Jim Lowe’s Green Doors, Closed Doors and Gamblers Guitars: A Singles Collection 1956-1962

Title: Green Doors, Closed Doors and Gamblers Guitars: A Singles Collection 1956-1962

Label: Jasmine 

This one is a wee bit different. This 26 track single CD collection documents the career of the singer, songwriter, disc jockey and radio host and general, all round personality. Jim Lowe was best known for his version of the popular song, Green Door, which reached the No 1 spot way back in 1956 (UK readers may remember Frankie Vaughan’s version that reached No 2 or the more recent version from Shakin’ Stevens in 1981 and possibly even the Cramps version from the same year: there is a theory that the song is based upon a story of a man trying desperately to get into a lesbian bar but, hey, who really knows?).

But back to Lowe who was a longstanding fixture as a disc jockey at WNEW AM in New York and was also heard on WNBC AM in New York and on the NBC Radio program, Monitor. He was known as a songwriter and penned a number of early, novelty-based, rock & roll sides and recorded covers of the rock’n’roll hits of the day with his large DJ-type voice at the forefront. His singles success had more to do with his personality than any particular creative skill as a singing artist. He tended to release his work on his own record label imprint, Dot.

This CD provides plenty of evidence of just what sort of singer Lowe was and includes songs such as ByeYou ByeYou, ByeYou, Chuck Berry’s own Maybelline and (The Story of) The Little Man In Chinatown. Fun and frolics a-plenty on this collection but just don’t expect performances up there with Elvis, Jerry or Chuck.