Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler - You Gave Me Love

[mysterysinger]

From their "Two To One" album of 1978.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-Y3vep63Ao&feature=youtu.be

[longtimefan]

It is unfortunate that Motown did not promote these two artists more. Their two original duet CDs were made available on a single “Soulmusic” CD in 2013. Their voices and talents blend so well!

13878

[Bluebrock]

It is unfortunate that Motown did not promote these two artists more. Their two original duet CDs were made available on a single “Soulmusic” CD in 2013. Their voices and talents blend so we
13878
There were a few good tunes on these albums. It was good to get them on cd. Two classic voices for sure.

[snakepit]

Thanks for this thread Mystery Singer,
I had both LPs on CDRs, copied from my old vinyl. Your post inspired me to buy this 2fer, and look forward to playing it soon. I had forgotten that the second album is barely a duet album at all...out takes of solo tracks and a few duets.
I was impressed by the booklet and liner notes...great job from Soul Music records [[ I have other CDs from them)
Great value .

[snakepit]

BTW, as discussed on other threads, the topic of both singers in the studio together is covered.
Thelma says that her and Jerry recorded together..no over dubbing separately.

[mysterysinger]

Both amazing singers. Enjoy your CD. Soul Music Records have done a great job so far in issuing Thelma Houston albums on CD.

[snakepit]

Got the Mowest...
I loved "the devil in me"..._is that on CD?

[snakepit]

Got the Mowest...
I loved "the devil in me"..._is that on CD?
Update...
I see it is on CD..Amazon have it £16..
I'll stick with my CDR for now

[mysterysinger]

That Amazon CD is probably Japanese - I think that "The Devil In Me" has only been released on CD there [[twice?). If you leave it - I suspect Soul Music Records will put out an "Expanded" version - logically, that would be next Thelma album for the treatment, given that they've already issued "Sunshower", the Mowest album, "Anyway You Like It" plus the Jerry Butler duet 2on1 CD.

[snakepit]

Thanks for that info..".devil in me "and ride to the rainbow" would be ...let's hope Soul Music records issue them.

[longtimefan]

Thanks for that info..".devil in me "and ride to the rainbow" would be ...let's hope Soul Music records issue them.


Maybe we should all write to Soul Music. Actually, “Ride To the Rainbow” has never been on CD. I have the Japanese “Devil in Me” CD and it’s fine quality.

[blkfrost]

Maybe we should all write to Soul Music. Actually, “Ride To the Rainbow” has never been on CD. I have the Japanese “Devil in Me” CD and it’s fine quality.

Yes, "Ride To The Rainbow" was released on CD. I have it. It was a Japanese import for the early to mid 2000's. It is a great album. I believe the only album not on CD is "Ready To Roll".

[mysterysinger]

"Ride To The Rainbow" was released again on CD in 2013 [[Japan).

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[mysterysinger]

For good measure - a Japanese CD of "The Devil In Me"

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[TomatoTom123]

Yes, "Ride To The Rainbow" was released on CD. I have it. It was a Japanese import for the early to mid 2000's. It is a great album. I believe the only album not on CD is "Ready To Roll".

I have that one too blkfrost and can confirm it is great!! "Paying For It With My Heart" is absolutely fantastic and my favourite track besides "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning" the wonderful disco tune.

I actually listened to "You Gave Me Love" a while back but forgot to comment... I remember liking it so thanks for sharing mysterysinger :)

[longtimefan]

"Ride To The Rainbow" was released again on CD in 2013 [[Japan).

13899

You are 100% right! I have “Ride to the Rainbow,” too. I was mixed up with “Ready To Roll!” That’s the one we should write to Soul Music about! Sorry — and thanks for the correction!

[marv2]

This was a good song, a good record that was completely overlooked by radio at the time. We were in the throes of Funk & Disco and there was no outlet for it in 1978.

[TheMotownManiac]

There were lots of ballads on the radio at the time, this, to me is just mediocre and I do not care for their voices together at all - or separately on ballads. I love Thelma on her #1, but she hasn’t got a good sound - just strength - for pop radio at all - and only serviceable for R&B - her forte’ is gospel. I don’t believe their failure to connect was promotion. Motown was desperate to replace Gladys and just couldn’t get it done with Thelma, Bonnie or the others.

[Bluebrock]

That Amazon CD is probably Japanese - I think that "The Devil In Me" has only been released on CD there [[twice?). If you leave it - I suspect Soul Music Records will put out an "Expanded" version - logically, that would be next Thelma album for the treatment, given that they've already issued "Sunshower", the Mowest album, "Anyway You Like It" plus the Jerry Butler duet 2on1 CD. soulmusic.com haven't issued any expanded Thelma albums for a while. I believe a 2 cd Anthology album is planned. Maybe we could get further expanded editions after that. I do hope so.

[marv2]

There were lots of ballads on the radio at the time, this, to me is just mediocre and I do not care for their voices together at all - or separately on ballads. I love Thelma on her #1, but she hasn’t got a good sound - just strength - for pop radio at all - and only serviceable for R&B - her forte’ is gospel. I don’t believe their failure to connect was promotion. Motown was desperate to replace Gladys and just couldn’t get it done with Thelma, Bonnie or the others.

There were not a lot of ballads on the radio during that time. Only the biggest and very best of ballads made it to the airways such as "Always & Forever" by Heatwave, "Emotion" by Samantha Sang, "How Deep Is Your Love" and "It's You that I Need" by Enchantment. These songs and artists were already were very popular in 1977-78 because their ballads either followed uptempo[[dance/Disco) music they had released or pulled from a mostly Disco album ala "The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack". Jerry & Thelma didn't stand a chance getting on radio and I never heard it on any radio station to this very day. I even worked on a radio station in the Fall of 1978.

[marv2]

There were lots of ballads on the radio at the time, this, to me is just mediocre and I do not care for their voices together at all - or separately on ballads. I love Thelma on her #1, but she hasn’t got a good sound - just strength - for pop radio at all - and only serviceable for R&B - her forte’ is gospel. I don’t believe their failure to connect was promotion. Motown was desperate to replace Gladys and just couldn’t get it done with Thelma, Bonnie or the others.

I disagree. Motown did not promote this project AT ALL! I only saw the album cover on a ad slick along besides several Motown Record releases at that time. There were no television appearances by the duo either.

[TheMotownManiac]

You left out You Dont Bring Me Flowers, 3 Times a Lady, You Light Up My Life, Free, Desiree, With You Im Born Again, Just The Way You Are, Still, Cant Smile Without You, Sometimes When we Touch, The Closer I Get To You, Our Love, Dont KIt Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Here You Come Again, We're All Alone.....Of course only the best get played - as with any genre, but most of these hits had no direct connection to disco - Ballads wre still the minority - as always, but no way was anything on this CD quality enough for radio.
There were not a lot of ballads on the radio during that time. Only the biggest and very best of ballads made it to the airways such as "Always & Forever" by Heatwave, "Emotion" by Samantha Sang, "How Deep Is Your Love" and "It's You that I Need" by Enchantment. These songs and artists were already were very popular in 1977-78 because their ballads either followed uptempo[[dance/Disco) music they had released or pulled from a mostly Disco album ala "The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack". Jerry & Thelma didn't stand a chance getting on radio and I never heard it on any radio station to this very day. I even worked on a radio station in the Fall of 1978.

[TheMotownManiac]

They didnt stand a chance of getting on TV with no name value and no hit to sing.
I disagree. Motown did not promote this project AT ALL! I only saw the album cover on a ad slick along besides several Motown Record releases at that time. There were no television appearances by the duo either.

[marv2]

You left out You Dont Bring Me Flowers, 3 Times a Lady, You Light Up My Life, Free, Desiree, With You Im Born Again, Just The Way You Are, Still, Cant Smile Without You, Sometimes When we Touch, The Closer I Get To You, Our Love, Dont KIt Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Here You Come Again, We're All Alone.....Of course only the best get played - as with any genre, but most of these hits had no direct connection to disco - Ballads wre still the minority - as always, but no way was anything on this CD quality enough for radio.

Aside from the fact that most of the songs you listed came out the year before, for every ballad that made it to radio, there were at least 20 uptempo Funk, Disco songs. As I said, only the greatest ballads got any airplay at that time. This one with Jerry and Thelma was not one of one of them!

[TheMotownManiac]

You’re right, the songs were mediocre and it sucks because they had wonderful voices. Don’t Leave Me This Way was bigger on Thelma than it would have on any other Motown singer ever except, Maybe Queen Mary Wells. Most of the songs I listed were from Joel Whitburn top 100 from 1978 but some released in ‘77 - but a few months one way or the other doesn’t matter. I forgot about I’ve never been to me and with you I’m born again…

[snakepit]

quite enjoyed playing this CD, a long time since I'd heard these tracks. Nearly 40 years actually.....

[marv2]

They didnt stand a chance of getting on TV with no name value and no hit to sing.

Oh they both had name value. Thelma Houston had just won a Grammy the year before and Jerry had been a music star since the 1950s!

[MOTOWNLYNDA]

soulmusic.com haven't issued any expanded Thelma albums for a while. I believe a 2 cd Anthology album is planned. Maybe we could get further expanded editions after that. I do hope so.

If it is an Anthology I hope it includes her songs from the "BINGO LONG and The TRAVELING ALL-STARS" Soundtrack.