Fabulous '50's Tune for Friday, April 17th, '09

"Sea Cruise" is one of the all-time New Orleans rock'n'roll classics, as ideal a combination of early rock'n'roll with boogying New Orleans R&B as could ever be hoped for. An ingenious, brief burst of sound effects tagged onto the very beginning of the track adds a great deal to the atmosphere, with bells clanging, water churning, and a massive fog horn blast. That blast is the signal for the band to come in with an absolutely irresistible New Orleans R&B shuffle groove, boogie but with a straightahead rock'n'roll charge. Frankie Ford's vocal verges on, but doesn't quite tip over into, over-enthusiasm, his high voice trailing off into near-falsetto yelps, especially in the chorus. Sea cruises promise good times aplenty, and Ford and his backup musicians brim over with exuberance and anticipation of those good times. There's a playful sense of caution-to-the-wind in the giddy jubilation of the lyrics, not only inviting a girlfriend on a sea cruise, but also announcing, most memorably, that he has to boogie woogie like a knife in the back. (A great line and image, and one that's never gotten its just acclaim.) Adding to the sense of happy dementia is the frequent reappearance of those low, impatient, sustained blasts of the foghorn on every chorus, and then again on the fade. Although Ford did a fine job with the song, it later emerged that it was originally recorded by Huey "Piano" Smith, with Ford overdubbing his lead vocal onto the track. "Sea Cruise" become a #14 hit for Ford in 1959.