When it comes to listing those artists whose original hit single renditions are toughest to pin down, heading the list will be B. B. "Blues Boy" King. I doubt if anyone has re-recorded his or her music more than King, and it can be frustrating in the extreme trying to pin down orginals. Especially when there are no liner notes showing recording dates, label numbers and, where applicable, chart performances.

This volume from Disky of Holland caught my eye only because, on the front cover in the lower right corner, it states "Original Artist, Original Recordings" - although I have been burned now and then even with this claim boldly shown as some, particularly Curb, like to stretch the definitions of "original recordings" beyond what most of us expect. And since this offering doesn't have liner notes/discography I couldn't be sure until I opened the package and gave a listen. And what do you know? All original cuts from his early RPM days, a full half of which became hit singles.

His earliest recordings here are Mistreated Woman (RPM 304), Don't You Want A Man Like Me? (RPM 318), B. B. Blues (RPM 323), and Hard Working Woman (RPM 330), all in 1951 and none of which charted. Then he struck gold at the end of the year when 3 O'Clock Blues (shown here as Three O'Clock In The Morning Blues) on RPM 339 rose to # 1 R&B, where it remained for 5 weeks, in early 1952. Not bad for a first hit. He followed that with another # 1 (2 weeks) later that fall with You Know I Love You (RPM 363), and as the year drew to a close he had Story Of My Heart And Soul start its climb to # 9 R&B in early 1953 with Ike Turner at piano on RPM 380. Unfortunately, that's not here.

In March 1953, Woke Up This Morning (My Baby She Was Gone) made it to # 3 R&B on RPM 380, followed by another # 1 (3 weeks) with Please Love Me (RPM 391) in July and, in October, the # 4 Please Hurry Home (RPM 391) - another that is missing here. A Late 1953 entry included here, Blind Love (Who Can Your Good Man Be?) on RPM 395 failed to chart.

1964 hits included are When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer (RPM 412), a # 8 in September, You Upset Me Baby (RPM 416) which again went to # 1 (2 weeks) in November, and its B-side, Whole Lotta Love (# 8). In 1955 he had Every Day I Have The Blues reach # 8 in February on RPM 421, and its flipside, Sneakin' Around, clock in at # 14 - both billed to B.B. "Blues Boy" King And "The King's Men," a failed single with neither side of Jump With You Baby nor Lonely And Blue on RPM 425 managing to make the charts, followed by Ten Long Years (RPM 437) which managed a # 9 in October. In 1956, Ruby Lee on RPM 450 did not chart.

Apparently, Miss Martha King and I'm King were unreleaased RPM sides.

The sound quality is very good, and the 1 star deducted was for the complete lack of liner notes/discography, and those two missing hits.