This is a typical Bear Family package, released in 1993. EVERYTHING recorded by the Orioles on the Jubilee label which has survived the ravages of time, whether or not previously released, including all the Sonny Til solo recordings and his 1952 duets with Edna McGriff is included here. Period.
The Orioles are too well-known to vocal group harmony fans for us to need to provide biographical information here. Those interested can find an excellent four-part history of the group at Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - The Orioles.
Surprisingly, this is the ONLY CD source for their hit In The Mission Of Saint Augustine, and includes both the released version and an unreleased one. The package also contains a great descriptive booklet by Peter Grendysa with session info, etc.
This isn't the "Cadillac" of Orioles compliations, it's the "Rolls Royce" - at a "Rolls" price. If this is too rich for you, we can alternatively recommend The Orioles - For Collectors Only on the Collectables label as an abridged, but more affordable, alternative. But this one "has it all."
Dates shown below are recording dates.
CD-1:
1. At Night (Jubilee #5025) July 1948
2. Barbra Lee (It's A Natural/Jubilee #5000) July 1948
3. It's Too Soon To Know (It's A Natural/Jubilee #5000) July 1948
4. Tell Me So (version 1) (Jubilee LP #1014) July 1948
5. I Cover The Waterfront (Jubilee #5120) July 1948
6. To Be To You (Jubilee #5001) Fall 1948
7. It Seems So Long Ago (Jubilee #5002) Fall 1948
8. (It's Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas (Jubilee #5001) Fall 1948
9. Deacon Jones (Jubilee #5005) Fall 1948
10. Please Give My Heart A Break (Jubilee #5002) Fall 1948
11. Tell Me So (version 2) (Jubilee #5005) Fall 1948
12. Dare To Dream (Jubilee #5001) Fall 1948
13. Moonlight (Jubilee #5026) Spring 1949
14. Every Dog-Gone Time (Jubilee #5025) Spring 1949
15. You're Gone (Jubilee #5028) Spring 1949
16. Donkey Serenade (Jubilee #5008) Spring 1949
17. It's A Cold Summer (Jubilee #5009) Spring 1949
18. Is My Heart Wasting Time? (Jubilee #5018) Spring 1949
19. I Challenge Your Kiss (Jubilee #5008) Spring 1949
20. A Kiss And A Rose (Jubilee #5009) Spring 1949
21. So Much (Jubilee #5016) 25 Sep 1949
22. Forgive And Forget (Jubilee #5016) 25 Sep 1949
23. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? (Jubilee #5017) 25 Sep 1949
24. Would You Still Be The One In My Heart? (Unreleased) 27 Dec 1949
CD-2:
1.Would You Still Be The One In My Heart? (Jubilee #5018) 27 Dec 1949
2. You Are My First Love (Jubilee #5051) 17 Feb 1950
3. If It's To Be (Unreleased) 17 Feb 1950
4. I Wonder When (Jubilee #5026) 17 Feb 1950
5. Everything They Said Came True (Jubilee #5028) 17 Feb 1950
6. I'd Rather Have You Under The Moon (Jubilee #5031) 3 Jun 1950
7. We're Supposed To Be Through (Unreleased) 3 Jun 1950
8. We're Supposed To Be Through (Jubilee #5031) 3 Jun 1950
9. I Need You So (Jubilee #5037) 18 Aug 1950
10. Goodnight Irene (Jubilee #5037) 18 Aug 1950
11. I Cross My Fingers (Unreleased) 18 Aug 1950
12. I Cross My Fingers (Jubilee #5040) 18 Aug 1950
13. Can't Seem To Laugh Anymore (Jubilee #5040) 18 Aug 1950
14. Walking By The River (Unreleased) 19 Aug 1950
15. I Miss You So (Jubilee #5051) 19 Aug 1950
16. The Lord's Prayer (Jubilee #5045) 10 Oct 1950
17. Oh Holy Night (Jubilee #5045) 10 Oct 1950
18. I Had To Leave Town (Unreleased) 20 Dec 1950
19. My Prayer [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5060) Mar 1951
20. I Never Knew (If I Could Love Anybody) [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5060) Mar 1951
21. Pal Of Mine (Unreleased #5060) 20 Mar 1951
22. Pal Of Mine (Jubilee #5055) 20 Mar 1951
23. Happy Go Lucky Local Blues (Jubilee #5055) 20 Mar 1951
24. Would I Love You (Love You, Love You) (Unreleased) 20 Apr 1951
25. Would I Love You (Love You, Love You) (Jubilee #5057) 20 Apr 1951
26. When You're A Long, Long Way From Home (Jubilee #5057) 20 Apr 1951
CD-3:
1. I'm Just A Fool In Love (Jubilee #5061) 24 Jul 1951
2. Barfly (Jubilee #5084) 24 Jul 1951
3. Hold Me! Squeeze Me! (Jubilee #5061) 24 Jul 1951
4. Baby, Please Don't Go (Jubilee #5065) 6 Sep 1951
5. Don't Tell Her What's Happened To Me (Jubilee #5065) 6 Sep 1951
6. I May Be Wrong (Unreleased) 6 Sep 1951
7. Fool's World [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5066) 21 Sep 1951
8. You Never Cared For Me [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5076) 21 Sep 1951
9. For All We Know [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5066) 21 Sep 1951
10. Blame It On Yourself [Sonny Til solo] (Unreleased) 21 Sep 1951
11. How Blind Can You Be (Jubilee #5071) 28 Nov 1951
12. When You're Not Around (Jubilee #5071) 28 Nov 1951
13. Waiting (Jubilee #5082) 28 Nov 1951
14. My Loved One (Unreleased) 28 Nov 1951
15. Shrimp Boats (Jubilee #5074) 10 Jan 1952
16. Trust In Me (Jubilee #5074) 10 Jan 1952
17. A Scandal (Unreleased) 10 Jan 1952
18. It's Over Because We're Through (Jubilee #5082) 10 Jan 1952
19. It Ain't Gonna Be Like That (Unreleased #5074) 10 Jan 1952
20. Gettin' Tired, Tired, Tired (Jubilee #5084) 17 Jan 1952
21. Pretty, Pretty Rain (Unreleased) 17 Jan 1952
22. Why Did You Go (Unreleased) 17 Jan 1952
23. This I'll Do My Darling (Unreleased) 17 Jan 1952
24. Proud Of You [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5076) 17 Jan 1952
25. No Other Love [Sonny Til solo] (Unreleased) 11 Mar 1952
26. The Night Has Come [Sonny Til solo] (Unreleased) 11 Mar 1952
CD-4:
1. Don't Stop (Unreleased) 12 Mar 1952
2. I Promise You (Unreleased) 12 Mar 1952
3. My Baby's Gonna Get It (Unreleased) 12 Mar 1952
4. Baby, I Love You So (Unreleased) 12 Mar 1952
5. Once Upon A Time (Unreleased) 12 Mar 1952
6. I Don't Want To Take A Chance (Jubilee #5102) 1 Apr 1952
7. Wanted (Unreleased) 1 Apr 1952
8. I'm Beginning To Think You Care For Me (Unreleased) 1 Apr 1952
9. Yes Indeed [with Moms Mabley - Vocal] (Unreleased) 1 Apr 1952
10. Don't Keep It To Yourself (Unreleased) 1 Apr 1952
11. I Only Have Eyes For You [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Jubilee #5090) 11 Jun 1952
12. Once In A While [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Jubilee #5090) 11 Jun 1952
13. Good [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Jubilee #5099) 11 Jun 1952
14. Piccadilly [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Jubilee #50990) 11 Jun 1952
15. That's How I Feel Without You [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Unreleased) 11 Jun 1952
16. Love Birds [duet - Sonny Til & Edna McGriff] (Unreleased) 11 Jun 1952
17. Don't Cry Baby (Jubilee #5092) 28 Jul 1952
18. See See Rider (Jubilee #5092) 28 Jul 1952
19. Till Then (Unreleased) 28 Jul 1952
20. Till Then (Jubilee #5107) 28 Jul 1952
21. Feeling Low (Unreleased) 25 Aug 1952
22. Good Looking Baby (Unreleased) 25 Aug 1952
23. Along About Sundown (Unreleased) 25 Aug 1952
24. You Belong To Me (Jubilee #5102) 9 Oct 1952
25. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me (Jubilee #5108) 31 Dec 1952
26. Teardrops On My Pillow (Jubilee #5108) 31 Dec 1952
CD-5:
1. Congratulations To Someone [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5118) Feb 1953
2. (Danger) Soft Shoulders [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5118) Feb 1953
3. Have You Heard [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5112) Feb 1953
4. Lonely Wine [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5112) Feb 1953
5. Bad Little Girl (Jubilee #5115) Spring 1953
6. Dem Days (Are Gone Forever) (Jubilee #5115) Spring 1953
7. One More Time (Jubilee #5120) Spring 1953
8. Crying In The Chapel (Unreleased) 30 Jun 1953
9. Crying In The Chapel (Jubilee #5122) 30 Jun 1953
10. Don't You Think I Ought To Know (Jubilee #5122) 30 Jun 1953
11. Maybe You'll Be There (Jubilee #5143) 30 Jun 1953
12. Drowning Every Hope I Ever Had (Jubilee #5143) 30 Jun 1953
13. In The Mission Of St. Augustine (version 1) (Unreleased) 4 Aug 1953
14. (Please) Write And Tell Me Why (version 1) (Unreleased) 4 Aug 1953
15. In The Mission Of St. Augustine (version 2) (Jubilee #5127) 11 Sep 1953
16. (Please) Write And Tell Me Why (version 2) (Jubilee #5127) 11 Sep 1953
17. Robe Of Calvary (Jubilee #5134) Dec 1953
18. There's No One But You (Jubilee #5134) Dec 1953
19. Don't Go To Strangers (Jubilee #5137) 29 Jan 1954
20. Secret Love (Jubilee #5137) 29 Jan 1954
21. In The Chapel In The Moonlight (Jubilee #5154) 29 Jun 1954
22. Thank The Lord! Thank The Lord (Jubilee #5154) 29 Jun 1954
23. Longing (Jubilee #5161) 1 Sep 1954
24. If You Believe (Jubilee #5161) 1 Sep 1954
25. That's When The Good Lord Will Smile (Unreleased) 1 Sep 1954
26. That's When The Good Lord Will Smile (Jubilee #5189) 1 Sep 1954
CD-6:
1. Run Around (Jubilee #5172) 15 Oct 1954
2. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep (Jubilee #5172) 15 Oct 1954
3. Fair Exchange (Jubilee #5177) 22 Dec 1954
4. I Love You Mostly (Jubilee #5177) 22 Dec 1954
5. I Need You Baby (Jubilee #5189) Feb 1955
6. Moody Over You (Jubilee #5221) 16 Mar 1955
7. Please Sing My Blues Tonight (Jubilee #5221) 16 Mar 1955
8. Cigareetos (Unreleased) 16 Mar 1955
9. Sitting Here (Unreleased) 16 Mar 1955
10. Bring The Money Home (Unreleased) 16 Mar 1955
11. Angel (Jubilee #5231) 6 Oct 1955
12. Don't Cry (Unreleased) 6 Oct 1955
13. Sure Fire (Unreleased) 6 Oct 1955
14. Danger (Unreleased) 6 Oct 1955
15. Crying In The Chapel [Sonny Til with the (male) Dread Chorus]* (Jubilee #6001) 29 Jan 1959
16, Tell Me So [Sonny Til with the (male) Dread Chorus]* (Jubilee #5363) 29 Jan 1959
17. At Night [Sonny Til with the (male) Dread Chorus]* (Jubilee #5363) 29 Jan 1959
18. Forgive And Forget [Sonny Til with the (male) Dread Chorus]* (Jubilee #6001) 29 Jan 1959
19. Come On Home [Sonny Til with the (female) Helen Way Singers]* (Jubilee #5384) 27 Jan 1960
20. The First Of Summer [Sonny Til with the (female) Helen Way Singers]* (Jubilee #5384) 27 Jan 1960
21. Panama Joe [Sonny Til with the (female) Helen Way Singers]* (Unreleased) 27 Jan 1960
22. Night And Day [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5394) 24 Aug 1960
23. Shimmy Time [Sonny Til solo] (Jubilee #5394) 24 Aug 1960
24. So Long [Sonny Til solo] (Unreleased) 24 Aug 1960
* Releases of these tracks erroneously credit "Sonny Til & the Orioles."
