LP Wanted - Martha Bass - Rescue Me

[the_firm]

Hi there,

this is my first post on the thread...Hello

I was wondering if anyone knew of or could help me find a copy of Martha Bass - Rescue Me LP. I've been after it for a while but have missed out on quite a few occasions. I hope you can help

Many Thanks

CS

[nabob]

I may need correcting on this. Martha Bass is Fontella Bass' mother. Fontella had the hit with Rescue Me in 1965. Martha Bass is a well known Gospel singer from the 50s and 60s. There is a bit of information on the internet about Martha Bass and Rescue Me, but most of it relates to a quest to find this album. Unless Martha's song is a Gospel number, I highly doubt that she would have recorded the same song on the coat tails of her daughter. A review of the catalogues for Leonard Chess' labels does not yield an album by Martha Bass with the title Rescue Me. Visit http://www.bsnpubs.com/discoga-c.html for a closer look.

[soulster]

Heh! That's why you can't find it! You got the wrong Bass!

[daddyacey]

Also from the "net" ,Mary Bass is the mother of David Peaston who is also a great vocalist. The three of them did record a gospel album, " Promises: A Family Portrait Of Faith ",on the Sparrow label, which did not include a version of Rescue Me.
"Rescue Me," planted Fontella Bass solidly on AM radios and jukeboxes and on film and television soundtracks. A song in the classic Stax/Volt mode, with a driving bass line and crackling horn section, the song also features spinetingling gospel call-and-response vocals. The song shot to number one, on the combined strength of Bass's vocal performance and rhythm piano, the instrumental support of horn man Gene Barge and drummer Maurice White, and backup singing from Minnie Riperton. It reached number one on the R&B charts, and crossed over to the pop charts in England and the United States. The song's writing credits went to Carl William Smith and Raynard Miner, although Bass claimed to have created the song's melody over that pair's lyrics and rhythm. "I was part of the writing team at Chess Records in Chicago," Bass told People magazine writer Steve Dougherty. "One day I stopped by the studio and Raynard was in the rehearsal room. We made up the whole thing, lyrics and everything on the spot. I played rhythm piano and sang the melody lines."

According to Bass, the song was recorded in three takes. She told Dougherty, "I was so excited about that song. I told all my friends, 'I think this is the one.' The record came out, and my name was not on the sleeve [as co-writer]. And when I asked about it, [the people at the record company] told me, 'Don't worry, we're gonna change that.' But they never did." As a result, the only songwriting royalty Bass received for the song was $11,000. In 1991, however, she won a lawsuit to reclaim performance royalties when credit card company American Express and their advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather failed to obtain Bass's approval to use "Rescue Me" in a commercial. At that point, according to Newsweek's Karen Schomer, "She was broke, tired and cold; the only heat in her house came from the gas stove in the kitchen." Schomer quoted Bass: "I said, 'I need to see a sign to continue on.' And all of a sudden on the TV I heard … 'Rescue Me.'" Bass reportedly received a settlement in excess of $50,000, as well as punitive damages.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/fontella-bass#ixzz1QeBFThFu , and welcome to "The Forum".

[roger]

Well ..

I'm getting a profound sense of Deja-Vu here.

Didn't we have a thread exactly like this a couple of years age .. with a newcomer asking about a MARTHA BASS L.P. called "Rescue Me" and some regular forum members assuming it was a mistake and it should have been fONTELLA BASS.

However .. the Checker L.P. discographies all have an L.P. coming out by MARTHA BASS in 1968 called "Rescue Me" ..

Checker L.P. 10048 .. MARTHA BASS - "Rescue Me"

http://www.justmovingon.info/LABELS/CheckerAlbums.html

http://www.bsnpubs.com/chess/chesscheckgospel.html

I wonder what its like .. :)

Roger

P.S. .. can anybody out there recall the first time they ever heard about Deja-Vu?

[theboyfromxtown]

A la classe francaise???

[blueskies]

Oui, la classe français ... il est tous les revenir maintenant.

[phil]

. il est tous les revenir maintenant.

Blueskies, I'm French but I can't understand you, what do you mean ?

But I appreciate seeing some French words on a Soul forum. :)

[roger]

Eh bien!!

I've found the previous thread about this MARTHA BASS L.P. called "Rescue Me".

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?2272-2-records-wanted

That thread didn't come to any proper conclusion and ended up a discussion on FONTELLA BASS but without drifting into Franglais ..

C'est la vie ..

Roger :)

[phil]

Bravo Roger ! :)

[blueskies]

Blueskies, I'm French but I can't understand you, what do you mean ?

But I appreciate seeing some French words on a Soul forum. :)

Oui, la classe francais....C'est tous revenir maintenant. This was in regards to the Deja-Vu comment. Hopefully, that is clearer? My grandparents are from
Villeneuve-d'Ascq. I was raised here. The family speaks French, but, mine is sloppy, at best.

[francis t]

I am not sure what conclusion this thread has come to, but I am almost certain I used to have a white promo Chess album with Matha Bass singing Rescue Me.Its been a long time since I have seen it, but it is probably still in my collection.
I will look if I get chance.
regards
francist

[francis t]

I have found the album.It is called Chess-Checker January 1969 Release Sampler.
Track 1 is Martha Bass singing a gospel worded take on the Fontella Bass tune.The backing track is not the same as far as I can tell, being a little more laid back.The track is from the lps 10048 according to the label.Other artist on the lp Rev C Franklin,Buddy Guy,Pigmeat Markham, Salem Travellers,The Soul Stirrers, The Violinaires, Willie Mabon and the Thrilling Soul Stirrers each with 2 tracks from forthcoming albums in Jan 69.
francis t.

[1382hitsville]

When Berry Gordy heard "Rescue Me" he assumed it was a Motown song....it wasn't. It was a ticket to Motown for Raynard Miner [[he also wrote Jackie Wilsons "Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher And Higher".

For Motown he wrote Marvelettes- Sunshine Days, Four Tops- The Key and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas- Soul Appeal. Good songs but minor hits.

He also wrote "In the Evening Of Our Love" for Diana Ross & the Supremes but that song was shelved until the release of the lost and found album.

[tamla617]

roger
deja vu?
i think thats the second time you said that

[daddyacey]

"When Berry Gordy heard "Rescue Me" he assumed it was a Motown song....it wasn't. It was a ticket to Motown for Raynard Miner [[he also wrote Jackie Wilsons "Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher And Higher".

The truth is that they DID sound like MOTOWN songs. In the case of Jackie Wilsons "Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher And Higher", we know that it was because of the Funk Bros on the track. No Doubt. If you call yourself a serious MOTOWN fan ,and can't identify IGORS BASS on this , then you don't no shixx about MOTOWN.

On the other hand I've seen on the internet that J.J. played Bass on RESCUE ME. I don't know that's true but the technique is there.

Thanks to francis t ,for the info. THAT'S what SDF is all about , the sharing of the knowledge. NICE THREAD..............

[dvdmike]

Louis Satterfiekl was the bassist on Fontella Bass' "Rescue Me" and the drummer was Maurice White.

[soulster]

Louis Satterfiekl was the bassist on Fontella Bass' "Rescue Me" and the drummer was Maurice White.

Louis Satterfield, you mean. Yup, future Earth Wind & Fire members were part of the Chess house band. And, you can tell White's distinctive drumming.