While there are a few nice single-disc retrospectives out there, Proper Music's four-disc box set,
Everybody Stomp, is the definitive
Hoosier Hot Shots collection. Needless to say, it's chock-full of hilarity and finger poppin' tunes; in fact, it'll probably be overwhelming for the casual fan. Then again,
the Hot Shots' jaunty jumble of slide whistle, clarinet, washboard, and butterscotch vocal harmonies is pretty hard to resist. And with classic song titles like "Coat and the Pants Do All the Work," "The Flat Foot Floogie," "Skeedle-Waddle-Dee-Waddle-Do," and "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate," why would anyone want to? Some of
the Hot Shots' humor hasn't aged well -- references to "Zulu smiles" puts "I've Got a Bimbo Down on Bamboo Isle" in cahoots with the ethnic ignorance of early cartoons. But overall,
Everybody Stomp is a delightful set of swing and country-influenced ditties bent in kooky directions by a bunch of guys who just wanted to let America laugh. Honk-a-honkin' clown horns, goofy banter -- "Are you ready,
Hezzie?" -- doddering woodwinds, and amusing sound effects:
Everybody Stomp is like listening to radio theater in 1933, and just as fun as that sounds. Honestly, who doesn't love a slide whistle? Proper's collection includes all of the group's big hits, as well as enjoyable favorites like "Like a Monkey Likes Coconuts," "I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones," "Them Hill-Billies Are Mountain Williams Now," and "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." It also features full liner notes, a detailed biography, and period photography.