Top Rank Record Company of America was established in 1959 in New York City. Top Rank was
the US subsidiary of the Rank Records, Ltd. of London, England. The initial manager of the US
operation was Bob Shad who was an A&R man with Decca and Emarcy. When Shad left, he was
replaced by Norman Weinstroer, who had been General Sales Manager at both Coral and Brunswick.
Most of the output of the Top Rank Record label was recorded by the Rank Record company in England
which is why the label has such an international flavor. The music on the label is pretty forgettable
schmaltz with the exception of the three albums by Jack Scott [319, 326 and 348], a Canadian who
made some of the most distinctive rock and roll records of the late '50s. Other albums of interest to a
rock and roll collector are the two albums by the Fireballs [324, 343], which were recorded by Norman
Petty. Norman Petty gained fame by making the breakthrough recordings of Buddy Holly at his Clovis
New Mexico studio in 1957. The Norman Petty Trio also had an album on Top Rank [339]. Also notable
or forgettable, depending on your outlook were albums by The Lucky Strike Hit Paradestars
Dorothy Collins and her husband, Hit Parade bandleader Raymond Scott.
Jaro Records was a jazz subsidiary label also established in 1959. Both labels seemed to have closed
down by late 1961 or early 1962.
Top Rank monaural records are designated RM-3XX, the label on the mono albums is red with black
printing. The upper left quarter of the label is white with a gold logo showing a man hitting a giant gong.
To the right of this white quarter is "TOP RANK INTERNATIONAL" in white. Top Rank stereo records are
designated RS-6XX, the label of the stereo discs are gold with red printing. The upper left quarter of the
label is white with a red logo showing a man hitting a giant gong. To the left of this white quarter is "TOP
RANK INTERNATIONAL" in white. We do not have very much information on which LPs were released
in stereo. Those we know were released in stereo are listed with their stereo numbers. Jaro monaural
records are designated JAM-5XXX, Jaro stereo records are designated JAS-8XXX. We have no
information about which of the Jaro albums werer issued in stereo.
We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an
information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no
association with Top Rank Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this
discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and Follow the
instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1997, 1999 by Mike Callahan.
TOP RANK ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY
Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] Contents
RM-300 - Double Barrel Marching Dixie - Bourbon Street Barons [1959] Stars And
Stripes Forever/El Capitan/High School Cadets/Chicago Rockets/Emblem Of Glory/The Gladiator//King
Cotton/Washington Post March/The Thunderer/(Hear That) Dixieland Band/Standard Of
Freedom/Semper Fidelis
RM-301 - My Kind of Blues - Debby Moore [1959] Five Months Two Weeks Two
Days/Come On Home To Me/See See Rider/Nothin But Trouble On My Mind/Sent For You
Yesterday/Baby Won't You Please Come Home//I'm Travelin Light/(I Know) My Baby Loves Me
True/Why Don't You Do Right/How Come You Do Me Like You Do Do Do/Hallelujah I Love Him So/No
Love No Nothin'
RM-302 - Dance Everyone Dance - Phil Bennett [1959] Flower Drum Song/Red
Head/My Fair Lady/Gigi/South Pacific/Oklahoma/The King And I/Roberta/Can Can/Silk
Stockings/Showboat/Boys From Syracuse/Good News/Rosalie/Finian's Rainbow/(others)
RM-302/RS-603 - The Strings Sing - Knightsbridge Strings [1959] Cry (S)/Here in My
Heart (S)/Singing the Blues (S)/The Little White Cloud That Cried (S)/My One and Only Love
(S)/Whispering Grass (S)//Wheel of Fortune (S)/Cow Cow Boogie (S)/My Prayer (S)/You're Breaking My
Heart (S)/Because You're Mine (S)/You Made Me Love (S)
RM-304 - Music for Trapping (Tender That Is) - Elliot Lawrence [1959]
RM-305 - Presenting the Songsters - Songsters [1959] Whistle A Happy Tune/Hi Lili Hi
Lo/The Battle Hymn Of The Republic/Soon I Will Be Done/I've Got You Under My Skin//September
Song/Love Is A Many Splendored Thing/Oklahoma/Get Me To The Church On Time/Out Of My Dreams
RM-306 - The Melody Lingers On - George Auld & the Mello Larks [1959]
RM-307 - Ernest Martin and Orchestra - Ernest Martin [1959]
RM-308 - The Strings Swing - Knightsbridge Strings [1959] String Of Pearls/One
O'Clock Jump/Petite Fleur/Monday Blues/Flying Home/I'm Beginning To See The Light//King Porter
Stomp/Mood Indigo/Intermission Riff/American Patrol/Stompin' At The Savoy/Skyliner
RM-309
RM-310 - Come to the Ceili - Gallow Glass Ceili Band [1960]
RM-311
RM-312 - Musical Moods of the Maori - Hukarere School Choir [1960]
RM-313 - Double Exposures - Manny Albam [1960] Jersey Bounce/I Found A Million
Dollar Baby/Undecided/This Can't Be Love/Take The "A" Train/Exactly Like You/Jada/It's A Wonderful
World/Blue Moon/Mountain Greenery/Crazy Rhythm/Opus 1/Sweet Sue/Honeysuckle Rose/I Let A Song
Go Out Of My Heart/Don't Get Around Much Anymore/You're Driving Me Crazy/Moten
Swing/Perdidio/You Can Depend On Me
RM-314/RS-614 - Bundle from Britian - Johnny Dankworth [1960] Recorded at the
Newport Jazz Festival, July, 1959. Firth Of Fourths/Caribe/Royal Ascot/Don't Get Around Much
Anymore//Doggin' Around/Jones/Take The "A" Train
RM-315 - Latin Cameos - Knightsbridge Strings [1960]
RM-316 - Bahamas Bash - "Little G" Harold McNair [1960]
RM-317
RM-318
RM-319/RS-619 - I Remember Hank Williams - Jack Scott [1960] Stereo information
not available. My Heart Would Know/Your Cheatin' Heart/I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You/Cold, Cold
Heart/You Win Again/Half As Much//They'll Never Take Her Love From Me/Crazy Heart/I'm Sorry For
You My Friend/Take These Chains From My Heart/I Can't Escape From You/May You Never Be Alone
RM-320 - Scotland's Pride - Royal Scots Greys [1960]
RM-321 - With My Love - Ernest Maxin
RM-322 - No Greater Love - Don Butler [1960]
RM-323 - Warm Hearted Polkas - Ted Maksymowicz [1960]
RM-324 - The Fireballs - Fireballs [1960] Released in mono only. Torquay/Guess
What/Panic Button/Let There Be Love/Nearly Sunrise/Long Long Pony Tail//Bulldog/I Wonder
Why/Foot-Patter/Blind Date/Kissin'/Cry Baby
RM-325 - More Swinging Strings - Knightsbridge Strings [1960]
RM-326/RS-626 - What In The World's Come Over You? - Jack Scott [1960] What In
The World's Come Over You (S)/Oh Little One (S)/Am I The One (S)/I'm Satisfied With You (S)/My King
(S)/It's My Way Of Loving You (S)//Burning Bridges (S)/Baby Baby (S)/So Used To Loving You (S)/Cruel
World (S)/Good Deal Lucille (S)/Window Shopping (S)
RM-327 - The Man from Interpol - Tony Crombie [1960]
RM-328
RM-329
RM-330
RM-331
RM-332 - Melodies in Velvet - Phillip Green [1960]
RM-333 - Good Enough to Keep - George Auld [1960]
RM-334 - Grandma Merrill Plays Honky Tonk - Blanche Merrill [1960] The Sheik Of
Araby/There's Yes Yes In Your Eyes/How Come You Do Me Like You Do-When My Sugar Walks Down
The Street/Alexander's Ragtime Band/Down Yonder/For Me And My Gal//(side 2 titles not known)
RM-335 - The Unexpected - Raymond Scott [1960] Temptation/Waltz Of The
Diddles/And The Cow Jumped Over The Moon/A Message From Where/In The Beginning/Someone To
Watch Over Me//March Of The Diddles/Night And Day/And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon/Quiet
Entrance/Jill/Over The Rainbow
RM-336 - New Big Band - Dave Lee [1960] Lover Come Back To Me/Bye Bye
Blackbird/Georgia On My Mind/Chloe/Piece Of Cake/You You You/London Derriere/Blue Denham/I
Cover The Waterfront/Cheek To Cheek/Beyond The Sea
RM-337
RM-338
RM-339/RS-639 - A Petty for Your Thoughts - Norman Petty Trio [1960] Stereo
information not available. Almost Paradise/Nearly Sunrise/This World Is Mine/Everyday/Light Of
Heaven/A Little Waltz//Little Black Samba/Kissin'/Lonely Snowflake/Bubble Drum/Whisper Low/King Bee
RM-340/RS-640 - A New Way to Travel - Dorothy Collins [1960] Say Si Si/Let's Do
It/You've Changed/Perfidia/Goodbye/Lady In Red//I Feel A Song Comin' On/My Heart Belongs To
Daddy/Everytime We Say Goodbye/Sweet And Gentle/Blame It On My Youth/Adios
RM-341/RS-641 - Soft Swaying Strings/More Swaying Strings - Knightsbridge Strings
[1960] Record jacket gives title as Soft Swaying Strings, while label title is More Swaying
Strings. South Sea Island Magic/Sleepy Lagoon/Harbor Lights/Red Sails In The Sunset/Heavenly
Hawaii/Song Of The Islands//Sweet Leilani/Down Among The Sheltering Palms/Trade Winds/Sing Me A
Song Of The Islands/Blue Hawaii/Honolulu Blues
RM-342/RS-642 - We Like Polka Music - Ted Maksymowicz [1960] Hoop Dee Doo
(S)/Hop Scotch Polka (S)/Double Eagle Polka (S)/Blue Skirt Waltz (S)/Beer Barrel Polka (S)/Colonel
Bogie (S)//Meadowland Schottische (S)/Pennsylvania Polka (S)/Wishing Well Polka (S)/Tinker Polka
(S)/Liechtensteiner Polka (S)/Foxy Polka (S)
RM-343/RS-643 - Vaquero - Fireballs [1960] Vaquero (S)/La Raspa (S)/In A Little
Spanish Town (S)/Cielito Lindo (S)/La Golondrina (S)/Tequila (S)//The Spur (La Espuela) (S)/A Spanish
Legend (Leyenda Espa¤ola) (S)/Jususita En Chihuahua (S)/La Borrachita (S)/A Gay Ranchero (S)/El
Rancho Grande (S)
RM-344 - Out of the Dark - Peggy Stuart [1960]
RM-345
RM-346
RM-347
RM-348 - The Spirit Moves Me - Jack Scott with the Chantones [1961] Thought to have
issued in mono only. When the Saints Go Marching In/Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Ezekiel Saw The
Wheel/Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho/Little David Play On Your Harp/Roll Jordan Roll//Down By The
Riverside/Old Time Religion/The Gospel Train/I Wanna Be Ready/Just A Closer Walk With Thee/He'll
Understand
RM-349 - Bongola - Preston Epps [1961] Bongola/Stormy Bongo/Blue
Bongo/Tenderly/Caravan/Bongos In Paradise//Cherokee/Bongo Hop/Flamingo/Perido/Prest Bongos
Under Glass
RM-350 - Dixieland's Best Friend - Clyde McCoy [1961] At The Jazz Band Ball/Coronet
Chop Suey/Hindustan/Basin Street Stomp/Down By The Riverside/Bourbon Street Parade//Muskrat
Ramble/South Rampart Street Parade/Mack The Knife/Sensation/Swanee
TD 1 - Last Moments of Greatness - Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey [1960] Just For Taking
Bows/Street Of Dreams/Sunny Side Of The Street/Studio '50/Without You/Getting Sentimental Over
You/Serious Business/In A Little Spanish Town/You Taught Me To Love Again/A Door Will
Open/Tenderly
RDM-1 - History of Cante Flamenco - Various Artists (2 LP set) Artists include Caracol,
Manolo & Melchor de Marchena.
JARO LABEL DISCOGRAPHY
JAM-5000 - Tales of Manhattan: The Cool Philosophy of Babs Gonzales - Babs
Gonzales [9/59] The Hat Box Chicks/Broadway, 4 AM/You Need Connections/Dem Resolution
Liars/Manhattan Fable//Dem Jive New Yorkers/The Squares/A Dollar Is Your Only Friend/The Cool Cat's
Philosophy/Ole Braggin' Freddie
JAM-5001/JAS-8001 - Cootie Williams & Wini Brown - Cootie Williams & Wini Brown
[1959] Lover (duet)/Gone Again (Wini)/You Got To Laugh (Cootie)I Surrender Dear-Sweet Lorraine
(duet)/Goin' Around (duet)//Johnny With The Gentle Hands (Wini)/On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(Cootie)/Around Midnight (Wini)/Bewitched (Wini)/That Old Feeling (Cootie)
JAM-5002 - Wings of Song - Phillip Green [1959]
JAM-5003 - Hawaii On The Rocks - Georgie Auld [11/59]
JAM-5004 - The Message - J.R. Monterose [11/59] Straight Ahead/Violets For Your
Furs/Green Street Scene//You Know That/I Remember Clifford/Short Bridge
JAM-5005 - Flaming Guitar - Jose Motos
JAM-5006 - Heartaches - Ted Weems [1960]
JAM-5007 - The Arrival Of Kenny Dorham - Kenny Dorham [1960] Stage West/I'm An
Old Cowhand/Stella By Starlight/Delilah/Butch's Blues/Lazy Afternoon/Six Bits/When Sunny Gets
Blue/Turbo
Thanks to Irwin Chusid, Tom Daly and Dave Dzurick.
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Top Rank/Jaro Album Discographies