Post #533825 by JOHN-O on Wed, Jun 2, 2010 11:14 PM

OK, maybe not Polynesian-Pop "exotic", but I'd place her in the same related category with Les Baxter, Yma Sumac, and leopard-print Witco furniture. She gets scant recognition here on the TC Music Forum so I hope this post encourages more people to seek her out.

Two chief reasons:

1. First, she was a real-life Exotica girl. I always got the feeling Sandy Warner went back to being a suburban house wife after taking off the animal skin. Eartha's real-life persona on the other hand, exuded sex, mystery, and an exotic foreignness even though she was born in America. She was such an authentic feline femme fatale that she was cast as Catwoman in Season 3 of Batman.

She didn't just play Catwoman, she WAS a Catwoman.

Here's some interesting quotes:

• Orson Welles: "The most exciting woman in the world"

• Batman: "She may be evil but she is attractive"

• Lady Bird Johnson: (crying) - Eartha made the First Lady cry at a White House luncheon when she told her "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed ...." Eartha was black-balled for almost 10 years after that.

• CIA: "A sadistic nymphomaniac" :D

2. Second, she performed some of the most "exotic" Lounge Music. Her ability to sing in 4 languages gave her one of the most distinctive voices around. Not only did she do recorded work in French, Spanish, and Turkish, she could also affect a Caribbean and an Irish (!!) accent. Her song "African Lullaby" is like vocal rendition of instrumental Exotica, and if must have a Poly-Pop connection, please reference "Honolulu Rock & Roll". And let's not forget her famous double entendre "Santa Baby", and my favorite "I want to be Evil". If that song doesn't represent the mid-century Tiki spirit then I don't know what does.

Eartha should be essential listening on the Tiki Bar Exotica/Lounge play list. Also here's a coincidence, her best chart-topping year of 1953 was arguably when classic Tiki-style began.

"Purr-fect". :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-06-02 23:21 ]