"…Get Up And Do Your
Thang…"
One Way's most famous hit -
1979's "You Can Do It" - is the kind of infectious funky little
Soul/R’n’B number that I loved then and still do now – and it's a guaranteed
floor filler to this day - 30 years after the event. It's one of a few goodies
on this rather excellent but overlooked CD reissue and remaster from MCA
America. Here are the can-do details...
Released in the USA-only in
April 1996 - "The Best Of" by ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON and ALICIA
MYERS on MCA Records MCAD-11432 (Barcode 008811143220) plays out as follows
(69:32 minutes):
1. Cutie Pie (1982 USA LP
"Who’s Foolin' Who" on MCA 5279)
2. Lady You Are (1984 USA LP
"Lady" on MCA 5470)
3. You Can Do It (1979 USA LP
"Happy Feet" on ABC 1136)
4. I Want To Thank You (1981
USA LP "Alicia" on MCA 5181)
5. Mr. Groove (1984 USA LP
"Lady" on MCA 5470)
6. Something In The Past
(1980 USA LP "One Way featuring Al Hudson" on MCA 5127)
7. Pop It [Single Edit] (1980
USA 7" single on MCA 41298 [A]) (The full album version is on "One Way
featuring Al Hudson" (as per 6))
8. Don’t Think About It (1986
USA LP "One Way IX" on MCA 5823)
9. Appreciation (1984 USA LP
"I Appreciate" on MCA 5485)
10. Push [Single Edit] (1981
USA 7" single on MCA 51110 [A]) (The full album version is on "Love Is…One Way" 1981 USA LP on MCA 5163)
11. If You Play Your Cards
Right (1981 USA LP "Alicia" on MCA 5181)
12. Pull Fancy Dancer/Pull,
Part 1 (1981 USA 7" single on MCA 51165 [A])
(The full album version is on "Fancy Dancer" 1981 USA LP on MCA 5247)
13. You Better Quit (1986 USA
LP "One Way IX" on MCA 5823)
14. You Get The Best From Me
(Say, Say, Say) (1984 USA LP "I Appreciate" on MCA 5485)
Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 13
are credited to ONE WAY
Tracks 6 and 7 are credited
to ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON
Track 3 is credited to AL
HUDSON and THE PARTNERS
Tracks 4, 9, 11 and 14 are
credited to ALICIA MYERS
The sound quality is fabulous
throughout because all tracks have been remastered by one of Universal’s top
audio engineers ERICK LABSON (has over 800 mastering credits to his name) while
the 12-page inlay features affectionate and informative liner notes by one of
Britain’s most famous soul aficionados DAVID NATHAN.
Personally I find some of the
early solo Alicia Myers tracks difficult to take in all their over-the-top
Eighties production and cheesy lyrics (her "Say, Say, Say" is however
a genuine highlight here). What is smart though is to finally see the three
rare 7" single edits of "Pop It", "Push" and "Pull Fancy Dancer…" make
their way onto a good CD. In fact the superb remastered sound lifts them and
all the other tracks out of their squashed vinyl muddiness into real clarity.
The whack out of the funky and soulful "You Better Quit" (their last R&B
hit) will make your feet tap and shake your booty (as they say in all the best
commentaries)…
It’s not all genius of
course, but this well-endowed "Best Of" compilation is still a cracking good
soul listen – and it’s bolstered up with really great sound too.
One Way, Al Hudson and Alicia
Myers are remembered with affection and on the strength of this – it’s easy to
see why…
No comments:
Post a Comment