The Fabulous, Fascinating Fable Label

I first discovered the 1950’s, Hollywood-based Fable label through my collecting of Song-Poem records. But I quickly realized two things: First, as indicated by the song-poem archives website’s Fable page, most of the label’s output was not of the song-poem variety, although there seem to have been at least some vanity records and hybrids among the releases, and second, many of the non-song-poem records released by Fable are really great and/or fairly (or very) odd, particularly those featuring the guitar and band-leading of label head Sandy Stanton.

Today, the first of at least two posts featuring 45’s from the mid-to-late ‘50’s, all of them from the Fable Record Company. Some of these may be song-poem records, but most, if not all, are not. It’s a bit difficult to determine, at times.

First up is someone named Whalen J. Jones (Music by Sandy Staton’s Panics), with a couple of rock and roll rave-ups. Mr. Jones apparently also released at least one record as “Wailin’ Jones”, which is not surprising, given the sound of this single. What is surprising is the recording effect employed on the B-side.

Whalen J. Jones - I've Got On My Rock and Rollin' Shoes (MP3)
Whalen J. Jones - Dee Dum Dee (MP3)
Whalen Jones A-Side (JPG) - Whalen Jones B-Side (JPG)

Next, a two act 45, including Sandy Stanton on the A-side, with J. D. Langford on the B-side (my preferred of the two), both accompanied by the Fable Label Orch, and both sides credited to the wonderfully named Danny Rhythm, who audaciously seems to have been claiming to have written “Oh, Susanna“, based the b-side‘s melody. This record was released on translucent red vinyl.

Sandy Stanton - My Western Home (MP3)
J. D. Langford - I Want to Be a Lover (MP3)
Sandy Stanton A-Side (JPG) - J. D. Langford B-Side (JPG)

A particular favorite of mine is the A-side of this Little Donnie Lane 45, “Go Away”. On most other Fable records from this era, the publishing is by “Happy Music”, but someone has carefully blacked out the name of the publishing company on my copy of this record.

Little Donnie Lane - Go Away (MP3)
Little Donnie Lane - Foolish (MP3)
Donnie Lane A-Side (JPG) - Donnie Lane B-Side (JPG)

Another winner now from Jodie Decker, accompanied on two self-penned tunes, with “Music by Sandy Stanton“. There are some similarities between the two songs on this 45, but I’m partial to “Teenage Blues”, due to some wonderful stereotypical ‘50’s lyrics, as well as Jodie’s food-related cure to the title malady.

Jodie Decker - Heartbreak Joe (MP3)
Jodie Decker - Teenage Blues (MP3)
Jodie Decker A-Side (JPG) - Jodie Decker B-Side (JPG)

Probably my favorite record of this batch turns up on the A-side of the single by the “Honey Sisters”, “Dream of the Teens”, which features some great close harmony, and more great 1950‘s lyrics. The B-side is pretty fun, too. And of course, Sandy Stanton on the guitar.

Honey Sisters - Dream of the Teens (MP3)
Honey Sisters - Fast Fast Beats My Heart (MP3)
Honey Sisters A-Side (JPG) - Honey Sisters B-Side (JPG)  

Finally, a true change of pace. I don’t particularly enjoy this novelty single by the Bobby  Roberts Trio ( in fact, I have no clue what they are parodying on the B-side), but it’s worth hearing, just to give a sense of the different styles of records being released by Fable. 

Bobby Roberts Trio - Russian Bandstand (MP3)
Bobby Roberts Trio - Mister Grilione (MP3)
Bobby Roberts A-Side (JPG) - Bobby Roberts B-Side (JPG)

Sandy Stanton eventually closed down Fable and went on into the song-poem business, with the marvelously odd Film City label and its offshoots. But that’s a story for another day.

Comments

[Robert in Tucson]

Mr. Grilione seems to be a parody of the hugely popular TV show Gunsmoke (featuring James Arness as Mr. Dillon). No idea what prompted the Italian dialect.

[Colin the Culture Hunter]

Astounding

[Kip W]

How about "Japanese Bandstand" off of the very late Spike Jones LP "Omnibust"? It was the first record I owned. Paul Frees gives a bravura heavy buck-tooth yellowface performance that we found pretty funny when I was six and it was still hip to mock all foreigners. I've got an mp3 if by some chance you don't. (The LP also manages to make references to Chester and Mister Dillon and Doc in the course of a swingin' fairy tale about Cinderella Frankenstein.)