1955 Dickie Valentine: The Finger Of Suspicion

Now here's something that attains the rare feat of sounding old fashioned even in 1955 - from the vocal mannerisms to the arrangements,everything about 'The Finger Of Suspicion' plays out like a skit on some 1930's speakeasy tune as crooned by an Italian American. Over in America itself, Jane Froman recorded a version of this the same year that's a more contemporary, Hawaiian guitar laced reading that fair shimmers in its telling, though no doubt being backed by The Stargazers kitted this version out with the concrete boots that kept it striding too far into the future. Valentine himself sounds happy enough to play along though this nod to the past is more mimicry than saudade and it's a pity all involved couldn't have put a more Anglicised spin on it for the folks back home instead of kick starting a trend to ape American culture that persists to this day. Not a bad version by any means, but rather a lazy one that doesn't bear too many replays.