Eddie Kendricks Solo Albums Vol. 2

[tempfan]

EDDIE KENDRICKS: THE MOTOWN SOLO ALBUMS VOL. 2
RELEASE DATE: October 13th 2006
CD Edition limited to 5000 non-numbered limited edition copies.

Eddie boogies down! Former Temptation, now a no. 1 solo star, Kendricks keeps the fires burning with the rest of his classic albums – and much more – in The Thin Man: The Motown Solo Albums, Vol. 2. This 3-CD set captures EK shooting back to no. 1 with “Boogie Down,” hitting the dance floor with a pair of Philly soul spectaculars, then returning to collaborate with Leonard Caston on his final Motown recordings. That “much more”? An incredible bonus of an album’s worth of unreleased tracks.

Sweet Eddie had left the Temptations in 1971, in the wake of “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” his last hit with the group, reaching no. 1. He steadily built a career as a solo artist, culminating in the no. 1 smash, “Keep On Truckin’.” That phase is documented in The Motown Solo Albums, Vol. 1, which featured Eddie’s first three albums – All By Myself, People…Hold On and Eddie Kendricks – plus For You, which actually is EK’s fifth solo album. (It fit the set’s second disc time wise, while his fourth album, Boogie Down!, did not.)

The Motown Solo Albums, Vol. 2 kicks off with Boogie Down!, a no. 1 album that produced two more hits. “Son Of Sagittarius” and “Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need.” It’s paired up on disc 1 with 1975’s The Hit Man, highlighted by the Brian Holland-produced “Get The Cream Off The Top” and “Happy.” It would be the last album produced by Frank Wilson with Caston.

“The Harris Machine” – a.k.a. guitarist Norman Harris and key players from the awesome MFSB band, and his team of writers and arrangers – next produces the albums He’s A Friend and Goin’ Up In Smoke. Doubled up on this collection’s disc two, they are underrated classics with the title songs hitting the charts. In 1977, Eddie would reunite with Leonard Caston for Slick, another underrated gem featuring “Intimate Friends,” written by Garry Glenn, who would later write “Caught Up In The Rapture” for Detroit’s next soul star, Anita Baker.

That completes Eddie Kendricks’ Motown solo albums collection – almost. As an exceptional bonus to this set are eight “Lost & Found” tracks newly discovered in the Motown vault, a complement to the bonus “album” on The Great David Ruffin, Vol. 2. They’re several outtakes circa People…Hold On and one more, fully completed cuts (not demos) that went begging to be part of an album.

Clay McMurray did three sublime songs (tracks #10-12 on disc 3). Bobby Miller, who wrote and produced Eddie’s “Date With The Rain,” also cut “Johnny Faraway” and the original version of the funky “Go On With Your Bad Self” – Ruffin later used the same backing track (see The Great David Ruffin, Vol. 1). Gloria Jones and Pam Sawyer, who produced for Eddie “Where Do You Go (Baby)” (see Keep On Truckin’: The Motown Solo Albums, Vol. 1), also brought in tracks 15 & 16.

Finally, Brian Holland is at the helm for “I’ll Be Your Servant,” from the same session as “Get The Cream Off The Top.” It didn’t fit on The Hit Man (Holland re-cut it on G.C. Cameron) but Hip-OSelect.com is happy to find room for it on this special collection

hip-oselect.com/scr.public.product.asp?product_id=C80D775E-D4AF-4265-8A58-71FF26B4EE55&cat_id=9BE6C651-2C04-4F9B-A867-99626310086F

[GD]

Sometimes you can forget how many solo LPs Eddie had. He was prolific, a singer who sang "his song". Haven't heard "I'll Have to Let You Go" (From "SLICK") in years. I love the song. Pristine and clear. Hearing it now makes me realize I dig it so partly because its just Eddie on vocals, sparse background vocals (at the end). I'm checking out the "Lost & Found" tracks. I think I like David's version of "Go On With Your Bad Self" more. "Let Love Be Now....." is on point. As is "I Need You More......" (classic Eddie) It's great to hear Eddie's solo work presented like this. The great EJK. (((Edy)))) I hope you're hearing this. Part of....."The Melody of My Life"

[GD]

[glow=red,2,300]Johnny Faraway[/glow].... a pretty companion piece to "This Used to Be the Home of Johnnie Mae". ((((Debbie)))), ((Girl Of My Dreams)) enjoy

[Beej]

Reading the liner notes of the "Lost & Found" tracks for the song "I Need You More Now Than Ever" reminded me of something I read Clay McMurray mention on the SoulfulDetroit.com website. Paul Williams was assigned the song first in August 1971. Eddie cut his version in November 1971. The following year, the song was re-assigned to Paul and he finished recording his vocals in August 1972.

On Paul's version, Clay said, "He sang that song with so much inner soul that each time I hear it I can see him behind the mike trying to hide the tears as he sang the song."

How great would it be for the Hip-O folks to locate and release all the Paul Williams solo tracks...even if as part of a larger compilation of mixed artists!

[Tasha]

beej said:

Reading the liner notes of the "Lost & Found" tracks for the song "I Need You More Now Than Ever" reminded me of something I read Clay McMurray mention on the SoulfulDetroit.com website. Paul Williams was assigned the song first in August 1971. Eddie cut his version in November 1971. The following year, the song was re-assigned to Paul and he finished recording his vocals in August 1972.

On Paul's version, Clay said, "He sang that song with so much inner soul that each time I hear it I can see him behind the mike trying to hide the tears as he sang the song."

How great would it be for the Hip-O folks to locate and release all the Paul Williams solo tracks...even if as part of a larger compilation of mixed artists!

They need to release all of Paul's music! [/size]

[GD]

Has Paul's version of "I Need You More Now Than Ever" been released anywhere?

[Tasha]

gd said:

Has Paul's version of "I Need You More Now Than Ever" been released anywhere?

I haven't seen it anywhere![/size]

[Cadeho]

I didn't know Paul recorded much solo work.

[Tasha]

cadeho said:

I didn't know Paul recorded much solo work.

They do but the people at Motown swear that they only have "Once You've Had You A Heart" and "Feel Like Givin Up" and one more! But I think it's bull! I think they have a whole lot more but wont release it! But they're the ones losing money cause I know a whole bunch of people who wouldn't mind getting their hands on that record! [/size]

[Beej]

cadeho said:

I didn't know Paul recorded much solo work.

Hey, Cadeho...great to see you again.

I know there's a rumor out there about a whole album's worth of material, but I really don't believe it. That primarily comes from the wishful thinking of devoted Paul Williams fans...many of whom would even debate his alcoholism and suicide. There are three songs we know of for sure...perhaps one or two more that were never finished. I don't buy into the notion that there's an entire completed elbum sitting somewhere collecting dust, though. It really makes no sense whatsoever.