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US AND THEM - 1973
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"…Ain't Got No Trouble In Life..."
Edsel have licensed four of those beautifully
transferred titles and doubled them up onto two new 2CD releases for 2015
whilst tail-ending each set with bonus non-album single sides of interest to
fans. The two missing titles issued in 2008 are "Angel Eyes" from
1987 on Columbia Records and an unreleased album called "Cage The
Songbird" containing material from the Rocket Records period (finally
issued 2008).
With those six EMI CDs now long-since deleted and
acquiring nasty price tags in the meantime and with this particular issue
featuring a hefty amount of exclusive Elton John/Bernie Taupin involvement –
this new 2CD reissue in its card-wrap is both timely and welcome (not to
mention beautifully presented). Here are the Loving and Free details...
UK released February 2015 (March 2015 in the USA) –
"Loving & Free + I've Got The Music In Me" by KIKI DEE on
Edsel/Rhino EDSK 7078 (Barcode 740155707835) is an 'Expanded Edition' 2CD
Reissue with 2008 Remasters and breaks down as follows:
Disc 1 "Loving & Free" by KIKI DEE
(55:12 minutes)
1. Loving & Free [Side 1]
2. If It Rains
3. Lonnie & Joseph
4. Travellin In Style
5. You Put Something Better
6. Supercool [Side 2]
7. Rest My Head
8. Amoureuse
9. Song For Adam
10. Sugar On The Floor
Tracks 1 to 10 are Kiki Dee’s debut album for Elton
John's newly formed Rocket Records "Loving & Free" - originally
issued on vinyl in November 1973 on Rocket PIGL 5 in the UK.
BONUS TRACKS:
11. The Last Good Man In My Life
12. Hard Luck Story
13. Everyone Should Have Their Way
14. Six Days On The Road
Two 45s came off the "Loving & Free"
album at the time - with one other single issued 3 years later as a belated
hit. First up was "Lonnie & Josie" b/w "Last Good Man In My
Life" - with both tracks written by ELTON JOHN and BERNIE TAUPIN. Released
in June 1973 on Rocket PIG 2 - it unfortunately went the same as her earlier
singles and didn't chart. The B-side “Last Good Man In My Life” has long been
sought after by collectors as a non-album JOHN/TAUPIN track unavailable anywhere
else. Apparently it was an outtake from the "Goodbye Yellow Brick
Road" sessions. “Hard Luck Story” b/w “Everyone Should Have Their Way” was
a stand-alone UK 7” single released March 1974 on Rocket PIG 10 (it didn’t
chart either). The last bonus track turned up on the 2008 EMI CD and was
Previously Unreleased at the time – a raucous cover of Dave Dudley's 1963 hit
"Six Days On The Road" (and very good it is too).
The second 7" single finally hit pay dirt.
"Amoureuse" b/w "Rest My Head" (both from the album) hit
the UK shops in October 1973 on Rocket PIG 4 just before the album's release in
late November. A beautiful song - it was an immediate hit with the public.
Written by French singer VERONIQUE SANSON - its plaintive melody had lyrics
added to it by the British composer GARY OSBOURNE. "Rest My Head" is
a Kiki Dee original. "Amoureuse" peaked at Number 13 in the UK and
introduced Kiki's great voice to the public. It really was a career-maker.
Elton would put out his own version of his album contribution “Sugar On The
Floor” as a B-side to “Island Girl” in September 1975 (DJM Records DJS 610).
The title track "Loving and Free" was
finally released as a 4-track EP in a Picture Sleeve in September 1976 on
Rocket ROKN 515 (sometimes referred to as the "Kiki Dee" EP). It
followed on the back of the huge number 1 success of the "Don't Go
Breaking My Heart" duet with ELTON earlier in June and July of that year.
Its 4 tracks are: "Loving And Free", "Amoureuse",
"I've Got The Music In Me" and "(You Don't Know) How Glad I
Am". Why it wasn't released immediately after "Amoureuse" is
anyone's guess?
Disc 2 - "I've Got The Music In Me" by THE
KIKI DEE BAND (57:43 minutes):
1. I've Got The Music In Me [Side 1]
2. Someone To Me
3. Step By Step
4. Water
5. Out Of My Head
6. Do It Right [Side 2]
7. Little Frozen One
8. Heart And Soul
9. You Need Help
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "I've Got The Music
In Me" by The Kiki Dee Band – released October 1974 in the UK on Rocket
Records PIGL 10
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Simple Melody
11. How Glad I Am
12. Peter
13. Once A Fool
Three 45s were released around the "I’ve Got The
Music In Me" album – August 1974 saw "I've Got The Music In Me"
b/w "Simple Melody" put out in the UK on Rocket PIG 12. It was a big
hit and rose to 19 in the charts in September of that year (broke her on
American Radio too). The flipside "Simple Melody" was non-album
(hence a Bonus Track here) - while the second single (the stand alone)
"How Glad I Am" b/w "Peter" fared less well and didn’t
chart (released April 1975 in the UK on Rocket PIG 16). On 17 November 1975,
Rocket went for attempt number three with the non-album "Once A Fool"
(fourth bonus on CD2) as an A-side on Rocket Records ROKN 501 combining it with
the Side 1 LP-Track "Someone To Me" on the B-side - but it didn't
chart.
Looks - you have to say that the presentation here is
top-class. There's a card wrap for starters that gives the reissue a classy
feel – but the 32-page colour booklet is gorgeous. It amalgamates the CHRIS
WHITE liner notes that came with the 2008 EMI issues (he sadly passed away in
2014 and Kiki pays him personal tribute in her own notes on Page 3) – adds in a
collage of rare 7" picture sleeves from around the world (Japan, Europe etc),
produces track-by-track annotation for the first album and lyrics for the
second record (only) and of course had credits for the reissue. Although it
doesn’t say it in the booklet – these are the Geoff Pesche remasters of 2008
(done at Abbey Road) mastered in 2014 by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering. The
Audio Quality is beautiful – so clear and warm. Tracks like "Amoureuse" and "Loving & Free" (with its beautiful guitar work by PAUL KEOGH) now sound
astonishing - a treat to hear.
"Loving & Free" had its 10 tracks
famously produced by ELTON JOHN with his house band of DAVEY JOHNSTONE on
Guitars, DEE MURRAY on Bass and NIGEL OLSSEN on Drums featuring on many of the
songs. Elton himself provided Keyboards and Backing Vocals on seven out of the
album's ten tunes and on the non-album B-side – Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and
11 on Disc 1). GERRY CONWAY and DAVE MATTACKS of FAIRPORT CONVENTION fame
filled in the drums on other tracks with LESLIE DUNCAN of "Love Song"
fame providing backing vocals on the superb Kiki original "If It
Rains". "Travellin' In Style" is a FREE cover, "Song For
Adam" is a JACKSON BROWNE cover introduced to Kiki by Elton, while she
gives a very soulful rendition of "You Put Something Better Inside
Me", a Gerry Rafferty/Joe Egan written STEALER'S WHEEL song. "Supercool"
is the third exclusive JOHN/TAUPIN track - a rocker - though not as good as the
better B-side "Last Good Man In My Life". B.J. COLE provides Pedal
Steel Guitar on “Rest My Head”
The Kiki Dee Band that played on "I've Got The Music
In Me" consisted of JO PARTRIDGE (Guitar), BIAS BOSHELL (Keyboards), PHIL
CURTIS (Bass) and ROGER POPE (Drums). Partridge provided the song "Out Of My
Head" while Boshell stumped up a whopping five – "I've Got The Music In Me", "Step By Step", "Do It Right", "Heart And Soul" and "You Need Help". Kiki
brought three originals to the table – "Someone To Me", "Water" and "Little
Frozen One". Of the Non-LP stuff – Kiki also wrote "Simple Melody" and "Peter" while Larry Harrison and Jimmy Williams wrote "How Glad I Am" and "Once A Fool" is a Brian Potter/Dennis Lambert song.
Boshell had worked with Folk-Rock cult group Trees on
CBS Records, Guitarist Partridge had worked with Colin Scott, Philip
Goodhand-Tate and Joan Armatrading while Bassist Curtis had played with Arthur
Brown’s Kingdom Come, Spirit Of John Morgan and The Steve Gibbon’s band. Roger
Pope was with Hookfoot and a regular member of Elton John’s Band. “I’ve Got The
Music In Me” features CISSY HOUSTON and MARETHA STEWART on Backing Vocals with
MIKE DEACON on Organ and String Arrangements by RICHARD HEWSON. Elton’s
long-time Producing associate GUS DUDGEON did the honours at the desk.
Musically the album is as strong as “Loving & Free” and hugely polished –
songs like the ballads “Little Frozen One”, “Heart And Soul” and of course the
title track being stands-outs.
A minor downside to this otherwise excellent reissue
is that both "Lonnie & Josie" and "Amoureuse" were
released in the States on MCA 40095 and 40157 respectively - and as advance
radio promos, both singles sported a mono and stereo mix on either side. It's a
damn shame that the exclusive "US Mono Mix" of each single wasn't
included on here as bonuses when there was plenty of room. Niggles worth
mentioning.
Other than that this is yet another exemplary Edsel
reissue of music that deserves your renewed interest. You could of course argue
that you simply buy the 2015 “Original Album Series” 5CD Mini Box Set for KIKI
DEE and get five albums for a roughly a ten-spot. But I’d argue in favour of
the extras and that amazing presentation (the second title on Edsel EDSK 7079
couples “Kiki Dee” from 1977 and “Stay With me” from 1979 – also with bonuses).
"...I will untangle myself...so I can be...loving
and free..." - Kiki Dee sang in 1973 in earnest. Way to go Pauline...
KIKI DEE – UK 7" singles on Rocket Records
1. "Lonnie & Josie" b/w "Last Good
Man In My Life" (both tracks written by ELTON JOHN and BERNIE TAUPIN) -
released in June 1973 on Rocket PIG 2
2.
"Amoureuse" b/w "Rest My Head" - released in October
1973 on Rocket PIG 4
3. "Hard Luck Story" b/w "Everyone
Should Have Their Way" was released in March 1974 on Rocket PIG 10
4. "I've Got The Music In Me" b/w
"Simple Melody" was released August 1974 on Rocket PIG 12
5. "How Glad I Am" b/w "Peter" was
released April 1975 on Rocket PIG 16
6. "Don’t
Go Breaking My Heart" b/w "Snow Queen" – 24 June 1976 on Rocket
ROKN 512
7. “The Kiki
Dee EP” was released as a 4-track EP in a Picture Sleeve in September 1976 on
Rocket ROKN 515. It followed on the back of the huge number 1 success of the
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" duet with ELTON earlier in June and July
of that year. Its 4 tracks are: "Loving And Free",
"Amoureuse", "I've Got The Music In Me" and "(You
Don't Know) How Glad I Am"
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