The Pointer Sisters - Yes We Can Can: The Best of the Blue Thumb Recordings

Those Eclectic Pointers: The Early Years, 1972-1977 [*2 & half stars]

Before having cross-over appeal (as a trio) with "Fire", "Slow Hand", and the huge Pop hits "Jump (For My Love)" and "I'm So Excited", The Pointer Sisters - then, for the most part, a quartet - recorded in the 1970s on the Blue Thumb label.

YES WE CAN: THE BEST OF THE BLUE THUMB RECORDINGS consists of 14 songs from 1972-1977; tracks are not in chronological order. Disc packaged in black jewel case; total running time: 75:27. Booklet includes an essay by David Nathan, a couple uncaptioned b&w photos, and limited track information (songwriting and release years are provided; not provided are albums of origin, recording information, musician personnel, chart positions, etc.). Sound quality is excellent.

The songs, taken from their four Blue Thumb albums (1973's "The Pointer Sisters", 1974's "That's A-Plenty", 1975's "Steppin'", and 1977's "Having a Party") and a soundtrack contribution, range from Blues to R&B to Jazz, and includes "Fairytales", the song for which they won the 1974 Grammy award for "Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group".

Here is a track listing, with Titles, [year], music description, (time), and my 0-5 star rating:

01. Yes We Can [1973] mid-tempo R&B (6:02) ***3
02. Wang Dang Doodle [1973] up-tempo Blues (3:56) ***3
03. Fairytales [1974] Country ballad (3:03) zero
04. Going Down Slowly [1975] up-tempo funky R&B (7:52) ****4
05. How Long (Betcha' Got a Chick on the Side) [1975] mid-tempo R&B (7:22) *****5
06. You Gotta Believe (from the film "Car Wash") [1976] up-tempo R&B (2:53) ****4
07. Cloudburst [1973] up-tempo bebop Jazz (3:10) *1
08. Jada [1973] slow-tempo Jazz (4:41) *1
09. Black Coffee [1974] Jazz ballad (6:07) **2
10. Steam Heat [1974] showtune from "The Pajama Game" (5:40) zero
11. Salt Peanuts [1974] up-tempo bebop Jazz (5:10) *1
12. Having a Party [1977] up-tempo R&B (4:34) **2
13. Love in Them There Hills [1974] mid-tempo R&B (8:31) ***3
14. Don't It Drive You Crazy [1977] slow-tempo R&B (6:18) ***3

While the collection only includes 14 songs, it totals over 75 minutes of music because several of the songs are over 7 minutes long. Their vocals and harmonies are great, especially on Gamble/Huff's "Love in Them There Hills", where they do some Sweet Honey in the Rock-like vocalizations. Another great song is "You Gotta Believe", the song they sing as the "Wilson Sisters" - singing church ladies to Richard Pryor's preachin' pimp character in "Car Wash". There rendition of "Wang Dang Doodle", the Willie Dixon song made popular by his protege Koko Taylor in the 1960s.

This is a great CD, if only for "You Gotta Believe" and the songs the precede it, "Going Down Slowly" and "How Long (Betcha' Got a Chick on the Side)" - the latter being the inspiration for Salt-N-Pepa's "Chick on the Side" in 1988. The Pointer Sisters' original line-up was June, Ruth, Anita, and Bonnie; June left the group for a time for persona reasons (after their third album), but rejoined the group when Bonnie left to pursue a solo career.

The music here is very eclectic. The Country song (track 2) and showtune (10) seem out of place, but do demonstrate that eclecticism. And while the booklet is lacking, most of the music included is very enjoyable.
February 2, 2007

The best of the best

Pointer Sisters great music,the early years ,full of energy,later music had more skill sure but nothing matches the excitement of this cd,truely timeless. January 5, 2007

New appreciation for the Pointers

Until the recent death of youngest sister June, I hadn't given the Pointer Sisters any thought in years. But after recently purchasing this CD, I realized the group is sadly underrated.

I first became aware of the Pointers with their 1972 version of "Yes, We Can, Can", a funk and R&B number a lot of listeners either are unaware of or forgot they recorded. That song coupled with their 40s style of dress and jazzy vocals were among my early childhood memories. But for many listeners, the Pointers would remain under the radar until they teamed with Richard Perry in the late 70s and crossed over into pop.

Unfortunately because most people are only familiar with their 80s hits where their vocals were often overshadowed by Perry's synthesized pop production, many critics find it easy to dismiss them as nothing more than a run of the mill fluffy pop girl group. This point was brought home recently during two separate conversations I had with individuals, who familiar with only the 80s songs, expressed surprise at how strong and diverse the sisters' vocals were after hearing their earlier 70s works.

If you really want to hear what the Pointers were capable of early in their career when they were four members strong, listen to this CD. I bet a lot of R&B fans who dismiss the 80s Pointers as too pop will be surprised at how funky the sisters are on songs such as "Going Down Slowly" and "How Long". They also show they're more than capable of handling jazz and swing on "Steam Heat" and "Jada." There's even a country song on here (Fairytale.) Another thing this CD brings to light is that the sisters, Anita and Bonnie in particular, had impressive songwriting skills. They composed "Jada", "How Long" and "Fairytale." It appears they did less songwriting in their 80s work.

It's a fun CD to listen to as the group obviously had a more musically adventurous side than their 80s hits would suggest. Check out their style before Bonnie departed and the remaining sisters took a more commercial and lucrative route. September 15, 2006

Bless My Soul: The Pointers at Blue Thumb....

...they acted as if they stepped out of an "Ain't Misbehavin'" type of scenario. Nineteen forties party gals who was all about having a good time in their Rosie the Riveter hairdos, their nylons knotted at their thighs, their Be-bop stilleto'ed platform shoes. Most thought they were a disco novelty act. But wait. Did you hear those David Rubinson produced, wah-wah in overdrive, 7 plus minute tracks like Yes We Can, How Long (Betcha Gotta Chick on the Side), Love in Them Hills, Going Down Slowly? Are they funky or what? Did you listen to those old jazz cuts they harmoniously performed like the Andrew Sisters deconstructed and then dipped in honey and green tea...Jada, Salt Peanuts, Cloudburst? These ladies were listening to jazz vocalese experts Hendricks, Ross and Lambert, fer sure. And that one country and western tune Fairy Tale. I ain't much for country, but it even had me looking for a Stetson. We pretty much all know what happens to the ladies: the Dreamgirls scenario. One leaves the group for a solo career, seemingly to leave the others for dead. The remainder of the group goes on to wild success, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's all in the History of R&B books under 'Sisters, Pointer'. But in all that, they put out some great music. I look forward to the repressing of some of the Richard Perry produced Planet Records they did--particularly Special Things. Until then, this will admirably fill my bill. March 11, 2004

Essential Early Pointer Sisters

I like this collection a lot: lots of jazzy-flavored type songs that will make you smile. I like "Jada" and "Black Coffee", very nice songs. Although they are best known for later hits like "Slow Hand" and the hits from the album "Break Out", this is a welcome edition for another side of the Pointer Sisters that some may not have thought existed.

If you purchased the 2-CD collection of hits "Fire: The Very Best Of The Pointer Sisters", then you may have noticed that only 4 of the 14 songs from this album are on that collection. Thus, the best of the Blue Thumb is NOT a supplement but an essential buy even for the casual fan. December 11, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...