At some point, very soon, I am going to do a blog about atlantic, one on brunswick and one about northern soul. I just don't know how to do it without going into too many facts and details for the familiar and not enough for the uninitiated.
I was loving this song this morning and just had to put it on here for Jen. It was released when LaVern Baker signed to Brunswick in the mid sixties.
'Wrapped, Tied & Tangled'
So I was just going to blog that song but I figured she is such a cool lady it was worthwhile writing a bit more about her. It has been a back to front week so what if this starts back to front-ish.
Dolores Baker used to sing in her church choir and although she was signed to Okeh in 1951, started her solo career properly in 1953 after signing with Atlantic (she was already LaVern by then) and this was her first single - Soul On Fire.
Her first hit was the twee 'Tweedle Dee' with backing vocals done (as with most of her hits) by 'The Gliders' who in reality were Atlantic's ubiquitous back up group, 'the Cues'. When Mercury records had Georgia Gibbs cover the song note for note also using the Cues, LaVern took them to court. She petitioned congress for a law to make it illegal to copy an arrangement note for note without permission. The bill didn't pass but she was the first entertainer to try to make a suit of this kind back in 1955.
In 1956, Atlantic released 'Jim Dandy' which did really well...
and i really like this - 1959 'I Waited Too Long' (written by Neil Sedaka!)
She left Atlantic in 1965 and joined Brunswick. She released half a dozen records there including 'Think Twice' - duet with Jackie Wilson in 1966.... Then she disappeared. She was doing a show in Manila when her manager left her and her husband divorced her. She remained at the Subic Bay Naval Base in the Pillipines as Entertainment director for 20 years. She went back to performing in the late 80's and when her diabetes cost her legs, she toured in her wheelchair. One tough sexy cool lady.
At the end of their recording for 'Think Twice' she and Jackie made this live recording. Its introduced on the session tape as 'Think Twice Version X' and is filthy but great. Check out the way Wilson says 'ho'. It dissolves in laughter...
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