Year: 1969

LEE DORSEY: I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter; Little Ba-by (Bell BLL 1051).
The oldie given the New Orleans treatment – and it could go well with the mums and dads. Insinuous flip, but ’tain’t no big thing.
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LITTLE MILTON: Grits Ain’t Groceries; I Can’t Quit You (Chess CRS).
Up-dated funky, brassy version of Titus Turner’s “All Around The World” (which was Little Willie John’s first hit) that is doing well in America. Edward L. Bakewell III and all Blues freaks should dig the generously long (6.35) flip, which has plenty of Milton’s guitar and impassioned vocal. Check it out.
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TONY JOE WHITE: Polk Salad Annie; Aspen Colorado (Monument MON 1031).
“Soul Francisco” was a gas . . . now this! Rosko’s hip to Tony Joe and if you’ve missed him playing this, go hear it now! Another “down in Louisiana”-type lyric admittedly, but with funky beat, brass, guitar, and that distinctive voice over all. Slow and more stereotyped “Aspen” tells an autobiographical tale.
* * * * * * Continue reading “March 1, 1969: Lee Dorsey, Little Milton, Tony Joe White, Ben E. King, Bobby Womack”

QUITE a good week for serious students of Soul Music, with several ballads of the type that always wow ’em in the States but bomb badly here, plus the now customary batch of re-releases.

THE SPELLBINDERS: Help Me (Get Myself Back Together Again); Chain Reaction (CBS Direction 58-3970).
Soul group fans will flock to their record stores for this goodie, if they didn’t do so in 1966 when it was first out. Although slightly more subtle, it packs all the danceabillty of the other currently successful re-releases, and so, given the air time, it must stand some chance of being a seller. The group (three guys, one gal) have had several R & B hits in the States, this included. “Chain Reaction” is a good value flip, being an earlier hit, but it’s minus the zing of “Help Me”.
CHART POSSIBILITY.

THE DOORS: Touch Me; Wild Child (Elektra EKSN 45050).
Before their recent TV exposure this might have seemed a more appealing invitation. As it is, Jim Morrison lays it on the line, backed by a complex and heavily-orchestrated noise with some grow-on-you rhythm changes – quite nice. Too jumbled to be a smash here, but the catchy beat parts should see it into the charts. Actually the flip is a better follow-up to “Hello”, having the same direct approach to the subject matter – you know where you are with this.
CHART PROBABILITY.

BUDDY HOLLY: Love Is Strange; You’re The One (MCA MU 1059).
Released to commemorate his death exactly ten years ago, on 3rd February 1959, this is Buddy’s very last unissued single. Even tho’ the song (the Mickey & Sylvia standard) is so well known, Buddy’s version could easily be a sizeable hit on the strength of his performance and the electronically enhanced sound – which is gentle and pleasant, with heavy strings sawing away over some nifty guitar picking. Really, this is the best version ever of the song!! Good Rockin’ music on the flip-deck, great for dancing, and certainly good enough to have been another A-sIde.
CHART PROBABILITY. Continue reading “February 8, 1969: The Spellbinders, The Doors, Buddy Holly, Timi Yuro, Carl Perkins”