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"...I've
Been Chained So Long...Getting Free Just Don't Seem Real..."
Having
made two albums for Volt in the USA - "Margie Joseph Makes A New
Impression" in 1971 " on VOS-6012 and then "Phase II" in
1972 on VOS-6016 - both of which bubbled under the US R&B charts (but many
felt could have done better) - big things were expected of the Mississippi
singer on her 3rd album and new signing to the legendary home of Soul music -
Atlantic Records.
The
album "Margie Joseph" was recorded in June and September 1972 at the
Atlantic studios in New York and produced by keyboardist and legendary arranger
ARIF MARDIN and released February 1973.
This
Japan-only February 2007 CD reissue on Vivid Sound VSCD 320 of "Margie Joseph" by MARGIE JOSEPH (Barcode
4540399003207) is a 5" hard-card repro of the American sleeve and is
limited to 3000 copies worldwide (46:11 minutes):
1.
I Been Down [Ron Galbraith/Marty Keener song]
2.
Make Me Believe You’ll Stay [John W. Anderson song]
3.
Let's Stay Together [Al Green/Willie Mitchell/Al Jackson song - Al Green cover]
4.
Turn Around And Love You [Donna Weiss song - Rita Coolidge cover]
5.
I'm Only A Woman [Ben Peters song]
6.
Let’s Go Somewhere And Love [Kenny O’Dell/Larry Henley song - Sandy Posey
cover]
7.
You Better Know It [David Williams/Calvin White song]
8.
Touch Your Woman [Dolly Parton song]
9.
I’ll Take Care Of You [Brook Benton song]
10.
I’m So Glad I’m Your Woman [Margie Joseph/Arif Mardin song]
11.
How Do You Spell Love [Marshall Boxley, Jerry Strickland and Bobby Patterson
song]
12.
I’d Rather Go Blind [Ellington Jordan and Bill Foster song - Etta James/Chicken
Shack cover]
Tracks
1 to 12 are the album "Margie Joseph" – released February 1973 in the
USA on Atlantic SD-7248 and Atlantic K 40462 in the UK.
The
musicians involved were:
MARGIE
JOSEPH – All Vocals
CORNELL
DUPREE and HUGH McCRACKEN – Guitars on 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 and 12
DAVID
SPINNOZA – Guitar on 1, 5, 6, 9 and 11
RICHARD
TEE – Keyboards on all
ARIF
MARDEN – Additional Keyboards on 10
DAVID
NEWMAN – Saxophone & Flute
JERRY
GEMMOTT – Bass on 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 and 12
CHUCK
RAINEY – Bass on 1, 5, 6, 9 and 11
CISSY
HOUSTON, DEIRDRE TUCK, RENELIE STAFFORD, MYRNA SMITH, SYLVIA SHEMWELL, SAMMY
TURNER and RONALD BRIGHT – Backing Vocals
RALPH
McDONALD – Percussion on all except 3
NORMAN
PRIDE – Percussion on 3 only
7"
singles off the album were:
1.
Let's Go Somewhere And Love b/w Born To Wander - issued in 1972 on Atlantic
2907 in the USA
2.
Touch Your Woman b/w I'm So Glad I'm Your Woman - issued in 1973 on Atlantic
2933 in the USA
3.
Let's Stay Together b/w I'd Rather Go Blind - issued in 1973 on Atlantic 2954
in the USA
4.
How Do You Spell Love b/w Let's Stay Together - issued in 1973 on Atlantic K
10313 in the UK
NOTE:
"Born To Wander" is a Rare Earth cover version and is non-album
The
CD itself is housed in a gauze inner bag (does anyone sell these?) while the
foldout page insert is entirely in Japanese on one side and blank on the other!
If it weren't for the credits on the pasted-on back sleeve on the card replica
(complete with Obi), you wouldn’t have any idea of who did what and where.
There's no reissue liner notes, but it's obvious from the stunning funky opener
"I Been Down" (lyrics above) that remastering has taken place – and a
very sweet job has been done too. The sound is warm, full and sweetly clear.
The
house band is virtually Aretha's – and the album is sequenced as her releases
were at the time – a funky soulful tune followed by a torch ballad and back
again. On the quieter songs like "Turn Around And Love You" and
"I'll Take Care Of You" a tad of hiss is audible – but because you're
too busy enjoying the top session work and Stevie Wonder/Donny Hathaway vibes
of the songs – it's not enough to detract.
If
I was to point out one niggle it’s this - in the USA the album was preceded by
a single, the superb Kenny O’Dell song "Let's Go Somewhere And Love"
(a minor hit for Sandy Posey as "Why Don't We Go Somewhere And Love"
on Columbia in 1972). Put out on Atlantic 2907 in late 1972 - its B-side was
Margie's non-album cover version of Rare Earth's "Born To Wander" and
it's a genuine sought-after soul rarity – a fantastically funky tune. It's a
damn shame "Born To Wander" wasn't tagged on here as a bonus track.
But maybe that's for Rhino to look into - in fact they could do with making all
4 of her Atlantic/Cotillion albums from the 1970s available domestically.
Fab
stuff really – and even if it is pricey (as the Japanese imports are) – worth
every bent penny & red cent you’ll need to acquire it.
PS:
the other two titles in this 5" card sleeve repro series issued in
February 2007 were:
1.
"Sweet Surrender" on Vivid Sound VSCD-321 (Her 2nd LP for the label
issued in August 1974 on Atlantic SD-7277 in the USA)
2.
"Margie" is on Vivid Sound VSCD-322 (Her 3rd LP for the label issued
in 1975 on Atlantic SD-18126 in the USA)
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