SAM THE SHAM & THE PHARAOHS

Best known for their 1965 smash "Wooly Bully," which helped introduce Tex-Mex rhythms to mainstream rock & roll, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs were formed in Dallas by lead singer Domingo Samudio, who took the name Sam the Sham from a joke about his inability as a vocalist. The Pharaohs consisted of guitarist Ray Stinnet, bassist David Martin, saxophonist Butch Gibson, and drummer Jerry Patterson. Before hitting it big with "Wooly Bully," a song about Samudio's cat, they recorded the independent single "Haunted House," which helped the band get a deal with MGM. Following "Wooly Bully," the group recorded a series of largely novelty singles, but only "Li'l Red Riding Hood" approached the success of its predecessor. Frustrated at being perceived as a talentless novelty act, Samudio broke up the Pharaohs in 1967 and recorded as the Sam the Sham Revue, and adopted the name Sam Domingo in 1970. His lone solo LP, Sam, Hard & Heavy, featured slide guitarist Duane Allman, but failed to establish him as a major talent. Samudio contributed two songs to the 1982 film The Border and later moved to Memphis and became a street preacher. "Wooly Bully," of course, remains a bar band staple.

 "PHARAOHIZATION: THE BEST OF SAM THE SHAM AND THE PHARAOHS"

tracklisting

Side A: WAOOLY BULLY - JU JU HAND - PHARAOH A GO-GO

GREEN'ICH GRENDEL - RING DANG DOO - OH THAT'S GOOD, NO THAT'S BAD

Side B: LIL' RED RIDING HOOD - THE HAIR ON MY CHINNY CHIN CHIN

SORRY 'BOUT THAT - MEDICINE MAN - HOW DO YOU CATCH A GIRL? - (I'M IN WITH) THE OUT CROWD

1985     LP     RHINO RECORDS      RNLP 122

PRINTED IN USA    ORIGINAL PRESSING

SINGLE COVER + COMPANY INNER SLEEVE

HEAVY CARDBOARD COVER

NOTES: Electrosound Los Angeles pressing denoted by "ELA" plus Delta number in runouts.

Issued in company advertising poly inner sleeve.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: none

LABEL: RHINO - YELLOW LABEL - BLACK TEXT

Catalog on cover: RNLP 122

Catalog on labels: RNLP 122

Matrix / Runout (Side A, Etched [kdisc Stamped]): RNLP- 8̷2̷2̷2̷A̷ 122A SLM △10855 I-I kdisc KP ELA-△ 27173

Matrix / Runout (Side B, Etched [kdisc Stamped]): RNLP- 8̷2̷2̷2̷B̷ 122B SLM △10855-X I-I kdisc KP ELA-△ 27173X

On labels: rim text "Rhino........Made in U.S.A."

Licensed from........Polygram Records, Inc.

On back cover: Tracklist + Credits

Extensive Liner Notes by Peter Zaremba, New York, 1985

© 1985 Rhino Records......Santa Monica, CA. 90404

grading

RECORD EX but (please, read above description)

SLEEVE VG+ but (please, see pictures and read above description)

For most listeners, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs are strictly a one, maybe two, hit wonder, since "Wooly Bully" and "Lil' Red Riding Hood" were the only Top 10 hits they ever had. Fans knew, however, that there was more to the group than those two songs -- beneath the cutesy persona, the group was a tight, crazed rock & roll band. Pharaohization went a long way to restoring their reputation, since it was the first compilation that treated them seriously, judiciously picking their best singles and album cuts. The result was a terrific, trashy listen -- and cuts like "Ju Ju Hand" and "Medicine Man" sounded nearly as good as "Wooly Bully." Rhino released the collection early in the '80s and it went a long way to establishing the label's reputation among hardcore record collectors, since it was done right. Pharaohization is undoubtedly the definitive Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs compilation and remains the best overview of the group ever assembled...(AllMusic)