Exciting News: Another Dionne Re-Issue/Big Sale at Import CDs.com

**daviddesper** · 05-01-2015, 11:46 PM

Just when you think the re-issue craze couldn't get any better! It has only been about a month since the three-CD set "The Real Dionne Warwick" came out. I just got mine and am still listening to it.

So imagine my surprise when I just learned about yet ANOTHER "must have" item for the Dionne fan. It is called "The 80s." It is a bargain priced CD, only in the five dollar range, and of course features Heartbreaker, Deja Vu, etc. But it also includes four previously-unreleased tracks from the "Dionne" and "No Night So Long" sessions. Surely a treat for the Dionne completist.

For this item and anything else you may need this spring, allow me also to tip you off to a 10% off sale that Import CDs.com is having through May 7th. They already have some of the best prices and best selection around, so this makes it even better. Shop Till You Drop....It's Only Money!!!

**Bluebrock** · 05-02-2015, 02:25 PM

Unreleased tracks? Are they songs not featured on the two expanded editions of "no night so long"? If so then Christmas has come early! We have the forthcoming expanded edition of "heartbreaker" coming soon with other expanded arista editions in the pipeline.
For me Dionne was at her vocal peak in the 80's and i am greatly impressed with all this previously unheard stuff that we are being treated to. Thank you daviddesper!

**daviddesper** · 05-02-2015, 04:24 PM

It sounds like you and I agree on one major point. Just about every Dionne fan I have talked to considers her early years [[Scepter) to be her best material, and I can seldom find anyone who agrees with me that the Arista years were better. Obviously there were more and bigger hits in the 60s, which bolsters the argument for the other side, and I have nothing against her earlier material, but I thought the orchestration and arrangements were better under Clive's control, and some of the songs she was given were lyrical masterpieces. Anyway, I am not sure if this new CD is going to have any "new" songs, as in never heard before, but that was the impression the websites are giving. If I knew how to link things, I would send you something, but it is available on all the major music websites. On the Import CDs sale that I mentioned, it is just $4.72, and that doesn't even include the 10% discount!

**reese** · 05-02-2015, 05:43 PM

The lineup for the upcoming THE 80s set is on Amazon.

Of the four "unreleased" songs, three have actually been released already: STARTING TOMORROW, NOW THAT THE FEELING'S GONE, and THIS IS WHAT I'VE WANTED ALL MY LIFE. They can be found on the 2014 FunkyTown Grooves reissue of NO NIGHT SO LONG.

**daviddesper** · 05-02-2015, 11:25 PM

I later figured that out. Oh well it was fun while it lasted and I am sure I will still buy it.

**soulster** · 05-02-2015, 11:50 PM

I much prefer her classic Scepter catalog as produced by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

**mr_june** · 05-04-2015, 12:24 PM

Hard to top a unique Bacharach arrangement. Burt had a hook for those songs that are infamous.

**Bluebrock** · 05-04-2015, 02:16 PM

I adore Dionne's 60's output. Who doesn't but in my opinion it was Dionne's 70's warners material that really made me realise just what an outstanding vocalist Ms Warwick had become. Those albums are criminally underrated and they paved the way for Dionnes's glorious reign at arista. I too am disappointed that there are no unreleased songs on this new compilation but there are other treats on the horizon. The new expanded "heartbreaker" could contain up to 15 bonus tracks! Just imagine if that turns out to be true! There is also at least one other expanded arista album on the horizon. I hope "friends in love" is one of them but any previously unreleased Dionne stuff will be warmly welcomed by me. Daviddesper we do indeed share similar views. Keep in touch.

**daviddesper** · 05-04-2015, 11:41 PM

15 unreleased tracks?????? Wowza!!! Of course sometimes bonus tracks are just different versions of songs that were already included as opposed to different songs altogether. But whatever it contains I will look forward to that release.

Nice thoughts about her Warner Brothers period. I agree that those albums were under-appreciated. In fact, if I were to rank all her albums from her total career, the 1972 Dionne album and "Love at First Sight" would be among my top five albums by her.

I just LOVE, for totally different reasons "I Just Have to Breathe" and "Do You Believe in Love at First Sight."

**Bluebrock** · 05-05-2015, 07:09 AM

She barely put a foot wrong at Warners and I still cannot understand why these great recordings are not more revered. "track of the cat" is a magnificent album. How could a collaboration between Dionne and Tom Bell not be a creative and commercial success?
Just be patient daviddesper . We should have the expanded "heartbreaker" by July courtesy of funkytowngrooves. Do you have a preference for other forthcoming expanded sets?

**helga** · 05-05-2015, 09:36 AM

I agree, the Track of the Cat album is one of the greatest.

**Bluebrock** · 05-05-2015, 10:36 AM

You have great taste Helga.

**daviddesper** · 05-05-2015, 11:32 PM

I would like to hear more previously unreleased music, not just expansions of the albums that have already been tapped. For example, wasn't there an Ashford/Simpson production that never saw the light of day? Also she worked with one producer [[can't think of his name) that resulted in that wonderful version of "Loving You is Just an Old Habit." So if there is more from that session, I would love to hear it.

**jack020** · 05-06-2015, 01:35 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Camillo

**Bluebrock** · 05-06-2015, 04:55 AM

I also heard she cut some tracks with Ashford and Simpson but we did get a couple of their productions from her Warner years last year. Do we know for sure she worked with A&S at arista?

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 05-09-2015, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by daviddesper

Just about every Dionne fan I have talked to considers her early years [[Scepter) to be her best material, and I can seldom find anyone who agrees with me that the Arista years were better. Obviously there were more and bigger hits in the 60s, which bolsters the argument for the other side, and I have nothing against her earlier material, but I thought the orchestration and arrangements were better under Clive's control, and some of the songs she was given were lyrical masterpieces.

Regarding Dionne Warwick’s early Scepter recordings vs. her later Arista material, look no further, David. You’ve finally found someone who agrees with you! Although I love Dionne’s Scepter, Warner Brothers, and Arista tracks equally [[and I have each and every album/CD from each era), I have to agree that her Arista recordings are her best vocally and musically. My first-ever Dionne album was "Anyone Who Had A Heart" [[my grandfather bought it for me, at my request, when it first came out) and it remains my favorite of her Scepter albums. From her Warner Brothers years, my favorites albums are "Then Came You", "Love At First Sight", and, of course, "Track Of The Cat" – one of Thom Bell's best productions ever. When it comes to her Arista recordings, however, those power ballads can’t be beat. It’s fallin’-in-love music at its finest, and Dionne’s voice brings it all home like never before.

[[David, you couldn’t have picked a better time to bring up Dionne’s album output. I’ve been on a Dionne "kick" recently, replacing all of her CD’s with the latest remasterings from Scepter, Warner Brothers, and Arista, and I’ll continue until they’ve finished the project. I’m also reading her "My Life, As I See It" autobiography which I discovered only recently. Your discussion couldn’t be more timely! Looking forward to the Expanded version of "Heartbreaker" – one of her best!)

**Bluebrock** · 05-09-2015, 01:43 PM

I have also been overdosing on Dionne lately. She is such a unique stylist and i have. also busy collecting all these wonderful reissues. Can't wait for the next batch of arista reissues from funkytowngrooves.

**JohnnyB** · 05-11-2015, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebrock

I have also been overdosing on Dionne lately. She is such a unique stylist and i have. also busy collecting all these wonderful reissues. Can't wait for the next batch of arista reissues from funkytowngrooves.

Does anyone know if the Dionne LP from 1979 will be in the next batch of reissues? It was the most successful of the Arista albums and has yet to be expanded.

**jack020** · 05-12-2015, 01:37 AM

http://www.imwan.com/phpBB3/viewtopi...5e3155a03118bd

**Bokiluis** · 05-12-2015, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by daviddesper

It sounds like you and I agree on one major point. Just about every Dionne fan I have talked to considers her early years [[Scepter) to be her best material, and I can seldom find anyone who agrees with me that the Arista years were better. Obviously there were more and bigger hits in the 60s, which bolsters the argument for the other side, and I have nothing against her earlier material, but I thought the orchestration and arrangements were better under Clive's control, and some of the songs she was given were lyrical masterpieces.

Clive approached the signing of Dionne to reestablish her status as one of the classic divas. Though at Warner Bros., they were able to get her to work with top producers. Difference is Clive has always had respect for the Adult Contemporary radio format as a medium to promote certain artists and/or singles. Whereas most labels thought of Adult Contemporary stations as the place for established soft rock/adult sounding ballads or worse as only for oldies. Combining efforts at some urban [[R&B) stations with Adult Contemporary AirPlay, gave fuel for crossing over to more Pop/Mainstream stations. That made songs like "Deja Vu" and/or "Love Power" much bigger records than to depend on Top 40 Mainstream stations to have the endurance for records like those to finally reach its full potential.Clive certainly gave Dionne more natural critical and commercial success than she ever experienced at Warner Bros., sometimes even rivaling her classic Bacharach/David Scepter material. Whereas with say Aretha, save for maybe "Freeway of Love", Aretha and/or audience interest leans far more for her Atlantic years. Despite big hits like "Jump to It" or "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me", her concert repertoire focuses on the Atlantic years. For Aretha, only the Columbia years are given less time than her Arista material.Audiences are deeply divided/clearly on how they feel about Aretha's Atlantic years vs. Arista years. With Dionne, it's less defined.To think that in many years, Aretha and Dionne have had more charted Billboard singles than Diana is a little surprising. That is almost exclusively due to Clive's persistence in marketing/promoting singles. After the "Reservations for Two" album, Clive wisely stated to Dionne that "at this point in your career, you don't have to chase single hits". Henceforth came the elegant concept albums like "Sings Cole Porter" and "Aquarela do Brazil" arguably two nice lifestyle albums. Unfortunately, Arista wasn't successful in conceptually bringing those albums to the "soccer mom"/adult audience. They needed television specials, tons of print features, etc. By 1994, Arista was so wildly successful that in those post-"Bodyguard" years...artists like Dionne got lost. Kind of like after holiday 1968 when Motown had 5 of the Top 10 Billboard singles, A-level artists like Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles coupled with the massive success of "T.C.B." and the supergroup DianaRoss & The Supremes WITH The Temptations became the label's key focus. Unfortunately, good records got lost and artists like Gladys Knight & The Pips though having had the first version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" go to a very hot #2 on Billboard, gets bested by Marvin a year later... spending 7 weeks at #1 selling well over 3 million singles...also felt like they didn't have top label support.

**RobertZ** · 05-12-2015, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Bokiluis

Clive approached the signing of Dionne to reestablish her status as one of the classic divas. Though at Warner Bros., they were able to get her to work with top producers. Difference is Clive has always had respect for the Adult Contemporary radio format as a medium to promote certain artists and/or singles. Whereas most labels thought of Adult Contemporary stations as the place for established soft rock/adult sounding ballads or worse as only for oldies. Combining efforts at some urban [[R&B) stations with Adult Contemporary AirPlay, gave fuel for crossing over to more Pop/Mainstream stations. That made songs like "Deja Vu" and/or "Love Power" much bigger records than to depend on Top 40 Mainstream stations to have the endurance for records like those to finally reach its full potential.Clive certainly gave Dionne more natural critical and commercial success than she ever experienced at Warner Bros., sometimes even rivaling her classic Bacharach/David Scepter material. Whereas with say Aretha, save for maybe "Freeway of Love", Aretha and/or audience interest leans far more for her Atlantic years. Despite big hits like "Jump to It" or "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me", her concert repertoire focuses on the Atlantic years. For Aretha, only the Columbia years are given less time than her Arista material.Audiences are deeply divided/clearly on how they feel about Aretha's Atlantic years vs. Arista years. With Dionne, it's less defined.To think that in many years, Aretha and Dionne have had more charted Billboard singles than Diana is a little surprising. That is almost exclusively due to Clive's persistence in marketing/promoting singles. After the "Reservations for Two" album, Clive wisely stated to Dionne that "at this point in your career, you don't have to chase single hits". Henceforth came the elegant concept albums like "Sings Cole Porter" and "Aquarela do Brazil" arguably two nice lifestyle albums. Unfortunately, Arista wasn't successful in conceptually bringing those albums to the "soccer mom"/adult audience. They needed television specials, tons of print features, etc. By 1994, Arista was so wildly successful that in those post-"Bodyguard" years...artists like Dionne got lost. Kind of like after holiday 1968 when Motown had 5 of the Top 10 Billboard singles, A-level artists like Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles coupled with the massive success of "T.C.B." and the supergroup DianaRoss & The Supremes WITH The Temptations became the label's key focus. Unfortunately, good records got lost and artists like Gladys Knight & The Pips though having had the first version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" go to a very hot #2 on Billboard, gets bested by Marvin a year later... spending 7 weeks at #1 selling well over 3 million singles...also felt like they didn't have top label support.

I heard "Love Power" in a store recently - what a perfect record ...