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"...If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time..."
Even in February 2021 as I pen this tome to a fantastic criminally forgotten giant of 60ts and 70ts Soul Music - finding a decent TYRONE DAVIS compilation that will do justice to his huge career is actually a bit of a task.
Like most fans, my poison has always been his stay at Dakar Records between 1968 and 1976 (a subsidiary of Brunswick) where he enjoyed plenty of chart action on both the American R&B 45 and LP charts. Edsel and Demon touched on this period back in the 90s/00s - but those digital compilations are long since deleted and have subsequently acquired rather nasty price tags. Plus, you want a dedicated 'Brunswick' anthology to guarantee that great sound Engineer Bruce Swedien used to get (Swedien famously handled biggies for Michael Jackson).
Which brings us to this naffly titled and so-so presented American 2CD Anthology. There is barely a catalogue number in sight (I have provided a blow-by-blow account below), but "The Ultimate" comes up trumps where it matters most because it’s remastered from real tapes and man what an audio winner it is. Time to turn back the hands of time and get with the Dakar details...
US released 18 October 2005 - "The Ultimate" by TYRONE DAVIS on Brunswick BRC 33013-2 (Barcode 646953301322) is a 40-Track 2CD Anthology of Dakar Records Remasters covering 1968 to 1976 that plays out as follows:
CD1 (65:05 minutes):
1. Is It Something You've Got (March 1969 US Single on Dakar 45-605, A-side - for B-side see Track 10 on CD1)
2. Can I Change Your Mind (June 1968 US Single on Dakar 1452, B-side of "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" - reissued November 1968 on Dakar 45-602 with the same A-side - see Track 5 on CD1)
3. Knock On Wood (from the March 1969 US LP "Can I Change Your Mind" on Dakar SD-9005, Stereo)
4. Love Bones (from the July 1970 US LP "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" on Dakar SD-9027, Stereo - also September 1970 US Single on Dakar 45-621, B-side of "Let Me Back In" - see Track 8 on CD1)
5. A Woman Needs To Be Loved (June 1968 US Single on Dakar 1452, A-side - reissued November 1968 on Dakar 45-602 with the same A-side - B-side is "Can I Change Your Mind" - see Track 2 on CD1)
6. I'll Be Right Here (June 1970 US single on Dakar 45-618, A-side)
7. I Keep Coming Back (March 1970 US single on Dakar 45-616, B-side of "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" - for A-side see Track 9 on CD1)
8. Let Me Back In (September 1970 US single on Dakar 45-621, A-side - for B-side see Track 4)
9. Turn Back The Hands Of Time (March 1970 US single on Dakar 616, A-side - for B-side see Track 7)
10. Undying Love (March 1969 US Single on Dakar 45-605, B-side of "Is It Something That You've Got" - for B-side see Track 1 on CD1)
11. One Way Ticket (To Nowhere) (June 1971 US single on Dakar 45-624, A-side)
12. Could I Forget You (March 1971 US single on Dakar 45-623, A-side)
13. Your Love Keeps Haunting Me (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901)
14. Was It Just A Feeling (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901, see also Track 9 on CD2)
15. I Had It All The Time (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901)
16. Come Get This Ring (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901)
17. How Could I Forget You (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901, see also Track 4 on CD2)
18. You Wouldn't Believe (from the July 1972 US LP "I Had It All The Time" on Dakar DK 76901)
19. You Keep Me Holding On (September 1971 US single on Dakar 45-626, A-side)
20. Was I Just A Fool (June 1972 US single on Dakar DK-4507, A-side)
CD2 (76:09 minutes):
1. I Wake Up Crying (from the January 1974 US LP "It's All In The Game" on Dakar DK 76909 - full album version 8:47 minutes)
2. There It Is (July 1973 US single on Dakar DK-4523, A-side)
3. Where Lovers Meet (At The Dark End Of The Street) (from the January 1974 US LP "It's All In The Game" on Dakar DK 76909 - also B-side of "Happiness Is Being With You", August 1974 US 45 on Dakar DK 4536)
4. Without You In My Life (March 1973 US single on Dakar DK-4519, A-side - B-side "How Could I Forget You" is Track 17 on CD1)
5. I'm Just Your Man (from the May 1973 US LP "Without You In My Life" on Dakar DK 76904)
6. What Goes Up (Must Come Down) (April 1974 US single on Dakar DK 4532, A-side)
7. You Don't Have To Beg Me To Stay (January 1974 US single on Dakar DK 4529, B-side to "I Wish It Was Me" [A-side is Track 10, CD2] - also from the April 1975 US LP "Home Wrecker" on Dakar DK 76915)
8. I Got A Sure Thing (from the April 1975 US LP "Home Wrecker" on Dakar DK 76915)
9. If You Had A Change Of Mind (October 1972 US single on Dakar DK 4513, B-side to "Was It Just A Feeling" - A-side is Track 14 on CD1)
10. I Wish It Was Me (January 1974 US single on Dakar DK 4529, A-side [B-side is Track 7, CD2] - also from the January 1974 US LP "It's All In The Game" on Dakar DK 76909)
11. It's All In The Game (from the January 1974 US LP "It's All In The Game" on Dakar DK 76909)
12. Happiness Is Being With You (August 1974 US single on Dakar DK 4536, A-side - B-side is Track 3 on CD2)
13. Wrapped Up In Your Warm & Tender Love (September 1973 US single on Dakar DK-4526, A-side)
14. Homewreckers (February 1975 US single on Dakar DK 4541, A-side)
15. It Ain't Me No More (from the April 1975 US LP "Home Wrecker" on Dakar DK 76915)
16. Don't Let It Be Too Late (from the February 1976 US LP "Turning Point" on Dakar DK 76918)
17. It's So Good (To Be Home With You) (from the February 1976 US LP "Turning Point" on Dakar DK 76918 - Full Album Version 5:15 minutes)
18. Forever (from the February 1976 US LP "Turning Point" on Dakar DK 76918)
19. Ever Lovin' Girl (from the February 1976 US LP "Turning Point" on Dakar DK 76918)
20. Turning Point (from the February 1976 US LP "Turning Point" on Dakar DK 76918 - Album Version 4:25 minutes)
Compiled and Mastered by DENNIS DRAKE, the Audio is superb (as it is with all of these beautifully recorded Brunswick compilations) even if the DAVID NATHAN foldout double-sided 8-leaf inlay is good rather than great. But as fans will no doubt have worked out from my details above, this 40-track 2CD set gives you "all" 22 of his American R&B charters (in one form or another) including three deserved number ones - "Can I Change My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" and "Turning Point".
They might not all be strictly the single mixes, but they do sound fabulous. Also with a compilation like this, Drake has dug deep and churned up lesser-heard LP delights like the eight-and-half-minute "I Wake Up Crying" from the "It's All In The Game" album and a few choice non-album B-sides too. It makes for long glorious listen, even if the packaging is functionary in my mind when the man and his legacy deserved so much more.
Ideally someone like Ace Records or SoulMusic Records of the UK should issue a comprehensive Box Set covering all seven of his Dakar albums and plus those straggler 45s as Bonuses thereby giving us access to a marvellous stockpile. But that's for the future Remastering boffins.
In the meantime, turn the hands of time back to 2005 and enjoy "The Ultimate" instead you home-wrecker you...
