The Sweet Inspirations - Self Titled 1979 Album - CD release

[carlo]

Can anyone provide background info on this 1979 self-titled album released by the Sweet Inspirations? I am not familiar with this album and it seems it was given only one pressing in '79 on vinyl, and was then reissued onto vinyl in 2020. It seems it will be getting yet another vinyl pressing and a first time CD release on May 20th. I noticed that this LP is not listed on The Sweet Inspirations' discography page on Wikipedia, nor is it listed in the discography on their website. It was released on the Koala label and the original pressings seem to sell for several hundred dollars...

https://www.discogs.com/release/3923...=Android%20App

[carlo]

Ok I found a bit of info from a product listing for the 2020 vinyl reissue...


One of the rarest soul records to collect by The Sweet Inspirations. Originally released on the Koala label out of Tennessee, the label had hardly any distribution and very few of these were originally pressed.


It seems that this is the album being reissued onto vinyl and CD on May 20th but many sites have it listed for preorder with the cover art of their 1967 self-titled album. The reissue label is 'Reel'. Are they legit?

Amazon - CD:

https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Inspira...s%2C100&sr=8-8

Amazon - Vinyl:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09VD...687&amp&sr=8-8

[reese]

Thanks for the info re the cd release. I bought a copy sometime last year and I believe my copy has a Record Store Day sticker on it. I only played it once so it probably didn't impress me much.

Is Reel the same as Reel Music? I have a couple of legitimate cds released by the latter.

[carlo]

No problem, Reese. I was reading that the RSD vinyl reissue from 2020 was missing a song [[Hey, I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore) that was included on the original release, likely due to licensing issues. As per the tracklisting on Amazon, it looks like this latest vinyl reissue and CD issue will also be missing that song.

I was also wondering if Reel is the same label as Reel Music, which was active about 15 years ago and then disappeared.

[reese]

It is strange that the Amazon listing for the vinyl shows the cover of their 1967 debut. I also noticed that in the same listing, it is actually titled THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS GOLD.

Maybe they grabbed the older image because they didn't have the more recent album artwork yet?

[reese]

I was able to get to my copy of the album [it was buried deep behind some others in my record collection].

My copy was released on Record Store Day UK 18.04.2020. It is a limited edition, hand-numbered copy. Only 1,000 were made. It was issued on 180g shiny gold vinyl on the Reel label, catalog #6139LE.

[Danno]

No problem, Reese. I was reading that the RSD vinyl reissue from 2020 was missing a song [[Hey, I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore) that was included on the original release, likely due to licensing issues. As per the tracklisting on Amazon, it looks like this latest vinyl reissue and CD issue will also be missing that song.

I was also wondering if Reel is the same label as Reel Music, which was active about 15 years ago and then disappeared.

I'd not spotted the track difference when I looked on Discogs. It appears they replaced the track you quoted with one called "Get Wise". That's a bit of a cheek playing on the rarity of the original then not even replicating fully? I bought the RSD goldish vinyl in 2020. Played once, remember being disappointed with the pressing quality. Might have to give it another spin and decide if Cd is worth a punt. Thanks for posting sir.

[carlo]

Thanks for clarifying that, Danno. I had also noticed that the original pressing vs the 2020 reissue were both 9 tracks, so I was wondering what song they had replaced/switched out. You're absolutely right that it is kinda silly to market this as a replica of a rare album, when they're not fully replicating the album in its original form. I've never heard this album, but based on both your comments and Reese's comments thus far, I'm guessing it's nothing to write home about. Perhaps I'll opt for the cheaper CD then, instead of getting it in both formats [[CD and vinyl).

[lakeside]

Can anyone provide background info on this 1979 self-titled album released by the Sweet Inspirations? I am not familiar with this album and it seems it was given only one pressing in '79 on vinyl, and was then reissued onto vinyl in 2020. It seems it will be getting yet another vinyl pressing and a first time CD release on May 20th. I noticed that this LP is not listed on The Sweet Inspirations' discography page on Wikipedia, nor is it listed in the discography on their website. It was released on the Koala label and the original pressings seem to sell for several hundred dollars...

https://www.discogs.com/release/3923...=Android%20App

Thanks for the heads up on this CD, Carlo. I'd never heard of it. Who is the girl in the
upper pic [[top)? She doesn't look familiar as one of the group? Now Amazon is showing
another pic for this CD. If it was done in 79, the pic shows 4 of them and I have the
CD, which isn't the 79 one? Guess they just picked that pic for whatever reason.
I wish they'd release their 'Hot Butterfly' LP on CD. With that recording, there was a
new member [[at least for this record). Can't remember who it was.

[kenneth]

I thought I had all the other Sweet Inspirations albums except for “Hot Butterfly,“ but according to the discography on Wikipedia there were a few other albums I never even knew about. Their Stax album, though not during their hit period, and in spite of the noticeable absence of Cissy Houston, to me is possibly their best.

It’s hard to believe this 1979 RSD album would be so unmemorable. Can someone who’s listened to the RSD album tell me why they think it was such a dull effort? Was this rare album mainly disco? From the year of its release, it certainly could be.

By the way, did anyone notice the report of the prices that this album sold for on Discogs? I bet whoever paid $500 for this album is going to be very upset when it’s released again!

[jack020]

I bought this also after RSD 2020 [[my copy has number 969 out of 1000) thinking it would be special, but is not really good. I just played it for the first time thinking it would be better for its value to keep it sealed.
The mastering is quite shrill [[maybe the original tapes were not that good?)
Going Through The Motions is a midtempo ballad I have by another artist [[girlgroup/female singer?)but cannot remember who.
Burning Love is the Elvis song.
Save Me From The Flames is a long uptempo discotrack.
Side B of the record is a little better and more soulful.
Going Up To What's Right turns out be a disco version Syreeta's Im Going Left.
It takes A lot Of Love is a jazzy swinger.
I Need Your Love is a short soulful track reminding of the old SI.
There is no info on the songwriters and time of tracks.
The new 2022 release is supposed to have linernotes.
Hope this helps

[kenneth]

@jack020,

That definitely helps, thanks for the breakdown and analysis! The bad mastering is very disturbing considering how these items are promoted on Record Store Day. I’m definitely curious to hear this and will buy the CD when it’s available. I very rarely buy new vinyl unless it’s in some very unusual presentation like colored vinyl or something else that makes it fun to own. I guess this was during the time when their lineup started to change frequently. Even by the time of “Hot Butterfly” it seems like they only had one original member perhaps though I’m not sure of the actual lineup even on that album.

The 1979 RSD reissue and this rerelease definitely qualifies as a curio, if nothing else. It’s just hard to believe they could make a bad album.

Thanks again!

[lakeside]

@jack020,

That definitely helps, thanks for the breakdown and analysis! The bad mastering is very disturbing considering how these items are promoted on Record Store Day. I’m definitely curious to hear this and will buy the CD when it’s available. I very rarely buy new vinyl unless it’s in some very unusual presentation like colored vinyl or something else that makes it fun to own. I guess this was during the time when their lineup started to change frequently. Even by the time of “Hot Butterfly” it seems like they only had one original member perhaps though I’m not sure of the actual lineup even on that album.

The 1979 RSD reissue and this rerelease definitely qualifies as a curio, if nothing else. It’s just hard to believe they could make a bad album.

Thanks again!

Looks like a 'Gloria Brown' was the new person they brought in for "Hot Butterfly".
Hot Butterfly Review

by Amy Hanson
[-]
Lauded for their tremendous efforts as a girl group session act throughout the 1960s, Sweet Inspirations made their own mark with two LPs and a string of hits during the late '60s and early '70s, before disappearing under the radar until 1979, when they resurfaced on RSO with Hot Butterfly. Now down to a trio of founder member Myrna Smith, with Gloria Brown and Sylvia Shemwell, the revamped Sweet Inspirations re-launched themselves on the tails of Robert Stigwood's near single-handed disco revolution. With Smith and Shemwell evenly trading lead vocal responsibilities, the band powered through a set of lukewarm disco-inflected R&B. Mid-tempo songs with flavor-of-the-year string arrangements are de rigueur from the opening "Hot Fun" to "It's the Simple Things You Do," both songs managing to overcome a desultory slip into oblivion, thanks to the powerful vocal arrangements. Things only become genuinely interesting when Sweet Inspirations sink their teeth into the Norman Whitfield-penned "Do It Right," sounding more comfortable across their fuzzy, grungy version than they do on any other tracks. Elsewhere, "Hot Butterfly" is most notable for its super-smarmy backing vocals -- a surprise, given the song's subsequent history. Less than a year later, Chaka Khan stomped out of the Savoy and revamped it to stellar success as "Papillon [[aka Hot Butterfly)." The nuggets are few and far between here, and there are not enough to make this album fly. Sweet Inspirations would have been better served not trying to roll with the times.

[reese]

I guess this was during the time when their lineup started to change frequently. Even by the time of “Hot Butterfly” it seems like they only had one original member perhaps though I’m not sure of the actual lineup even on that album.

Original members Myrna Smith and Sylvia Shemwell were present up through the HOT BUTTERFLY and SWEET INSPIRATIONS albums.

Re HOT BUTTERFLY, Wikimedia mentions that Gloria Brown was a member at the time but Pat Terry was who actually sang on the recording.

Estelle came back by the time of their last album, IN THE RIGHT PLACE. But by that time, Sylvia had been out of the group due to health issues, and the group consisted of Myrna, Estelle, and new member Portia Griffin. These three were featured in the nice documentary THIS TIME.

[kenneth]

@Reese,

Can you identify who’s who on the ”Butterfly” cover? The girl on the right looks familiar, but they’re styled so differently from the Stax album I’m not sure which is which.

Let me also ask Reese or one of you other experts, is the “Hot Butterfly” song the same song that was a disco hit by the group Bionic Boogie? [[Just hearing the name makes it qualify automatically for a time capsule!)

Thanks also to Lakeside for posting the album review.

[reese]

@Reese,

Can you identify who’s who on the ”Butterfly” cover? The girl on the right looks familiar, but they’re styled so differently from the Stax album I’m not sure which is which.

L-R: Gloria Brown, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell.

[sansradio]

is the “Hot Butterfly” song the same song that was a disco hit by the group Bionic Boogie? [[Just hearing the name makes it qualify automatically for a time capsule!)

Yes, it is, with lead vox by Luther Vandross.

[kenneth]

Yes, it is, with lead vox by Luther Vandross.

I never knew that was Luther Vandross! Now that I know of course I can recognize it even from remembering the vocal. Thanks!

[kenneth]

L-R: Gloria Brown, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell.

Thanks Reese!

[lakeside]

In The Right Place by The Sweet Inspirations [[Album): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list - Rate Your Music

Does anyone else have the above CD? I vaguely remember buying this from the [[then)
Sweet Inspirations Fan Club [[or their web site?). Myrna autographed it for me. They also sent me another CD free, "The Sweet Inspirations Sing Elvis". The songs included
are: Napalm Bomb, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Jailhouse Rock, Love Me Tender, Trouble and Heartbreak Hotel. They said this CD was only sold overseas. The reason for the free CD was I had some screw-up with Paypay and there was a mix-up with my order.
I got a nice letter from a lady named Christine Monroe who worked for the Inspirations
explaining all the above. This was in 2005.

[reese]

In The Right Place by The Sweet Inspirations [[Album): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list - Rate Your Music

Does anyone else have the above CD? I vaguely remember buying this from the [[then)
Sweet Inspirations Fan Club [[or their web site?). Myrna autographed it for me. They also sent me another CD free, "The Sweet Inspirations Sing Elvis". The songs included
are: Napalm Bomb, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Jailhouse Rock, Love Me Tender, Trouble and Heartbreak Hotel. They said this CD was only sold overseas. The reason for the free CD was I had some screw-up with Paypay and there was a mix-up with my order.
I got a nice letter from a lady named Christine Monroe who worked for the Inspirations
explaining all the above. This was in 2005.

I have this cd. It was produced by Peitor Angell, who was featured along with them in the documentary THIS TIME. It has some good dance tracks on it but it wouldn't be a desert-island disc for me. But I do love the acapella version of THE LORD'S PRAYER. I think this disc also contains Sylvia Shemwell's last recorded vocal before her passing.