul, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead and "Lady Love" by Lou Rawls. He also played the guitar intro on Rawls' hit "You'll Never Find Another Love like Mine". He is a former member of The Philly Groove Orchestra, The Trammps, MFSB and The Salsoul Orchestra. In recent years he has been part of the New MFSB. He is also a guitar teacher.

References

  1. "Joe Williams - A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry at Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry at AllMusic
  3. The Gramophone. Compton Mackenzie. 1958. p. 128.
  4. "Reviews and Ratings of New Popular Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 3 February 1958. p. 39.