The 12 Year Old Genius

RELEASE
May 21, 1963
LABEL
Motown
GENRES
Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Pop-Soul, Motown

Album Review

Recorded live, this includes the full seven-minute version of his number one hit "Fingertips." The rest of the album shows him as a young prodigy fixated on Ray Charles; indeed, the final three songs are covers of the early Charles tunes "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "Drown in My Own Tears," and "Don't You Know." A couple jams and a cover of "(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over" fill out this seven-song LP.
Richie Unterberger, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Fingertips [On Bongos and Harmonica]
  2. Soul Bongo [On Bongos]
  3. La La La [On Drums]
  4. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
  5. Hallelujah I Love Her So [Piano and Vocals]
  6. Drown in My Own Tears
  7. Don't You Know