"...Come To Me..."
For many rabid collectors
(and with 40 years of reissue experience) - Ace Records of the UK was always
going to do a storming job cataloguing a British label that many feel put out
the very best the US musical marketplace had to offer – LONDON RECORDS (or
'London American Recordings' to be more exact). Even today the mere sight of a
London 45 single with its rather dull black and silver label design - sat neatly
in one of those course paper bags with all those neatly spaced lines down them
- elicits a perpendicular tingle of aural orgasm (and that’s just the left leg
man).
Ace’s brilliant reissue
series "The London American Label Year By Year" starts at 1956 and
now reaches a landmark 12th CD for the year "1967" in late November
2019 (see my list below). And like its "1966" predecessor CD from
2015 (see separate review), "1967" is a mixed bag for sure, but
mostly its filled with more good than nanny goat bad.
You get twenty-eight
different tunes remastered from the very best sources – genres like Thrashing
Garage, Sunshine Pop, Northern Soul, Novelty Hits, 60ts R&B and Mod Jazz,
Pure Pop, Country Pop and (unfortunately) some insipid country meets sombrero
bop where someone wants to emulate Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" vibe
and fails miserably. It's all here and in (mostly) glorious Mono Technicolor
too. There's a ton of tasty tunes to get through so once more good music people
unto the stripy label bag breach...
UK released 29 November 2019
- "The London American Label Year By Year: 1967" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD
1560 (Barcode 029667096720) is a 28-track CD of MONO Singles and breaks down as
follows (72:36 minutes):
1. Love Is After Me – CHARLIE
RICH
December 1966 US 7"
single on Hi Records HI 2116 (didn’t chart)
January 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLU 10104 (didn't chart)
A Steve Cropper, Isaac Hayes
and David Porter song later done by SAM and DAVE
2. He Ain't Give You None –
FREDDIE SCOTT
September 1967 USA 7"
single on Shout 220, B-side of "Run Joe" (didn't chart)
December 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLZ 10172, A-side with "Run Joe" on the flip (didn't
chart)
A Van Morrison cover, also
Produced by Bert Barns
3. My Girl Josephine - JERRY
JAYE
March 1967 US 7" single
on Hi Records HI 2120 (peaked at 29)
April 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLU 10128 (didn't chart)
A Fats Domino cover
4. Cry Softly Lonely One –
ROY ORBISON
July 1967 US 7" single
on MGM Records MGM 13764 (didn't chart)
June 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLU 10143 (didn't chart)
5. Humphrey Stomp - EARL
HARRISON
December 1966 US 7"
single on Garrison 3001 (didn't chart)
March 1967 UK 7" single
on London HL 10121 (didn't chart)
Originally issued as a
private pressing of 500 copies in New Orleans on ABS Records 107
6. Four Days Of Rain – THE
RAGAMUFFINS
April 1967 US 7" single
on Seville 141 (didn't chart)
May 1967 UK 7"single on
London HLU 10134 (didn't chart)
7. My Old Flame - NINO TEMPO
and APRIL STEVENS
March 1967 US 7" single
on White Whale WW 247 (didn't chart)
May 1967 UK 7" single on
London HLU 10130 (didn't chart)
8. Life Turned Her That Way -
MEL TILLIS
January 1967 US 7"
single on Kapp 804 (didn't chart)
June 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLR 10141 ((didn't chart)
9. Can You Help Me - THE KNICKERBOCKERS
November 1966 US 7"
single on Challenge 59348 (didn't chart)
January 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLH 10102 (didn't chart)
10. Eight Men, Four Women -
O.V. WRIGHT
March 1967 US 7" single
on Back Beat 580 (No. 4 US R&B, No. 80 US Pop)
June 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLZ 10137 (didn't chart)
11. Never My Love - THE
ASSOCIATION
August 1967 US 7" single
on Warner Brothers 7074 (No. 2 US Pop)
September 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLT 10137 (didn't chart)
12. Bob - THE WILLIS BROTHERS
February 1967 US 7"
single on Starday 796
May 1967 UK 7" single on
London HLB 10132
13. Huff Puff - MICKY DOLENZ
(of The Monkees)
August 1967 US 7" single
on Challenge 59372 (didn't chart)
September 1967 UK
7"single on London HLH 10152 (didn't chart)
14. Snap Your Fingers - GAIL
WYNTERS
April 1967 US 7" single
on Hickory 45-1453 (didn't chart)
30 June 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLE 10144 (didn't chart)
15. The Little Black Egg -THE
NIGHTCRAWLERS
October 1965 US 7"
single on Leo 1012 (original)
January 1967 US 7"
single on Kapp K-709 (reissue, No. 85 Pop)
January 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLR 10109 (didn't chart)
16. Billy The Kid - WILSON
PICKETT and THE FALCONS
July 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLU 10148
17. Beautiful People - KENNY
O'DELL
September 1967 US 7"
single on Vegas V-718 (No. 37 Pop)
November 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLZ 10167
18. The Ferris Wheel - SUE
THOMPSON
May 1967 US 7" single on
Hickory 45-1457 (didn't chart)
June 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLE 10142 (didn't chart)
19. I Don't Want To Fall -
THE FALLEN ANGELS
November 1967 UK 7"
single on London HL 10166 (didn't chart)
20. When You're Gone - BRENDA
and THE TABULATIONS
September 1967 US 7"
single on Dionn 504 (No. 22 R&B, No. 58 Pop)
December 1967 UK 7"
single on London HL 10174
21. You're The Love - THE
SIXPENCE
February 1967 US 7"
single on Impact 1025 (didn't chart)
April 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLJ 10124 (didn't chart)
22. The River Is Wide - THE
FORUM
May 1967 US 7" single on
Mira 232 (didn't chart)
March 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLH 10120 (didn't chart)
23. Boogaloo Down Broadway -
THE FANTASTIC JOHNNY C
August 1967 US 7" single
on Phil-L.A. Of Soul 305 (No. 5 R&B, No. 7 Pop)
November 1967 UK 7"
single on London HL 10169
24. Marryin' Kind Of Love -
THE CRITTERS
January 1967 US 7"
single on Kapp K-805 (didn't chart)
March 1967 UK 7" single
on London HLR 10119 (didn't chart)
25. I'm Indestructible - JACK
JONES
April 1967 US 7" single
on Kapp K-818 (No. 81 Pop)
May 1967 UK 7" single on
London HLR 10131 (didn't chart)
26. Three Hundred And Sixty
Days - DONALD HEIGHT
January 1967 US 7"
single on Shout S-208 (didn't chart)
February 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLZ 10116 (didn't chart)
27. Traveling Shoes - GUY
MITCHELL
November 1967 US 7"
single on Starday 819 (No. 51 C&W)
December 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLB 10173 (didn't chart)
28. Big Boss Man - ERMA
FRANKLIN
August 1967 US 7" single
on Shout S 218, A-side (didn't chart)
24 November 1967 UK 7"
single on London HLZ 10170, B-side of "Piece Of My Heart"
A Jimmy Reed cover
The 20-page booklet is
masterful stuff – beautifully laid out with large numbers of the London labels
represented by their sought-after 'yellow label' demo versions. In-between the
Record Retailer advert clippings are stunning informational paragraphs by TONY
ROUNCE who outdoes his formidable track record for liner notes - it's a feast
of properly indepth info and Ace have done “1967” proud. But best of all is
those beautifully transferred MONO single mixes courtesy of Audio Engineer and
long-time Ace Associate – DUNCAN COWELL. I've had some of these on other CD
compilations and these variants sound awesome – full and kicking – singularly
powerful and like they would have sounded when they sailed out of our
transistor radios. And instead of slavishly sticking to chronological order
(January to December) – compiler Rounce has mixed it up – smart sequencing
making the rhythms flow better and the listen a hundred times more enjoyable
and interesting.
Despite his great voice and a
Soulful bopper from Stax hit merchants Steve Cropper (Booker T & The MGs),
Isaac Hayes and David Porter – Charlie Rich doesn't really sound convinced on
"Love Is After Me" (apparently Northern Soul nuts in the UK kept it
selling up until 1971 as they hunted down Pop and Country sevens with a talcum
powder tip). Far better is the fabulous Soulful smooch of Freddie Scott giving
it some Van Morrison of all things. Bert Barns had produced the mercurial
Irishman for his "Blowin' Your Mind" 1967 LP on Bang Records (USA)
which contained the done-more-for-you-than-your-Daddy's-ever-done song "He
Ain't Give You None" – well Barns returned only months later to also
produce this. While it doesn’t have the greatest audio in the world
(essentially a home recording brought to HI Records after audience enthusiasm),
Jerry Jaye’s R&B driving cover of Fats Domino's "My Girl
Josephine" has a piano-roll charm all of its own. The same unfortunately
cannot be said of The Big O trying to recapture that Only The Lonely magic with
the dreadfully dated "Cry Softly Lonely One".
Earl Harrison gives us a New
Orleans shuffler in the shape of "Humphrey Stump" - a tune that that
sounds so Robert Parker and a rarity that would turn up on Northern Soul
bootlegs in the early 70ts. But for me that's stumped by the gorgeous
Byrds-like melody of The Raggamuffins on "Four Days Of Rain" where
writer Tom Pacheo pleads "...come to me and ease me of my lonely
pain..." Sounding so 'Nilsson 1967' is the duo of Nino Tempo and April
Stevens giving us the do-de-do-de-do chipper sunshine pop of "My Old
Flame" - not bad but not great either. You'll probably listen to the hammy
church organ country of "Life Turned Her That Way" just to laugh as
Mel Tillis tells us "...she's been stepped on and walked on so many times,
and I hate to admit it, but that last footprint is mine..." (oh dear
Mel).
Thankfully things Boogaloo
funky up with the superb "Can You Help Me" - an inexplicable
non-charter for The Knickerbockers on Challenge Records. The jury of passion
has it in for O.V. Wright as he stands guilty of loving his baby on the
wickedly Soulful "Eight Men, Four Women" - a deserved No. 4 US
R&B hit with a scrape on the Pop Charts at No. 80. The Association give it
some of their trademark Sunshine Pop with the rather lovely "Never My
Love" (penned by Donald and Richard Addrisi) but the obvious "Ring Of
Fire" identikit sound of "Bob" by The Willis Brothers does it no
favours in my sombrero book. Only the 60ts could have produced the get-mad
"Huff Puff" where Monkees man Mickey Dolenz does his best Screaming
Jay Hawkins impression on the manic tune, all but losing it in a haunted
cemetery way by the time it fades out. And you can so hear the kicking Soulful
power in his vocals already on "Billy The Kid" – Wilson Pickett getting
wicked with The Falcons.
The groovy-things-you-say of
"Beautiful People" smacks of cheesy Herman Hermits for Kenny O’Dell –
far better coming at ya is "The Ferris Wheel" as Sue Thompson tells
you about the spider and the diving bell to a fuzzed-up guitar background (a
cleverly rearranged Everly Brothers cover). And on it goes to the truly magical
glory-Soul of "When You’re Gone" – Brenda And The Tabulations making
the squlechiest of English hearts squelch even more.
So there you have it. In
truth not all of "1967" will appeal, but like its 1966 predecessor, l
love its diversity and its brilliantly clever choices/sequencing (collectors
will also dig those first-time-on-the-digital-format rarities). Even as someone
who claims 'to know his stuff' – there are tracks on here I haven’t heard and
clearly needed to.
"...I'd do anything to
get you back home again..." – Gail Winters coaxes on "Snap Your
Fingers". The 1966 installment in this series was a goodun and I suspect
that label/genre fans will be hitting their worn out shopping basket button on
this one too...
Titles in "The
London American Label Year By Year" CD Series n Ace Records
1. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1956 (Ace CDCHD 1347, June 2012)
2. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1957 (Ace CDCHD 1318, January 2012)
3. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1958 (Ace CDCHD 1310, June 2011)
4. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1959 (Ace CDCHD 1285, November 2010)
5. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1960 (Ace CDCHD 1237, August 2009)
6. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1961 (Ace CDCHD 1249, January 2010)
7. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1962 (Ace CDCHD 1265, June 2010)
8. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1963 (Ace CDCHD 1302, March 2011)
9. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1964 (Ace CDCHD 1366, May 2013)
10. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1965 (Ace CDCHD 1417, October 2014)
11. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1966 (Ace CDCHD 1444, August 2015)
12. The London American Label
Year By Year: 1967 (Ace CDCHD 1560, November 2019)
