Hank Locklin's first album grew out of his hits "Fraulein" and "Geisha Girl," which rode the country charts for a big chunk of late 1956 and 1957, the latter also finding its way onto the pop charts. It's a winner almost all the way around — beyond the two hits, there's the surprisingly rocking (country-style, described in the trades at the time as a "rockahula") "Blue Grass Skirt," the sentimental "Filipino Baby," and the bouncy yet romantic "Foreign Love." Locklin's twangy tenor is ideally suited to this mid-tempo material, and he even acquits himself well on the awkwardly fitting "Lili Marlene," included so that the potential German-based G.I. audience for his records would have something to relate to. He gets through "Mademoiselle" well enough, with help from Grady Martin's tasteful guitar embellishments under each verse, and Chet Atkins also participated on guitar for this album, in addition to producing the session. The only weak moment comes on "My Wild Irish Rose," where Locklin seems uncomfortable, and that is more than made up for by his bouncy renditions of "Mexicali Rose" and "Blue Hawaii" and the deeply expressive "Anna Marie."

HANK LOCKLIN
FOREIGN LOVE

(RCA Victor LPM-1673)

January/1958
Produced by Chet Atkins

Grady Martin, Chet Atkins, Ray Edenton - guitar
Bob Moore - bass
Buddy Harman - drums
Floyd Cramer - piano
Recorded:
Dec/1957, RCA Victor Studio, Nashville

1.
FRAULEIN
(Lawton Williams)
« © '56 Unart Catalog, BMI »

Far across deep blue water lives an old German's daughter
By the banks of the old River Rhine
Where I loved her and left her but I can't forget her
Cause I miss my pretty Fraulein
Fraulein Fraulein look up toward the heavens each night when the stars start to shine
By the same stars above you I swear that I love you you are my pretty Fraulein
[ ac.guitar - piano ]
When my memories wander away over yonder to the sweetheart that I left behind
In a moment of glory a face comes before me the face of my pretty Fraulein
Fraulein Fraulein...
**********
2.
LILI MARLENE
(Hans Leip - Norbert Schulze)
« © '57 Edward B Marks Music, BMI »

Underneath the lantern by the barrack's gate
Darling I remember the way you used to wait
Twas there that you whispered tenderly that you love me you'd always be
My lily of the left line my own Lili Marlene
[ ac.guitar ]
Time would come for roll call time for us to part
Darling I'd caress you and press you to my heart
And there neath the fire of lantern light I'd hold you tight you kiss goodnight
My lily of the left line my own Lili Marlene
**********
3.
FOREIGN LOVE
(Lawton Williams)
« © '57 Western Hills Music, BMI »

Harbor lights are ahead and bright they're shining I can feel the thrill of coming home
But I know my heart will not be willing to forget a foreign love I've known
I will soon be in the arms that waited faithfully each day that I've been gone
But my heart could never be contented to forget a foreign love I've known
[ guitar ]
What on earth could be the right decision it's no good to find a memory
Should I tell the one that calls me darling that a foreign love is haunting me
Can I live with one and love another and go on and face what is to be
In the sea of dreams my heart is anchored and the foreign love is haunting me
**********
4.
MY WILD IRISH ROSE
(Chauncey Olcott)
« © ' 57 WB Music, ASCAP »

My wild Irish Rose the sweetest flower that grows
You may search everywhere but none can compare with my wild Irish Rose
My wild Irish Rose the dearest flower that grows
And someday for my sake she may let me take the bloom from my wild Irish Rose
[ piano - guitar ]
My wild Irish Rose the dearest...
**********
5.
ANNA MARIE
(Cindy Walker)
« © '57 Tree Publishing, BMI »

Tonight while the snowflakes are falling here in my dreams I can see
The wild cherry blossoms of Shima where I walk with Anna Marie
Anna Marie Anna Marie my heart remembers and sighs
C'est vouz c'est vouz me ames beacoup I miss you Anna Marie
[ guitar ]
My love was pledged to another but I knew as I crossed the sea
That I'd never love any other as I love my Anna Marie
Anna Marie Anna Marie...
I miss you Anna Marie
**********
6.
MADEMOISELLE
(Ted Edlin)
« © '57 Unichappell Music, BMI »

Mademoiselle Mademoiselle of gay Paris think back think back remember me
Mademoiselle Mademoiselle in dreams I see wour smiling face and gay Paris
We walked and talked by the river Seine
Then we drew our hearts and carved our names
I loved you then and you loved me think back Mademoiselle my used to be

A soldier boy I long for love away from home so you are a girl so all alone
The war is wrong Mademoiselle and so worry but the love we shared just had to be
We walk and talk...
**********
7.
GEISHA GIRL
(Lawton Williams)
« © '57 Unart Catalog, BMI »

Have you ever heard a love song that you didn't understand
Well you've met her in a teahouse on the Island of Japan
And have you ever traveled over a many thousand miles
To see a pretty Geisha girl dressed in Oriental style
They read it in the Tea Leaves and it's written in the sand
I found love by the heartful in the foreign distant land
Tell the homefolks that I'm happy with someone that's true I know
I love a pretty Geisha girl where the ocean breezes blow
[ guitar ]
I have stood and watched the sunrise from the waters of the sea
And wondered how much beauty in this whole world can there be
My dreams are all worth dreaming and it makes my life worth while
To see my pretty Geisha girl dressed in Oriental style
They read it in the Tea Leaves...
**********
8.
BLUE HAWAII
(Leo Robin - Ralph Rainger)
« © '36 Famous Music, ASCAP »

Night and you and blue Hawaii the night is heavenly and you are heaven to me
Lovely you and blue Hawaii with all this loveliness that should be loved
Come with me while the moon is on the sea the night is young and so are we
Dreams come true in blue Hawaii and mind could all come through
This magic night of nights with you
[ guitar ]
Come with me...
**********
9.
BLUE GRASS SKIRT
(Lawton Williams)
« © '57 Unart Catalog, BMI »

I learn to hula love in Honolulu with a pretty native in the blue grass skirt
But a rock'n roller came along and stole her
Yes he's stole my baby in the blue grass skirt
Well he caught her out to rock and rollin' taught her things so out controlin'
He's stole my baby my hula baby yes he's stole my baby in the blue grass skirt
[ guitar ]
Out the Rocky Island Hawaiian Island
Where the palm trees grow where the tourists flirt
Where I found romancin' life was unchainin'
Where I lost my baby in the blue grass skirt
Well I know that I can never stay where happy people laugh and play
Without my baby my hula baby cause I miss my baby in the blue grass skirt
[ guitar ]
Yeah I learn to hula love...
**********
10.
FILIPINO BABY
(Billy Cox - Clarke Van Ness)
« © '54 Shapiro-Bernstein Music, ASCAP »

When the warship left Manila sailing proudly o'er the sea
Many sailors hearts were filled with sad regret
Looking backward to this Island where they spent such happy hours
Making love to every pretty gal they've met
Well up stopped a little sailor with his bright eyes all aglow
Saying take a look my gal's photograph
Then the sailors gathered round him just to look upon her face
And he said I love my Filipino baby
She's my Filipino baby she's my treasure and my pet
Her teeth are bright and pearly and her hair is black as jet
Her lips are sweet as honey and her heart is true I know
And I love my little Filipino baby
[ guitar ]
In a little rustic cottage in the Port of Fillippines
Dwells a pretty little maiden all alone
And she's thinking of her true love though he's far off cross the sea
And her heart beats true for him and him alone
Then one day he whispered darling I've come back from Caroline
I've come back to claim the only girl I love
And that night there was a wedding while the ships crew gathered round
And he wed his little Filipino baby
She's my Filipino baby...
**********
11.
FOREIGN LOVE AFFAIR
(Wayne P. Walker)
« © '57 Cedarwood Publishing, BMI / Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »

I wonder how many poor boys like me are still in love with a foreign memory
And how many poor girls are waiting over there
With their hearts tied to a foreign love affair
Foreign love affairs distant lands apart foreign love affairs many broken hearts
[ guitar ]
I'd give up a kingdom if I were a king to be with my darling and have one golden ring
But I have no kingdom so all we have to share
Are the mem'ries of a foreign love affair
Foreign love affairs distant lands apart foreign love affairs many broken hearts
**********
12.
MEXICALI ROSE
(Helen Stone - Jack B. Tenney)
« © '50 Songs Of Universal, BMI »

Mexicali Rose stop crying I'll come back to you some sunny day
Every night you know that I'll be pining every hour a year while I'm away
Dry those big brown eyes and smile dear
Vanish all those tears and please don't cry
Kiss me once again and hold me Mexicali Rose goodbye
[ guitar ]
Dry those big brown eyes...
**********

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Hank Locklin Discography