Fabulous previously-unreleased mid-sixties Chicago Sound cut by Etta James

[robb_k]

I was cruising You-Tube, when I ran across this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=BeFAo4gK1D0

WOW! Right up my alley! Classic Chicago 1964! It could have been a fantastic 1964 Chicago recording. What a well-written song! It's very sweet. It's neither made for the gruff and Bluesy Etta James lead, nor the fairly weak group behind her. And the instrumental is weak, too, where are the drums, percussion? Strings have the right idea, in the main, but go the wrong way in a couple places. The call-response of the lead and coordination with the background group could be better. The background group should be much stronger. The arranger didn't emphasize the nice changes correctly.

Too bad. I can hear, in my mind's ear, a fabulous recording. It would have been one of my favourite styles. And if done correctly, would have resulted in one of my all-time favourite recordings.

Etta did okay with it. But, it would have been a lot better, if it had been recorded at Universal Sound Studios, [[1) produced by Calvin Carter , arranged by Riley Hampton, and sung by Barbara Green backed by The Dells; or, [[2), it would also have worked well in 1965, produced by Carl Davis, arranged by Sonny Sanders, and sung by Mary Wells, backed by Billy Butler and The Chanters. Or [[3), I'd even have settled for Leo Austell producing, Burgess Gardner arranging and Betty Everett on lead, with The Daylighters backing her up!

Anyone know who wrote that terrific song, and what company originally published it?

[arr&bee]

With some tweeking it might have been something for martha and the vandellas,not etta..berry would've fixed it up nicely.

[heikki]

Hi Robb!

Produced and written by Ed Townsend, cut in February 1964 but went unreleased at the time. It was released on one of Kent's compilations a few years ago.

Best regards
Heikki

[theboyfromxtown]

I love it. Never heard it before. Thanks for posting Robb

[reese]

It is on the WHO'S BLUE compilation issued by Kent.

[robb_k]

Hi Robb!
Produced and written by Ed Townsend, cut in February 1964 but went unreleased at the time. It was released on one of Kent's compilations a few years ago.

Best regards
Heikki

From what source is that information? I find it VERY difficult to believe that Chess used New York's Ed Townsend. It sounds oh so VERY much like a Chicago recording. It sounds very like Ter-Mar [[Chess' studio). Now I've read that it WAS recorded at Chess in October 1964, with Billy Davis producing. THIS is much more likely, as Etta James was not likely to moonlight in New York when she was happy with her contract at Chess, and happy with the Chess people. And Chess was not likely to bring New Yorker, Ed Townsend to Chicago to record her. More likely, Phil Wright, Riley Hampton, or, possibly, Johnny Pate, arranged that song. It was likely a song written by Billy Davis' staff [[including himself, William "Flash" McKinley, Raynard Miner, Gerald Sims, Carl Smith, Tony Clarke, Leonard Caston, etc.).

[reese]

From what source is that information? I find it VERY difficult to believe that Chess used New York's Ed Townsend. It sounds oh so VERY much like a Chicago recording. It sounds very like Ter-Mar [[Chess' studio). Now I've read that it WAS recorded at Chess in October 1964, with Billy Davis producing. THIS is much more likely, as Etta James was not likely to moonlight in New York when she was happy with her contract at Chess, and happy with the Chess people. And Chess was not likely to bring New Yorker, Ed Townsend to Chicago to record her. More likely, Phil Wright, Riley Hampton, or, possibly, Johnny Pate, arranged that song. It was likely a song written by Billy Davis' staff [[including himself, William "Flash" McKinley, Raynard Miner, Gerald Sims, Carl Smith, Tony Clarke, Leonard Caston, etc.).

In the notes for the WHO'S BLUE compilation, the song is credited as being produced by Billy Davis, but the writer is unknown.

[robb_k]

In the notes for the WHO'S BLUE compilation, the song is credited as being produced by Billy Davis, but the writer is unknown.

I'd guess by the style of the music, that it was co-written by Billy Davis, with one or 2 of his staff that I listed above - most likely Flash McKinley and probably either Gerald Sims or Raynard Miner. They wrote several sweet songs that sound a lot like what Carl Davis was producing at Okeh in 1964, and waht Cal Carter and Barrett Strong were doing at VJ in '64.

[heikki]

Hi!

Sorry, my mistake - bringing Ed Townsend up. I remembered wrong. The song was cut at the same session as "Mellow Fellow" and "Bobby Is His Name."

Best regards
Heikki