Previous Vocal Group Record of the Week
#846 (9/12/15 - 9/25/15)

SPOTLIGHT ON THE METRO AND MERO LABELS

THIS WEEK'S SELECTIONS PROVIDED BY JAY BRUDER

"Grandfathers Clock"
The Victorians
with Richard Beck
on Mero M-7471
released in 1948

"You'll Always Be My Sweetheart"/
"Dreaming Of You"
Bob Stewart And The Victorians
on Metro M-7465
released in 1948


Above: Clipping from The Billboard dated 5/1/48. Billboard later issued a correction that "#746 "should have read #7465." Metro Records, later to become Mero, was a New York City label owned by Maurice Rapaport. The label was active from 1948 to 1949.



(Above: The Billboard dated 3/13/48. MGM did eventually form a "Metro Records" label in the late 1950s.)




(Left: The Billboard dated 5/15/48)

(Above: The Billboard dated 5/29/48)





(Above: The Billboard dated 9/4/48)

(Right: The Billboard dated 10/9/48)




METRO/MERO DISCOGRAPHY (PARTIAL): [Most of the below information is taken verbatum from The Billboard 1948/1949 issues. Duplications are theirs, not mine.]


EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):

Listen to "I Guess You're Satisfied" - The Victorians - Specialty SP-411 - 1951.

Listen to "Don't Break My Heart Again" - The Victorians - Specialty SP-411 - 1951.

Above Left label... Recorded in August 1949 and released in August 1951.

Above Right... Ads from The Billboard dated 9/15/51 and 10/6/51.

From Trade Magazine Article Dated Nov. 1951: ....Art Rupe of Specialty reports his first release by the Victorians, "Don't Break My Heart Again" c/w "I Guess You're Satisfied" is getting a nice reception around the country....

The Billboard Review (10/6/51):

THE VICTORIANS - SPECIALTY 411....
I Guess You're Satisfied
(66) An o.k. r. and b. ballad gets a routine reading from a male vocal group.
Don't Break My Heart Again (64) More of the same style chanting on a less effective ballad. [ouch!!]

(NOTE: A ratings range of 40-69 was considered "satisfactory.")


EXTRA EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):

Listen to "Naturally Too Weak For You" - The Victorians - Specialty SP-420 - 1951.

Listen to "Part-Time Sweetheart" - The Victorians - Specialty SP-420 - 1951.

Above Left label... Recorded in August 1949 and released in December 1951.

Above Right.... The Victorians, who consisted of Richard Beck, Robert Le Fox, Wisemon Moon, and Richard Wing. Wisemon Moon, back center in middle picture and in far right picture, is lead singer on "I Guess You're Satisfied." Moon later sang with The Hi-Liters (late 1950s) and Stereos (early 1960s). Richard Beck is lead on "Don't Break My Heart Again."

The Billboard Review (2/9/52):

THE VICTORIANS - SPECIALTY 420....
Part Time Sweetheart
(67) Attempt to come up with another "Paper Doll" type of disc does not quite come off because of a forced lyric and an uncertain go by the group.
Naturally Too Weak For You (63) Vocal group displays a warm blend on a ditty that's "naturally too weak" to make the grade. [double ouch!!]

(NOTE: A ratings range of 40-69 was considered "satisfactory.")


(Above: A better picture of The Victorians.... provided by Todd Baptista.)



Above: Label image of Mero M-7471 released in October 1948. Richard Beck was a member of The Victorians, so his name on the label probably indicates he sang lead on this side. No review was found in The Billboard for this record.


Above: Label image of Metro M-7465 released in May 1948. It was re-issued on Mero M-7465 in July 1948. As can be seen from the above two label images, the Metro and Mero label designs were very similar. Note that there was a change in address.

The Billboard Review (5/15/48):

BOB STEWART-THE VICTORIANS - METRO M-7465....
Dreaming Of You
(60) Vocal group, barber-shop style, back up Bob's pleasing tenor. Halfway through the boys "double it" in Mills Bros. fashion. Possibility for back-room jukes.
You'll Always Be My Sweetheart (60) As above.

(NOTE: A ratings range of 40-69 was considered "satisfactory.")


Listen to this week's selections featuring The Victorians from 1948: [Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

     A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
 
          1. Grandfathers Clock - The Victorians
          2. You'll Always Be My Sweetheart - Bob Stewart And The Victorians
          3. Dreaming Of You - Bob Stewart And The Victorians
 
          ALL THREE played in sequence

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. Grandfathers Clock - The Victorians
          2. You'll Always Be My Sweetheart - Bob Stewart And The Victorians
          3. Dreaming Of You - Bob Stewart And The Victorians

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. Grandfathers Clock - The Victorians
          2. You'll Always Be My Sweetheart - - Bob Stewart And The Victorians
          3. Dreaming Of You - Bob Stewart And The Victorians

      [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]


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