[audio:http://www.paulcollegio.net/juke/juke0412/shellac.mp3]

I originally bought this record for its A side, “It Takes A Lot of Love”, which features one of the best vocal groups ever, The Empires, whose “Corn Whiskey” single rocks like nobody’s business. Morty Shad was the owner of New York City’s Harlem label. The Empires were available in the studio, because they were recording their own “Magic Mirror”/”Make Me Or Break Me” released in 1955 on Harlem 2333, Morty recruited them for back up vocals on “It Takes A Lot of Love” as well as another blues rocker, “Ragged and Hungry” on Harlem 2334, backing an artist called Lightning Junior – whose real identity was none other than Champion Jack Dupree.

Here is a great blues number, with no backing vocal group, with Bobby Sue lamenting her empty-handed mailman. Released in 1955, and only available in this format. Fabulous.