Wednesday, October 14, 2026

VA - Early Brit Girls Vol. 1-4 [2013-2017] (8 x CDs)

POP

VA - Early Brit Girls Vol. 1-4 [2013-2017] (8 x CDs)

The Early Brit Girls series, issued between 2013 and 2017 on Ace Records, offers one of the most thoughtful archival looks at British female vocalists of the late fifties and early sixties. Each volume arrives as a well‑annotated 2xCD release, built around original singles drawn from labels such as Decca, Pye, Columbia, HMV and Fontana. The catalogue numbers follow Ace’s familiar pattern, with each disc presenting twenty‑plus tracks sourced from master tapes whenever available. Together, the four volumes form a coherent portrait of an era when British pop was still finding its identity, shaped by jazz clubs, skiffle rooms, early rock and roll and the influence of American vocal stylists.

The first volume focuses on singers who bridged traditional pop and emerging beat styles. Many tracks carry orchestral arrangements with light rhythm sections, reflecting the studio practices of 1959 to 1962. The second volume moves deeper into early sixties pop, highlighting artists who embraced brighter production, tighter harmonies and more confident rhythmic phrasing. These sides often reveal how British studios adapted American trends while keeping a distinctly local tone.

Volumes three and four expand the frame, bringing in lesser known performers whose singles rarely reached wide distribution. Several tracks were originally issued only on 45 rpm, sometimes with regional pressings that now qualify as genuine rarities. The series excels at presenting these overlooked records with context, noting catalogue details, release years and label histories that help listeners understand how each artist fit into the broader landscape. The sequencing across all four discs maintains a gentle flow, moving from polished pop to early beat, from torch‑leaning ballads to lightly rocking arrangements.

What makes Early Brit Girls valuable is its archival clarity. It treats these singers not as footnotes but as contributors to a formative period in British pop. The series offers a warm, detailed window into a world of studio craft, melodic charm and early sixties atmosphere, preserved with care and respect. (B)

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Track lists

Vol. 1 CD1

01 Susan Maughan - Bobby's Girl 2:35

02 Helen Shapiro - I Don't Care 2:33

03 Julie Grant - Lonely Sixteen 1:58

04 Alma Cogan - He Just Could't Resist Her With Her Pocket Transistor 2:26

05 Carol Deene - Johnny Get Angry 2:07

06 Vernons Girls - Funny All Over 2:02

07 Hayley Mills - Let's Get Together 1:30

08 Louise Cordet - I'm Just A Baby 2:02

09 Petula Clark - Chariot 2:36

10 Simone Jackson - Pop Pop Pop-Pie 2:21

11 Grazina - Lover Please Believe Me 2:06

12 Avons - Alone at Eight 1:53

13 Pat Reader - Cha Cha on The Moon 1:47

14 Kathy Kirby - Big Man 2:24

15 Laura Lee - Tell Tommy I Miss Him: Tell Laura I Love Her 2:35

16 Helen Shapiro - You Don't Know 2:40

17 Maureen Evans - Like I Do 2:15

18 Julie Grant - Up on The Roof 2:16

19 Jan & Kelly - Ooh! He Didn't 2:39

20 Janice Peters - A Girl Likes 1:58

21 Beverley Sisters - Long Black Nylons 2:14

22 Lindy's - Train of Love 2:22

23 Patti Brook - Heaven is Being With You 2:02

24 Sally Kelly - Honey That's Alright 1:41

25 Susan Maughan - Mama Do The Twist 2:03

26 Glenda Collins - Find Another Fool 2:38

27 Petula Clark - Jumble Sale 2:18

28 Lana Sisters - You Got What it Takes 2:33

29 Three Barry Sisters - Tall Paul 2:09

30 Carol Deene - James (Hold The Ladder Steady) 2:15

31 Lyn Cornell - I Sold My Heart to The Junkman 2:23

32 Marion Ryan - Sixteen Reasons 2:34

33 Vernons Girls - You Know What I Mean 2:14

34 Springfields - Island of Dreams 2:36


Vol. 1 CD2

01 Helen Shapiro - Don't Treat Me Like A Child 2:34

02 Carol Deene - Norman 2:19

03 Valerie Mountain - Some People 2:38

04 Lana Sisters - Buzzin' 2:08

05 Vernons Girls - Be Nice to Him Mama 1:53

06 Louise Cordet - Sweet Enough 2:20

07 Jackie Frisco - Sugar Baby 2:20

08 Julie Grant - Somebody Tell Him 2:30

09 Susan Maughan - I've Got to Learn to Forget 2:24

10 Kathy Kirby - Slowly 2:20

11 Shirley Bassey - Puh-Leeze Mr Brown! 2:18

12 Lorne Lesley - I Don't Know 2:41

13 Lita Roza - (He's My) Dreamboat 2:36

14 Rose Brennan - Tall Dark Stranger 2:18

15 Helen Shapiro - Tell Me What He Said 2:47

16 Delaine Sisters - It Might as Well Rain Until September 2:05

17 Breakaways - He's A Rebel 1:55

18 Springfields - Silver Threads & Golden Needles 2:13

19 Petula Clark - Ya-Ya Twist 2:15

20 Dena Farrell; Do Farrell; Do & Dena Farrell - Young Magic 2:17

21 Toni Eden - Teen Street 1:46

22 Patti Brook - I Love You I Need You 1:52

23 Glenda Collins - Age for Love 2:18

24 Janice Peters - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' 1:47

25 Marion Ryan - Jo-Jo The Dogfaces Boy 2:08

26 Candy Sparling - Can You Keep A Secret 1:48

27 Pat Reader - Ricky 2:49

28 Carol Jones - The Boy With Eyes of Blue 2:26

29 Louise Cordet - Someone Else's Fool 2:26

30 Three Bells - Steady Date 1:57

31 Susan Maughan - Come A Little Closer 2:47

32 Lana Sisters - Tell Him No 2:14

33 Vernons Girls - Lover Please 2:07

34 Carol Deene - Sad Movies 2:50


Vol. 2 CD1

01 Vernons Girls - The Loco-Motion 2:07

02 Helen Shapiro - Kiss & Run 2:10

03 Penny - Who Does He Think He Is? 1:55

04 Jan Burnnette - The Boy I Used to Know 2:33

05 Alma Cogan - All Alone 1:55

06 Patsy Ann Noble - Sour Grapes 1:57

07 Billie Davis - Tell Him 2:14

08 Patti Brook - Since You've Been Gone 2:09

09 Julie Grant - So Many Ways 1:55

10 Petula Clark - Romeo 2:41

11 Carol Deene - Kissin' 2:13

12 Beverley Sisters - I Dreamed 1:50

13 Marion Ryan - Uh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again 2:28

14 Nancy Whiskey, Chas Mcdevitt & His Skiffle Group - Johnny-O 2:29

15 Maureen Evans - Plenty Good Lovin' 1:48

16 Suzy Cope - Juvenile Delinquent 2:16

17 Diana Dors - The Point of No Return 2:19

18 Lynn Cornell - Demon Lover 2:59

19 Annette Klooger - Rhumba Cardi 2:22

20 Jan & Kelly - Prepare to Meet Your Fate, Mate 2:27

21 Carol Deene - Somebody's Smiling 2:25

22 Louise Cordet - In A Matter of Moments 1:57

23 Susan Maughan - Some of These Days 1:55

24 Glenda Collins - Head Over Heels in Love 1:46

25 Lana Sisters - Mister Dee-Jay 2:39

26 Lorrae Desmond - Wait for It 2:12

27 Billie Anthony - This Ole House 2:19

28 Helen Shapiro - Keep Away From Other Girls 2:25

29 Donna Douglas - The Message in A Bottle 2:37

30 Springfields - My Baby's Gone 2:18

31 Jackie Lee & The Raindrops - Will You Love Me Tomorrow? 2:51

32 Valerie Mountain & The Eagles - Too Late 2:32

33 Kathy Kirby - Danny 2:37

34 Shirley Bassey - Climb Ev'ry Mountain 3:08


Vol. 2 CD2

01 Helen Shapiro - Little Miss Lonely 2:55

02 Petula Clark - Sailor 2:56

03 Maureen Evans - Never in A Million Years 2:18

04 Julie Grant - When You Ask About Love 2:00

05 Billie Davis - I'm Thankful 2:15

06 Patsy Ann Noble - Don't You Ever Change Your Mind 2:01

07 Suzy Cope - Not Never Not Now 2:09

08 Jackie Frisco - You Can't Catch Me 2:06

09 Candy Sparling - When's He Gonna Kiss Me? 1:49

10 Donna Douglas - All The Other Girls 2:38

11 Carol Deene - On The Outside Looking In 2:16

12 Vernons Girls - Don't Wanna Go 2:10

13 Springfields - Far Away Places 2:53

14 Beverley Sisters - Born to Be With You 2:34

15 Jean Campbell - Two Hearts, Two Kisses 2:28

16 Alma Cogan - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' 1:46

17 Marion Ryan - Stairway of Love 2:09

18 Lana Sisters & Al Saxon - Seven Little Girls Sitting in The Back Seat 2:15

19 Sally Kelly - Little Cutie 2:17

20 Cherry Roland - Just for Fun 2:11

21 Patti Brook - Look What You've Done to Me 1:56

22 Billie Anthony - Love & Kisses 2:05

23 Pat Reader - May Your Heart Stay Young Forever 2:51

24 Grazina - So What 2:23

25 Hayley Mills - Johnny Jingo 1:42

26 Jackie Lee & The Raindrops - There Goes The Lucky One 2:07

27 Lorrae Desmond - Soda Pop Hop 1:55

28 Susan Maughan - I Didn't Mean What I Said 2:06

29 Glenda Collins - Crazy Guy 2:25

30 Gale Warning - Heartbreak Hotel 2:34

31 Diana Dors - Let There Be Love 2:14

32 Annette Klooger - Amor 2:38

33 Lynn Cornell - Moanin' 2:32

34 Shirley Bassey - As Long as He Needs Me 2:57


Vol. 3 CD1

01 Helen Shapiro - Sometime Yesterday 2:49

02 Jan Burnnette - 'Til I Hear The Truth From You 3:02

03 Patti Lynn - Johnny Angel 2:18

04 Carol Deene - Let Me Do it My Way 2:24

05 Jackie Trent - The One Who Really Loves You 2:19

06 Christine Quaite - Your Nose is Gonna Grow 2:05

07 Jenny Moss - Hobbies 2:02

08 Pamela Blue - My Friend Bobby 2:07

09 Grazina - Another Like You 2:07

10 Louise Cordet - Crazy Kind of Love 2:10

11 Suzie Cope - Biggity Big 2:25

12 Wendy Richard & Diana Berry - Keep 'Em Looking Around 1:36

13 Vernons Girls - I'm Gonna Let My Hair Down 1:44

14 Lorrae Desmond - Blue Blue Day 1:43

15 Lana Sisters - Down South 2:20

16 Springfields - Little By Little 2:05

17 Helen Shapiro - Will You Love Me Tomorrow 3:20

18 Sheila Buxton - Sixteen Reasons 1:47

19 Maureen Evans - Tomorrow is Another Day 2:37

20 Alma Cogan - Dream Talk 2:49

21 Barbara Windsor - Sparrows Can't Sing 2:28

22 Anne Shelton - Seven Days 2:24

23 Three Barry Sisters - I-Ay Ove-Lay Oo-Yay 1:50

24 Lorne Lesley - Bloodshot Eyes 2:22

25 Joan Regan - Love Me to Pieces 2:11

26 Annette Klooger - Tra La La 1:51

27 Susan Singer - Johnny Summertime 2:14

28 Petula Clark - Cinderella Jones 2:06

29 Simone Jackson - Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya 2:23

30 Julie Grant - Count on Me 2:13

31 Donna Douglas - He's So Near 2:12

32 Carol Deene - Growin' Up 1:52

33 Kathy Kirby - Track 33 2:26

34 Yana - Climb Up The Wall 3:31


Vol. 3 CD2

01 Carol Deene - Some People 2:05

02 Alma Cogan - The Train of Love 2:26

03 Susan Maughan - Baby Doll Twist 2:21

04 Helen Shapiro - Cry My Heart Out 2:42

05 Maureen Evans - The Big Hurt 2:20

06 Julie Grant - Then Only Then 2:13

07 Beverley Sisters - Green Fields 2:51

08 Petula Clark - Where Do I Go From Here 2:22

09 Marion Ryan - Love Me Forever 2:51

10 Billie Anthony with Eric Jupp & His Orchestra - You 2:32

11 Jo Shelton - I Need Your Arms Around Me 2:07

12 Stevie Marsh - If You Were The Only Boy in The World 2:03

13 Jan Burnnette - Fool in Love 2:05

14 Rose Brennan - Johnny Let Me Go 3:10

15 Hayley Mills - Jeepers Creepers 1:37

16 Christine Quaite - Our Last Chance 2:07

17 Suzy Cope - Kisses and Tears 2:29

18 Valerie Mountain - Yes You Did 2:10

19 Helen Shapiro - Little Devil 2:26

20 Springfields - Breakaway 2:31

21 Shirley Ann Field - It's Legal 1:42

22 Susan Singer - Bobby's Lovin' Touch 1:43

23 Grazina - Don't Be Shy 2:05

24 Gunilla Thorne - Merry-Go-Round 2:07

25 Vernons Girls - Mama Doesn't Know 1:33

26 Do & Dena Farrell - New Love Tonight 2:19

27 Lita Roza - Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean) 2:52

28 Cherry Wainer - Itchy Twitchy Feeling 2:17

29 Lorrae Desmond - Ding Dong Rock-A-Billy Wedding 1:50

30 Joan Savage - Hello Happiness Goodbye Blues 2:08

31 Kathy Kirby - Playboy 1:58

32 Lana Sisters - Tintarella Di Luna 2:13

33 Shirley Bassey - Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me 2:23

34 Pat Phoenix - The Rovers Chorus 2:09


Vol. 4 CD1

01 Maureen Evans - Stupid Cupid 2:13

02 Lorrae Desmond - Get Your Daddy's Car Tonight 2:32

03 Cherry Roland - What A Guy 2:21

04 Jackie Frisco - He's So Near 2:25

05 Alma Cogan - Tell Him 2:10

06 Susan Singer - Gee ! It's Great to Be Young 1:48

07 Carol Deene - The Boy on The Beach 1:59

08 Susan Maughan - Hand A Handkerchief to Helen 2:11

09 DeLaine Sisters - Puppet on A String 1:42

10 Kay Barry - Speak to Me Pretty 2:05

11 Pamela Blue - Hey There Stranger 2:46

12 Helen Shapiro - I Apologise 2:37

13 Louise Cordet - She's Got You 2:33

14 Breakaways - Here She Comes 2:27

15 Simone Jackson - Tell Me What to Do 2:28

16 Vernons Girls - Dat's Love 2:10

17 Lorne Lesley - We're Gonna Dance 2:34

18 Patsy Ann Noble - I'm Nobody's Baby 1:58

19 Christine Quaite - Oh My ! 2:39

20 Sandra Gale - If She's Right for You 2:35

21 Cleo Laine - Mister One and Only 2:19

22 Jean Campbell - Train of Love 2:20

23 Marion Ryan - Wait for Me 2:28

24 Kathy Kirby - Crush Me 2:59

25 Petula Clark - With All My Heart 2:36

26 Yana - If You Don't Love Me 2:55

27 Springfields - Waf-Woof 2:32

28 Anne Shelton - Do You Love Me, Like You Kiss Me 2:54

29 Beverley Sisters - Greensleeves 2:40

30 Ruby Murray - Forever 2:08

31 Valerie Masters - Say When 2:28

32 Nancy Whiskey & Her Skifflers - He's Solid Gone 2:34

33 Chris Barber's Jazz Band feat. Ottilie Patterson - I Hate Myself (For Being Mean to You) 2:00


Vol. 4 CD2

01 Helen Shapiro - I Love You 2:18

02 Avons - A Wonderful Dream 2:16

03 Patti Lynn - Big Big Love 2:26

04 Rosemary Lane - Who Does He Think He Is? 1:59

05 Grazina - I Ain't Gonna Knock on Your Door 2:22

06 Susan Hayward - You Bet I Would 2:36

07 Marilyn Lee - Keep Your Hands Off My Baby 2:13

08 Chris Barber's Jazz Band feat. Ottilie Patterson - Strange Things Happen Every Day 3:25

09 Lynn Cornell - The Sweet Life (La Dolce Vita) 2:56

10 Joan Small - You Can't Say I Love You to A Rock 'n' Roll Tune 2:09

11 Joan Savage - Lula Rock-A-Hula 2:05

12 Maureen Evans - Mamma Wouldn't Like It 2:08

13 Valerie Masters - Cow Cow Boogie 2:12

14 Vernons Girls - Ten Little Lonely Boys 2:16

15 Dale Sisters - Secrets 2:25

16 Sheila Buxton - Soldier, Won't You Marry Me 2:28

17 Gunilla Thorne - Go on Then 1:55

18 Jenny Moss - Big Boys 2:18

19 Janice Nicholls - I'll Give it Five 2:03

20 Patti Brook - When The Red Red Robin 2:16

21 Beverley Jones - When it Comes to Love 2:16

22 Lana Sisters - Sitting on The Sidewalk 2:32

23 Janice Peters - Kiss Cha Cha 2:19

24 Kathy Kirby - I Can't Say Goodbye 2:23

25 Kaye Sisters - If Only You'd Be Mine 2:39

26 Julie Grant - Ev'ry Letter You Write 1:57

27 Lita Roza - I've Got My Eyes on You 2:36

28 Eve Boswell - You're My Thrill 2:24

29 Joan Regan - Surprisin' 2:14

30 Janet Richmond - Not One Minute More 2:56

31 Lynda Graham - Wait and See 2:27

32 Edna Savage - Maybe This Year 2:14

33 Shirley Bassey - What Now My Love 2:52

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2026

The Equals - A BOX OF... (60th Anniversary 1966-2026) (24CD) (2026)

A BOX OF...

The Equals - A BOX OF... (60th Anniversary 1966-2026) (24CD) (2026) 

In celebration of 60 years since the Equals released their debut single 'I Won't Be There' in 1966, here is a splendid overview of their excellent work.

The Equals are an English rock band. They are best remembered for their million-selling chart-topper"Baby, Come Back", though they had several other chart hits in the UK and Europe. Drummer John Hall founded the group with Eddy Grant, Pat Lloyd and brothers Derv and Lincoln Gordon, and they were noted as being "the first major interracial rock group in the UK" and "one of the few racially mixed bands of the era".

Early career

The group's members met on a Hornsey Rise council estate, where Grant, Lloyd and Hall were school friends at Acland Burghley. In late 1964, Hall suggested that they form a band. John Hall (drums), Eddy Grant (lead guitar), Pat Lloyd (rhythm guitar), Derv Gordon (vocals) and Lincoln Gordon (rhythm guitar) became the Equals. The three-guitar lineup continued until 1969, when Lincoln Gordon switched from rhythm guitar to bass.

At first the Equals performed in London, and gained a following "with their apparently limitless energy and a distinct style fusing pop, blues, and R&B plus elements of ska and bluebeat." They often opened the bill at shows by visiting American R&B and soul artists such as Bo Diddley, Solomon Burke and Wilson Pickett. A neighbour of Grant's, singer Gene Latter, put them in touch with President Records, whose boss Edward Kassner heard them and agreed to sign them.

Commercial success, 1966-70

The Equals released their first single "I Won’t Be There" in 1966, followed by "Hold Me Closer", with "Baby, Come Back" as the B-side. It did not do well in the United Kingdom, but after DJs in Europe began playing "Baby, Come Back", it went to the number one position in Germany and the Netherlands.

1968 saw the release of "I Get So Excited", which reached the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. The subsequent re-issue of "Baby, Come Back" in early 1968 reached the top position in the UK, giving President Records its only number one hit.

The song reached one million sales in June 1969, and was certified gold. Several of their later singles charted in the UK, including two further top 10 hits, "Viva Bobby Joe" (1969) and "Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys" (1970).

Their main songwriter was Eddy Grant, with contributions from the Gordon brothers, Pat Lloyd and John Hall. Though the majority were on traditional teenage pop themes, some, such as "Stand Up and Be Counted", "Police on My Back", and the funky "Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys", touched on social and political issues.

The band also released several studio albums on President in quick succession, six in four years, including Unequalled Equals (1967) and Explosion (1968), both of which reached the UK Albums Chart. Several of their albums were repackaged by RCA, President's distributors, for the American market. According to the band, Kassner did not allow the band to tour the U.S. because of problems that might have arisen because of their multiracial line-up, though the band did tour other parts of the world, including Africa.

They made regular TV appearances on programmes including Top of the Pops in Britain and Beat-Club in Germany. The band also gained attention for their colourful clothes, presaging the glam rock style, and for Grant's occasional dyeing of his hair blonde, and wearing a woman's blonde wig. Writer Jason Heller commented: “The Equals were effectively code-switching between two audiences-immigrant rude boys and white pop fans-in the same song, if not the same line."

Break-up

In September 1969, all five group members were injured in a motorway car accident in Germany. Grant was the most severely injured and as a result left the touring version of the Equals while initially continuing to write songs for them. In January 1971, Grant suffered a collapsed lung and heart infection, following which he returned to Guyana. He soon started to pursue a solo career. John Hall left the band in 1974. The Equals disbanded in 1979.

Reformation and subsequent activities

In 1982 Pat Lloyd reformed The Equals with a modified lineup: Derv Gordon (vocals), Rob Hendry (lead guitar), Ronnie Telemacque (drums), Lincoln Gordon (rhythm guitar) and Pat Lloyd (bass) swapping instruments from the original lineup. In 1984 Lincoln Gordon left the band, and was replaced by David "Dzal" Martin, another guitarist who had filled in between 1973 and 1975 during Grant's absence.

In 2017, Derv Gordon left the Equals. Decosta Boyce, formerly of Heatwave, joined the group on lead vocals, and Mark Haley, previously with the Kinks, was added on keyboards. In March 2019, Keeling Lee, previously with Groove Armada, replaced Martin.

In 2022, the Equals re-recorded and released the single "Nobody's Got Time", originally written by Eddy Grant. "Nobody's Got Time" reached No.15 in the Heritage Charts.

More on the Equals and complete discography here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Equals

Many of the original studio albums are extremely hard to find and have been out of print for decades, so this is a true first in this presentation of their complete output.

The albums included in this 24CD 60th anniversary box set are as follows:


Original Studio Albums:

The Equals - Unequalled Equals (1967)

The Equals - Equals Explosion (1968)

The Equals - Sensational Equals (1968)

The Equals - Equals Supreme (1968)

The Equals - The Best of the Equals (1968)

The Equals - Equals Strike Again (1969)

The Equals - Equals at the Top (1970)

The Equals - Equals Rock Around the Clock Vol. 1 (1973)

The Equals - Born Ya! (1976)

The Equals - Mystic Syster (1978)

The Equals - Roots (1996)


Compilations:

The Equals - Greatest Hits (Re-recorded) (Galaxy) (1993)

The Equals - The Best of the Equals (Polydor) (1993)

The Equals - The Very Best of the Equals (See for Miles) (1993)

The Equals - Greatest Hits (Repertoire) (1996)

The Equals - Equals Explosion & Unequalled Equals (Repertoire) (1996)

The Equals - Equals Supreme & Sensational Equals (Repertoire) (1997)

The Equals - Viva Equals! The Very Best of the Equals (Music Club) (1997)

The Equals - Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys... The Anthology (Sequel) (2CD) (1999)

The Equals - The Best of the Equals - Baby Come Back (Castle) (1999)

The Equals - Their Best (Re-recorded) (K-tel) (2023)


Live:

The Equals - Live '68-'70 (2022)


Single:

The Equals - Nobody's Got Time (2022)


PLEASE THANK K FOR THE WRITEUP AND PROVIDING THESE ALBUMS TO SHARE...

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Track lists

 All track lists can be found here:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/96397-The-Equals

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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Monday, October 12, 2026

VA - Sweet As Candy [1974]

POP

VA - Sweet As Candy [1974]

Sweet As Candy belongs to a largely forgotten corner of the record collecting world, the budget compilation LP assembled not for dedicated fans but for ordinary listeners who wanted a stack of current radio favourites on a single disc. Issued in the United States on the WFIL label as catalogue number WC-56, the album appeared as a stereo vinyl compilation and survives today as an intriguing snapshot of American popular music during the middle years of the decade.

What stands out immediately is the breadth of the track selection. Rather than concentrating on a single genre, the compilers drew from every corner of the contemporary charts. George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby" sits alongside First Class's "Beach Baby", Major Harris' "Love Won't Let Me Wait", Terry Jacks' "Seasons In The Sun", Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman", Gladys Knight And The Pips' "Midnight Train To Georgia", Steve Miller Band's "The Joker", and Al Green's "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)".

Listening to the record now is rather like tuning across an American AM radio dial during 1974. Soul, pop, soft rock, novelty records and singer-songwriter material appear one after another with very little concern for stylistic boundaries. A humorous hit such as Ray Stevens' "The Streak" can comfortably follow the romantic smoothness of Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme", reflecting a period when mainstream radio programming was remarkably diverse.

From a collector's perspective, albums such as Sweet As Candy are valuable less for rarity than for context. They preserve the everyday listening habits of the era, documenting what casual buyers were actually taking home rather than what later histories chose to celebrate. Discogs currently records only two U.S. vinyl editions under the WC-56 catalogue number, making it a modest but authentic artefact of seventies compilation culture.

The cover promises easy enjoyment, and that is exactly what the record delivers, sixteen familiar singles gathered into a compact time capsule of mid-seventies American radio, preserved on a single piece of vinyl for listeners who simply wanted the hits. (B)

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Track list

01 George McCrae - Rock Your Baby 3:13

02 First Class - Beach Baby 4:49

03 Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait 3:43

04 Love Unlimited Orchestra - Love's Theme 3:34

05 Terry Jacks - Seasons in The Sun 3:20

06 Jim Stafford - My Girl Bill 3:06

07 Helen Reddy - I Am Woman 3:05

08 Bobby Womack - Lookin' for A Love 2:31

09 Tony Orlando and Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree 3:22

10 Maria Muldaur - Midnight at The Oasis 3:32

11 Bo Donaldson & The Haywoods - Billy Don't Be A Hero 3:20

12 Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia 3:54

13 Steve Miller Band - The Joker 3:36

14 Al Green - Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy) 3:00

15 Ray Stevens - The Streak 3:12

16 Spinners - Mighty Love, Pt.1 3:26

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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BB LUCKY DIP #567

BB LUCKY DIP #567

Lucky Dip's will be a mystery gift to those who choose to pick them up. 

Be quick. No re-uploads.


Today's topic: MIXED BAG


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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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Sunday, October 11, 2026

Freddie Slack - Mosaic Select 18 [2005] (3 x CDs)

SUNDAY JAZZ

FREDDIE SLACK

Freddie Slack - Mosaic Select 18 [2005] (3 x CDs)

Mosaic Select 18 brings together a vivid slice of Freddie Slack’s recorded legacy, presenting a focused view of his work for Capitol Records during the first half of the forties. Released in 2005 as a limited, numbered three‑CD set, it follows the label’s familiar archival approach, gathering masters, alternates and ensemble features with careful attention to discographical accuracy. Slack’s name is often linked to boogie piano, yet this collection shows a musician with broader interests, moving between jump blues, small group swing and polished studio arrangements that reflect the changing tastes of wartime America.

The earliest sides highlight Slack’s command of rhythm. His piano lines move with crisp articulation, shaping the drive of the Will Bradley Orchestra and later the boogie‑leaning units he led under his own name. Capitol’s sessions from 1942 and 1944 reveal how he balanced energy with clarity, using tight arrangements that left room for soloists to shine. The presence of vocalists like Ella Mae Morse adds colour, especially on sides that blend pop phrasing with blues inflection. These tracks show how Slack helped define a style that sat comfortably between dance music and early rhythm and blues.

The middle portion of the set focuses on small group dates, where Slack’s piano becomes more conversational. The interplay between horns and rhythm section feels relaxed yet purposeful, shaped by musicians who understood how to keep the music light without losing swing. Mosaic’s mastering brings out the warmth of these sessions, allowing listeners to hear details that earlier reissues often softened.

The final disc includes rarities and less familiar titles, offering a fuller picture of Slack’s studio activity. These pieces show his interest in arrangement, harmony and ensemble texture, revealing a musician who could adapt to different settings while keeping his identity intact. Mosaic Select 18 stands as a thoughtful document of an artist whose contributions to American piano music deserve careful listening.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Freddie Slack - Doll Dance 3:00

02 Freddie Slack - Cow Cow Boogie 3:14

03 Freddie Slack - The Air Minded Executive 2:47

04 Freddie Slack - He's My Guy 2:42

05 Freddie Slack - Mister Five by Five 3:03

06 Freddie Slack - The Thrill is Gone 2:58

07 Freddie Slack - Riffette 3:02

08 Freddie Slack - I Got a Break Baby 3:18

09 Freddie Slack - Mean Old World 2:55

10 Freddie Slack - Old Rob Roy 3:13

11 Freddie Slack - Waitin' for the Evening Mail 3:15

12 Freddie Slack - Wreck of the Old 97 2:36

13 Freddie Slack - Get on Board, Little Chillun 3:04

14 Freddie Slack - I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City 3:11

15 Freddie Slack - Mr. Anthony's Blues 2:34

16 Freddie Slack - Small Batch O'Nod 3:02

17 Freddie Slack - Furlough Fling 2:45

18 Freddie Slack - Ain't That Just Like a Man 3:09

19 Freddie Slack - The Gee Chi Love Song 2:59

20 Freddie Slack - The Gee Chi Love Song 3:01

21 Freddie Slack - Cuban Sugar Mill 3:07

22 Freddie Slack - Sit and Nip 3:03

23 Freddie Slack - Slightly Barbaric 3:11

24 Freddie Slack - Bashful Baby Blues 2:54


CD2

01 Freddie Slack - Soft Jive 3:08

02 Freddie Slack - A Kiss Goodnight 2:46

03 Freddie Slack - A Cat's Ninth Life 2:40

04 Freddie Slack - Beverly Boogie 2:42

05 Freddie Slack - Rib Joint 2:55

06 Freddie Slack - Behind the Eight Beat 2:46

07 Freddie Slack - Southpaw Serenade 2:45

08 Freddie Slack - Kitten on the Keys 2:37

09 Freddie Slack - Strange Cargo 3:01

10 Freddie Slack - Blackout Boogie 2:33

11 Freddie Slack - The House of Blue Lights 2:53

12 Freddie Slack - Hey Mr. Postman 3:04

13 Freddie Slack - Your Conscience Tells You So 2:52

14 Freddie Slack - Pig Foot Pete 2:54

15 Freddie Slack - Blackout Boogie 2:27

16 Freddie Slack - Is I Gotta Practice, Ma? 2:41

17 Freddie Slack - On the Road to Mandalin 2:24

18 Freddie Slack - The H.C. Potter's Ball 2:39

19 Freddie Slack - The Necessary Evil Blues 3:13

20 Freddie Slack - Half After 2:38

21 Freddie Slack - Cocktail Repartee 2:49

22 Freddie Slack - What is This Thing Called Rebop? 3:04

23 Freddie Slack - The Brown Danube 2:58

24 Freddie Slack - Boogie in G 2:43

25 Freddie Slack - Lullaby 2:57


CD3

01 Freddie Slack - Humoresquire 2:57

02 Freddie Slack - Celeste Boogie 2:55

03 Freddie Slack - Boogie Minor 2:52

04 Freddie Slack - St. Louis Blues 3:09

05 Freddie Slack - Chopstick Boogie 2:54

06 Freddie Slack - Be-Bop Boogie 3:03

07 Freddie Slack - Two Left Hands 3:00

08 Freddie Slack - Strollin' 3:09

09 Freddie Slack - Ooh Ooh Baby 2:57

10 Freddie Slack - Steal Away Easy Baby 3:01

11 Freddie Slack - Mister Freddie's Boogie 2:19

12 Freddie Slack - Whatever Happened to Ol' Jack? 2:58

13 Freddie Slack - Untitled Tune 2:39

14 Freddie Slack - Ukulele Swing 2:12

15 Freddie Slack - Choppin' the Boogie 2:18

16 Freddie Slack - Untitled Original 2:17

17 Freddie Slack - Big Boy 3:11

18 Freddie Slack - Hard Hearted Hannah 3:18

19 Freddie Slack - Cheatin' on Me 3:19

20 Freddie Slack - Manhattan Serenade 2:43

21 Freddie Slack - Rock A Bye Bay 3:02

22 Freddie Slack - That Russian Winter 2:52

23 Freddie Slack - Without a Song 2:30

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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