Starting off the week leading up to Halloween with a record by the great Eartha Kitt – who happens to be one of a handful artists of the 78 rpm era that I have seen perform live (some of the others include Bo Diddley and Ravi Shankar).
I saw her at one of her many performances at the legendary Café Carlyle in NYC. She was a phenomenal performer and had the whole room in the palm of her hand. Her crisp delivery of lyrics, coming from her background in theatre, seemed as sharp as ever.
This single came out in the spring of 1953 and hit #22 on the charts and Billboard reviewed it as a “finely produced side bringing together an unusual piece of material and an uncommonly fine performer in Eartha Kitt.” Later that year she would get to #4 with her most successful song, “Santa Baby”.
I’m wondering if this record had an influence over her casting as Cat Woman in the 60s.
These RCA Victor promo discs are dead quiet – there is almost no surface noise at all.
Recorded on March 12, 1953.
Released as RCA Victor 20-5442.