365 Days #342 - Kosher Club (mp3s)

MP3:
1 Gefilte Joe and the Fish - Fairfax Avenue (3:36)
2 Oy George - Be True to Your Shul (2:42)
3 Georgie Girl - Yes I Really Want to Hurt You (2:54)
4 The Screaming Faloshes - Rasta Jew (3:48)

This is Kosher Club, an EP of novelty Jewish songs that Rhino Records put out near the end of their indie-novelty label silliness in 1984. The label had been running for a good six or seven years now, and it's a wonder that they were still cool with letting fun stuff like this come out instead of concentrating on business and the bottom line. And sort of odd that old-style Jewish humor like this saw the light of day in rather "PC" 1984 (another great, and in fact better release on Rhino that year was Amazing Adult Fantasy by Barnes & Barnes- and it's been rereleased on Oglio! Go check it out!) But whatever. We have it, and while it's, in my opinion, not the best of Rhino's novelty output (compared to Fred Blassie's sublime discography, for example-- and I still want to hear things like The International Elvis Impersonators' Convention), it's still a good laugh and it's some solid, well-done music. Something of note is that "Be True to Your Shul" is actually a remake of a version heard on 1978's The Rhino Royale. It's not any better than the original, so if you don't have that platter, don't bother looking for it, even though it did come pressed on red, white and blue vinyl! Also know that Gefilte Joe and the Fish had songs on various other Rhino novelty discs, and that they were fronted by Rhino's real-life co-founder, Richard Foos. They briefly changed their name to the Yiddish People during the disco craze and bastardized "Macho Man" into "Matzoh Man"-- genius! Anyway, enjoy, and hopefully if 365 Days comes back again, I'll have more Rhino goodness for you.

- Contributed by: The Swill Man

Images: Front Cover

Media: LP
Album: Kosher Club
Label: Rhino
Catalog: RNEP-608
Credits:
Date: 1948

Comments

[blatherskite]

God, please bring 365 days back again.

I remember Rhino back in these days and without 365 I would be bereft of this old Rhino.

365 is full of greatness. Don't let it end. I will even toss in a few days of Mp3 if needed.

Though I'm sure WFMU will do better than me.

More 365!

[Ivy]

I love Jewish humour like this. I used to love listening to "Be True to Your Shul" and songs by Gefilte Joe and the Fish on Dr. Demento's radio show. Any chance you could also post "Hanukah Rocks" by Gefilte Joe? I think that record was released on a 6 pointed star shaped vinyl. I would love hearing "The International Elvis Impersonators Convention" too.

[plasket]

I remember the Yiddish People... "Kosher Delight" was the second track on Dr. Demento's "Dementia Royale," one of the tapes I grew up listening to over and over.

[Dr. Benway]

Oh wow! I asked for the World's Worst Records, and I asked for Kosher Club, and you wonderful people brought me both! You have no idea how indebted I feel for all of this!

[Dr. Benway]

Oh! I have the International Elvis Impersonators Convention, I could digitize it for you

[Gary Lambert]

Having grown up with Mickey Katz' great send-ups of pop hits of the 50s, this sort of thing is right up my alley. One of my faves has always been "Noshville Katz" by the Lovin' Cohens -- which, by odd coincidence, I found on YouTube just the other day, after not having heard it for decades (alas, there is no footage of the song actually being performed. The only visual is the label of the 45).
It can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlT_M6xiWdE

[Parq]

Oh be still my beating heart! This is going to stand as one of the great posts of this entire series. "Fairfax Avenue" -- who knew that Los Angeles had a Jewish nabe? And it must be next to Chinie on the map . . .

[Anthony "A-Log" LoGatto]

Nice find. I would also like to point out that the artist for the "Fairfax Avenue" parody was sometimes credited to Oy George & The Kosher Club. I remember seeing this on a forum about song parodies of one-hit wonders. Am I correct about this?

[The Swill Man]

Nope- Fairfax Avenue is "by" Gefilte Joe and the Fish, just as the credits say. "Kosher Club" is exclusively the title of the EP.

And to Dr. Benway- please get me some MP3's of the Elvis Impersonator's Convention! I'd love to hear that one.

[Count Stragula]

great stuff!!
i had to play 2 songs in our radio show!
verrry funny!
count stragula
http://www.musikoffensive.de/dudel17.htm

[Ben]

I found this record at a house sale in Maale Adumim. Being as I host a Jewish music show in Israel I was both excited to find it and appalled by it's stupidity. Thank you for saving me the trouble to converting it to mp3!

[Nick the Bard]

Looks like Fairfax Avenue was credited to Oy George on the Bizarre Music Television video (put out by rhino even)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ywzDsKV9ks

[JohnnyLurg]

Could you please post "Matzo Man?"

[Jane Knight]

Why hasn't there been a tribute band of Culture Club called Kosher Club? Their first single should be "Do You Really Wanna Hit Me With Your Best Shot?" (also a tribute to Pat Benatar).