Patti Drew “Mirror, Mirror” (Quill 107-B, 1966)

On the penultimate day of the year, we continue to intention set. Maybe a bewitching spell to cast? Had I been more on top of things this week, I’d be on the birthday game a bit better. Yesterday, the 29th, was the 71st Birthday of Chicago Cult Soul legend Patti Drew.

Starting in 1963 with her sisters Erma and Lorraine with Carlton Black as The Drew-Vels. By mid 1965 she was represented as a solo artist on Quill records, despite the fact that her sisters continued to provide backgrounds on her Chicago based recordings. With her potential commercial viability, she was moved incrementally out of the girl group mold and into a soul chanteuse role, which lead her to upgrading back to Capitol Records, once home of The Drew-Vels, in 1967.

The two singles she released as a solo artist at Quill in 1965-66 came and went without a trace. Nevertheless they are the final representations of the “Drew-Vels” sound that brought Patti to prominence and future success while being some of the most sophisticated efforts using that production style. Borrowing a mystical environment and a hook from the Disney classic Snow White, the wishes made by “Mirror, Mirror” seem completely wasted by serving yeoman B-side duty to her cover version of “It’s All Over Now.”

Got a love spell you want to cast this year? Use this Patti Prayer to lure your love in the forthcoming 366 days.