From their "Two To One" album of 1978.
From their "Two To One" album of 1978.
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!
Last edited by longtimefan; 01-08-2018 at 11:40 PM.
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 .
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.
Both amazing singers. Enjoy your CD. Soul Music Records have done a great job so far in issuing Thelma Houston albums on CD.
Got the Mowest...
I loved "the devil in me"..._is that on CD?
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.
Thanks for that info..".devil in me "and ride to the rainbow" would be ...let's hope Soul Music records issue them.
"Ride To The Rainbow" was released again on CD in 2013 [[Japan).
Attachment 13899
For good measure - a Japanese CD of "The Devil In Me"
Attachment 13900
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
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.
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.
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!
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…
quite enjoyed playing this CD, a long time since I'd heard these tracks. Nearly 40 years actually.....
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