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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 452
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.198.48.201
Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2004 - 11:46 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

On Rhino/Atlantic/Atco--does anyone else have this incredible CD featuring Margie Alexander, Laura Lee,Sweet Inspirations, Dee Dee Sharp, Jackie Moore, Esther Phillips,Mary Wells, Betty LaVette, Irma Thomas, Barbra Lynn, Margie Joseph etc.?????? I was driving a long distance today and listened to it again--it bears many listenings--well let me tell you it's hard to pick from all these incredible singers but Ms ALexander "Can I Be Your Main Thing" and Little Esther --who does a big talk/rap w/Set Me Free would not let me go--check out this CD!!(with Dee and Miss Joseph not far behind).
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Rodmann (rodmann)
5-Doyen
Username: rodmann

Post Number: 312
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 12.223.151.165
Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 1:05 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

:-) I've got this cd! I've had it for years. If it wasn't for "Atlantic Sisters Of Soul" I never would've discovered several excellent artists and lots of outstanding, rare songs by singers that I had already heard of!

It's funny that you should mention the tracks by Margie Alexander ('Can I Be Your Main Thing') and Little Esther (Set Me Free') as two of the best. Those two tracks just happen to be two that I skip over because I've never thought that they were up to par with the rest of the cd. To each his own! LOL. Here are my favorites:

DEAR LOVER - Mary Wells
I DON'T KNOW - Baby Washington
WHY (AM I TREATED SO BAD) - The Sweet Inspirations
(UNTIL THEN) I'LL SUFFER - Barbara Lynn
WHAT A MAN - Laura Lee
SHE DIDN'T KNOW (SHE KEPT ON TALKING) - Dee Dee Warwick
UNSATISFIED WOMAN - Jean Battle
YOUR TURN TO CRY - Betty LaVette
DON'T TRY TO TAKE THE FIFTH - The Pointer Sisters

I would've never discovered these tunes or most of the artists if it wasn't for this cd. I had no idea that Mary Wells had hit hits after Motown, who Dee Dee Warwick and Baby Washington were, that Laura Lee recorded an excellent version of 'What A Man' and that The Pointer Sisters had recorded while they were so young, until I discovered this cd!

Dee Dee Sharp and Judy Clay are also included on the compilation but I don't care for the songs that they are represented by. Judy does a lukewarm remake of Otis Redding's 'Mr. Pitiful' re-titled 'Sister Pitiful' here. The only thing "pitiful" is the fact that they couldn't find a better recording to represent the talented Miss Judy Clay! Dee Dee has a lackluster remake of 'A Woman Will Do Wrong' included. Helene Dixon and Irma Thomas did it much better IMO. They should've put one of Dee Dee's excellent Atlantic sides like 'Help Me Find My Groove' or 'My Best Friend's Man' on the cd. I am grateful that she was included at all because I had no idea until I bought this cd that she had recorded such soulful material. I'd only knew her from 'Mashed Potatos' and 'Gravy' before then! LOL.

Nevertheless, if you don't have this cd already and you enjoy hardcore late 60's Soul you really should pick this one up!
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 455
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.198.48.201
Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 7:52 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Rod-so glad u know of this cd--same for me per expsoure to some of these great singers-thank God for this CD--yes our preferences are quite different--I thought the Pointer Sisters song was bargain basement Honey Cone-unlistenable to me I had to click seek button fast!-- tho I love Barbra Lynn's and Mary Wells' songs on here. I feel Mary actually grew more musically after Motown.My preferences for Margie A and Esther happened after I listened to it 3 times--give it another listen maybe. The Sweets song sounded like a dirge to me--is Cissy on that?
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roger (roger)
4-Laureate
Username: roger

Post Number: 155
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 217.35.87.17
Posted on Monday, August 02, 2004 - 8:30 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hello Again Everyone.

This was one of the very first C.Ds I ever bought (around 1991?), as a rather expensive U.S. import. I still have the large box that it was packaged in, this was around the time of the who-hah about excessive C.D. packaging. At the time I was still buying vinyl, but I guessed that this would never get a U.K. release and I think I was right.

Particular favourites are the MARY WELLS and BETTY LAVETTE tracks.

Roger
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Rodmann (rodmann)
5-Doyen
Username: rodmann

Post Number: 323
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 12.223.151.165
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 5:25 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jimmy, I'm still LMAO at the "bargain basement Honey Cone" comment you made about The Pointer Sisters' 'Don't Try To Take The Fifth'! LOL. I have to admit that when I first heard it I hated it as much as you do but it's grown on me over the years. I don't think it's a bad song but it's just a totally different style of song than the other tracks on the disc.

I totally agree with you about Mary Wells growing musically after Motown. Mary and Kim Weston as well. I'll never understand why these two weren't more successful after they left Motown. They recorded some great post-Motown material. I'll stop now because I could go on and on about it.

Jimmy, I've had the cd for over 7 years so I doubt that I'm going to change my mind about which songs I like the best! LOL. I never said that I didn't like the Margie Alexander tune but I just don't think it's all that brilliant compared to gems like Betty LaVette's 'Your Turn To Cry' and Laura Lee's 'What A Man' that are also included on this disc. I've actually skipped over it all these years. I can definitely tell you that I don't care for the Esther Phillips tune. Much too Country-Soul for me. Too much Country and not enough Soul!

It's ironic that you don't care for The Sweet Inspirations' 'Why Am I Treated So Bad'. This song was the reason that I bought the cd all those years ago! LOL. Those sly horns and the girls harmonies are so tight. I love it! I can't listen to it anymore because I've made myself sick of it! Haha. And by the way this is the original lineup of The Sweet Inspirations and Cissy Houston is included. It's very easy to hear her. :-)
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Bob F (notsocool66)
2-Debutant
Username: notsocool66

Post Number: 24
Registered: 5-2004
Posted From: 4.239.45.235
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 10:48 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hi Roger,

You mentioned the large box this CD came in. Was there just 1 disc? I found a place that has an unused copy, but I just want to make sure that I'm looking at the right one.

Thanks,

Bob F.
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roger (roger)
4-Laureate
Username: roger

Post Number: 158
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 217.35.87.17
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 11:40 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bob F.

Yes. There was just the one disc. The box contained a normal C.D. Jewel-box which I use to file the C.D. normally ( the large box itself ( about 10inches by 6inches? is stashed away in a box of assorted memorabilia that I can't bring myself to throw out, along with similar large boxes from the time ( e.g. the LORENZO C.D. with "Tic-Tok" on it. ).

It was fairly common practice with some U.S. record companies at that time to put extra packaging around C.Ds, the intention being to make them appear more eye-catching to the casual record buyer .. after all a C.D is about a quarter the size of what it was replacing at the time ( the 12" L.P ).

There was a lot of objection to this practice by conservationists and the practice was dropped.

Roger
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Don (don)
6-Zenith
Username: don

Post Number: 507
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.75.167.86
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 10:28 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jimmy Mack, a DJ Friend has the CD and I loved what I heard. A good CD with alot of lost and forgotten tunes the public wouldn't have known about if it hadn't been released. Ed also played another CD in it's entirity was Ruby Andrews: The Zodiac Record Sessions.
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Jimmy Mack (luke)
6-Zenith
Username: luke

Post Number: 471
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 205.188.116.139
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 11:32 pm: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well Rod I thought I heard Cissy but wasnt positive or else I wouldnt have asked! Im so glad another poster under Margie A post loves that song too. Since Dont take the 5th grew on u maybe Can I Be your Main thing will too!!It took years for me to like I Knew U Were Waiting by Aretha and George and now I love it.
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Robb_K (robb_k)
5-Doyen
Username: robb_k

Post Number: 407
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 217.232.151.125
Posted on Wednesday, August 04, 2004 - 4:59 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hi Don. Does that Ruby Andrews Zodiac CD have any previously unreleased cuts on it?
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Bob F (notsocool66)
2-Debutant
Username: notsocool66

Post Number: 25
Registered: 5-2004
Posted From: 4.239.138.175
Posted on Wednesday, August 04, 2004 - 9:41 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks, Roger, for the clarification about the one disc.
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Rodmann (rodmann)
5-Doyen
Username: rodmann

Post Number: 330
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 12.223.151.165
Posted on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 4:21 am: ��Edit PostDelete Post���Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jimmy, I wasn't being cute when I said what I did about Cissy Houston. I just meant that her voice is very distinctive and most people can (well, at least I can) easily tell when she's singing background on a song. I just figured that you weren't sure because you hadn't taken the time to really listen to 'Why (Am I Treated So Bad)' since it isn't one of your favorites on the disc.

Again, I didn't say that I hated or disliked the Margie Alexander tune. I just don't think that it can compete with some of the other gems that are on the album. I listened to it again today and it is a good tune (although the arrangement is over the top IMO). It's not bad but I can definitely see why I've ignored it all these years since it's in the company of excellent songs by Laura Lee, Mary Wells, Barbara Lynn and a masterpiece by Betty LaVette! Maybe I'll fully appreciate it in 7 more years. :-)

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