Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Sultans of Swat

Vintage Posters, City Market, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Charleston's City Market has been offering goods for sale since the 1830's. Back then it was fresh seafood, meat and produce which Charlestonians shopped for to supply their kitchens. Today the City Market supplies merchandise mainly for shopping tourists. They can find local hand crafts, artwork and collectables, like these vintage posters. Displayed above are icons of the pop/rock music world... The Beatles, The Doors, Elvis, The Rolling Stones and Babe Ruth. Yes, George Herman Ruth! 
Babe and the Sultans of Swat had a brief but mercurial career rocking-out ball parks across America. Where ever they played, their unique blend of hard-driving heartland rock and Big Apple blues made them an instant smash. Many of their songs became memorable hits, and a few went on to become what some in the music business call "home runs".  Oldies but goodies like "I'm Roundin' Third and Headed Home to You, Hunny", "Tootse, You're My Divin' Catch", "High and Tight", "You Send Me Up Like a Pop-Fly", "Ain't No Way I'm Stealin' For You" , "Whiffed on Love", "My Heart Got Dinged by Your Curveball Baby", "Bad Case of Blooper Blues", "Called Out Lookin' for Love", "You Ain't Nothin' But a Sandlot Slugger", "Good Bunting Gone Bad", "Swingin' for the Fences" and their hall of fame hit, their multi-platinum single, "All You Need is Glove". Tragically their run at legend would end with a strikeout. Their sudden and dramatic downfall occurred when many of the band members succumbed to cola addiction.