You really can’t contain Patti LaBelle. The once Patricia Holte still snatches the spotlight from those decades younger than her at 72 years of age. The thing is that, rarely has the awe inspiring power of her vocal styling and range ever been captured *properly* during studio recordings. She really has one of those gargantuan…
Tag: Atlantic Records
The Myth and Magic of Mary Wells
It’s oft the story that Mary Wells is the forgotten Queen of Motown. She is that, for sure, but there’s a lot to be said about her career that spanned nearly 30 years past her exit from the label as well. She’s sort of the mythological Lilith of Motown in that way. She made the…
Barbara Lewis “I’ll Make Him Love Me” (Atlantic 2400, Pop #72, 1967)
Barbara Lewis “I’ll Make Him Love Me” (Atlantic 2400, Pop #72, 1967) Her otherworldly sweet singing and songwriting brought her one of the most legendary R&B classics from 1963. We celebrate the seductive powers of one Barbara Lewis, who still sweetens things up as she strolls into her 73rd Birthday this Tuesday Evening. Although a…
Judy Clay and Billy Vera “Reaching For The Moon” (Atlantic 2654, 1969)
Judy Clay and Billy Vera “Reaching For The Moon” (Atlantic 2654, 1969) It’s oft overlooked that alongside the first romantic Interracial Television kiss between Nichelle Nichols and William Shatner on Star Trek in 1968 that Judy Clay and Billy Vera did so much on Vinyl back in 1967. It was equally rare to cross racial romantic lines…
The Drifters “Answer The Phone” (Atlantic 2268-B, 1965)
The Drifters “Answer The Phone” (Atlantic 2268-B, 1965) One of the difficulties of relating any song about the technology surrounding telephone calls is that most are remarkably dated. From “Beechwood 4-5-7-8-9” from 1962 or “Mr Telephone Man” in 1984, so many things have gone the way of the rotary dial. But avoiding calls is timeless….
Carla Thomas “Don’t Let The Lovelight Leave” (Atlantic 2258-B, 1964)
Carla Thomas “Don’t Let The Lovelight Leave” (Atlantic 2258-B, 1964) We end our SagittariYES spellbinding with one of the most royal of soulful centaurs. It’s Carla Thomas’s Birthday this longest day of the year, and our Full Moon born soul legend turns 73 today. Daughter of Memphis Soul Royalty Rufus Thomas, Carla spent a healthy…
LaVern Baker “Fly Me To The Moon” (Atlantic 2267, R&B#31 Pop#84, 1965)
LaVern Baker “Fly Me To The Moon” (Atlantic 2267, R&B#31 Pop#84, 1965) Among the women whose solid work built Atlantic Records, LaVern Baker gave Atlantic enough crossover appeal before Ray Charles stormed into the Pop Top 40 at the end of the 1950’s. Starting out as Little Miss Sharecropper (a parody of Little Mrs. Cornshucks/Mildred…
Dusty Springfield “Haunted” (Atlantic 2825, 1971)
Dusty Springfield “Haunted” (Atlantic 2825, 1971) On Day 7 of Record of the Day Week it happens to be Halloween as well. It’s appropriate that I go with my favorite funky and frightful song, right? Dusty Springfield had her fair share of horrific harmonizers; some covers, some original. I always go with her oft-overlooked gem from her…
Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles “Try To Remember (The Kind Of September)” (From the LP Over The Rainbow, 1966)
Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles “Try To Remember (The Kind Of September)” (From the LP Over The Rainbow, 1966) It should come as no surprise that Atlantic Records believed, not so foolishly, to keep Patti, Nona, Sarah and Cindy in the vein of updating standards and chestnuts with their soaring harmonies and Patti’s powerful leads. This formula…
Carmen McRae “I’m Always Drunk In San Francisco” (Atlantic 2485-B, 1968)
Carmen McRae “I’m Always Drunk In San Francisco” (Atlantic 2485-B, 1968) Always glamorous with a slightly gutsy glide to her voice, Carmen McRae blurred the lines of what it meant to be a Jazz vocalist in a very Queer way. Today would have been her 95th Birthday, but she left behind a rather epic catalog…
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