Lulu - Atco Sessions 1969-72

Limited edition UK two CD collection housed in a deluxe "collector's" package featuring rarely-seen photos and contemporary sleeves, memorabilia, and liner notes that feature commentaries by Lulu herself. The Atco Sessions involves a diverse cast. Lulu recorded her first album New Routes during the autumn of 1969 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with the legendary house band in attendance. Re-convening with Atlantic honchos / producers Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin at Criteria Studios in Miami in the spring of 1970, she was matched with another top-notch backing band. These sessions became her 1970 album Melody Fair and included compositions by Gary Bonds, Leiber & Stoller, Randy Newman, and Bacharach/David. Also included on this Collector's Edition are non-album single sides, funky, previously unreleased tracks from the Miami sessions and an Italian-only single 'Povera Me'. Rhino UK. Album Description

GREAT SONGS & SOULFUL VOCALS~BRAVO LULU!!!

England had a complete explosion of great singers in the wondrous & thrilling musical sixties and one of the finest from that amazing group is Lulu, still in great form to this day, going back then straight to the top of the charts with the incredible mega-hit "TO SIR WITH LOVE" quickly followed with soulful gems like the rough and rhythmic "MORNING DEW" and the mesmerizing tour-de-force anthem "BEST OF BOTH WORLDS", so it was not surprising by the late sixties that rhythm & blues classic label Atlantic Records snatched up the blue-eyed soulful songbird for her first American recording contract. Lulu went on to record many tremendous tracks for Atlantic such as the chart hit "OH ME OH MY (I'M A FOOL FOR YOU)" plus a number of should have been #1 hits from the classic Atlantic debut lp "NEW ROUTES" such as the engrossing "PEOPLE IN LOVE" or from the equally great follow up lp "MELODY FAIR" come classic performances such as the gritty power ballad "AFTER THE FEELING IS GONE" which are all stellar examples of blue-eyed soul at its very finest and now this extraordinary two-disc treasure chest filled with diverse and great performances is finally on CD and this stunning collection show that sadly American Radio & the Music Industry in general failed miserably to rise to the occasion of a truly great body of work from this magnificent legendary singer!
Imports such as this winning collection made up of two lost masterpiece lp's plus rare bonus tracks usually are very limited so get this one fast while it is available...BRAVO to the brilliant production team of JERRY WEXLER, TOM DOWD & ARIF MARDIN, truly dedicated masters who helped the wonderfully talented LULU lay down some of the funkiest soulful tracks to ever come out of those great legendary studios!!! Here's to more "NEW ROUTES" from LULU...ENCORE! March 23, 2008

Lulu's Best Period Of Song!

This is truly a "collector's" package with rarely-seen photos, memorabilia, and liner notes that feature commentaries by Lulu herself. Nothing beats a CD package that has all the information and goods in it. The Atco Sessions were remarkable in that Lulu recorded her first album in the Fall of 1969 in Alabama with musical legends. All the big players from the later seventies were there, like, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. Many of these songs were written by Gary Bonds, Leiber & Stoller, Randy Newman, The Bee Gees and Bacharach/David. This is a collection just as good as "Crayons & Perfume". I must add the song list. I don't know why it was left off!

Disc 1
1. Marley Purt Drive
2. In The Morning
3. People In Love
4. After All (I Live My Life)
5. Feelin' Alright
6. Dirty Old Man
7. Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You Baby)
8. Is That You Love
9. Mr. Bojangles
10. Where's Eddie
11. Sweep Around Your Own Back Door
12. Good Day Sunshine
13. After The Feeling Is Gone
14. I Don't Care Anymore
15. (Don't Go) Please Stay
16. Melody Fair
17. Take Good Care Of Yourself
18. Vine Street
19. Move To My Rhythm
20. To The Other Woman (I'm The Other Woman)
21. Hum A Song (From Your Heart)
22. Sweet Memories
23. Saved
Disc 2
1. Bury Me Down By The River
2. Got To Believe In Love
3. Jokers Wild
4. Come Down In Time
5. Everybody's Got To Clap
6. Back Home
7. Things Are Getting Better
8. Love Song
9. Goodbye My Love, Goodbye - With The Dixie Flyers
10. It Takes A Real Man (To Bring Out The Woman In Me)
11. You Ain't Wrong You Just Ain't Right
12. Even If I Could Change
13. Hum A Song (From Your Heart) (Session Version)
14. I Don't Care Anymore (Early Mix)
15. Got To Believe In Love (Early Version)
16. Povera Me (Oh Me Oh My)

Of course, there is a lot more music to Lulu than just these four years, but what a fantastic period! January 28, 2008

Lulu's Complete Atco Blue Eyed Soul Recordings !

This is a treasure trove for Lulu fans. After many years of waiting, Lulu's classic albums NEW ROUTES and MELODY FAIR are released on CD, plus an entire 2nd CD of rare UK & US singles and unreleased songs. Definitely a reason for Lulu fans & music lovers to celebrate the release of this glorious double disc of Lulu's most soulful & artistic recordings. Only a few of these songs have been released on CD, so the long delay of getting this great music on CD has been worth the wait.

NEW ROUTES was recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and has the legendary musicians who have backed so many great singers accompanying Lulu. The songs and Lulu's vocals are blue eyed soul at it's best. There's no shortage of great material here. Most people will know Lulu's hit OH ME OH MY [ I'M A FOOL FOR YOU BABY ], a truly great recording , later done by Aretha Franklin, who liked it so much , Lulu says in the liner notes, that she did it herself soon after this. Other stellar moments ballad wise are IS THAT YOU LOVE, AFTER ALL [ I LIVE MY LIFE ], MR. BOJANGLES and Eddie Hinton's WHERE'S EDDIE - all reflective songs that have a deep sense of longing that Lulu brings to them. On the upbeat side , Lulu gets gritty and funky on FEELING ALRIGHT , accompanied by these ace musicians and some amazing brass & horns as well. Lulu really lets loose on this stunning track, a song done many other times by many other artists, but sounding very unique here. The arrangement is very different than those of Traffic, Three Dog Night, Mother's Finest, and the 5th Dimension, and it illustrates the work & care that Lulu & the producers & musicians put into making this album. Then there are the upbeat rock oriented tracks like DIRTY OLD MAN and SWEEP AROUND YOUR OWN BACK DOOR, with guitar solos from Duane Allman, The Bee Gees' MARLEY PURT DRIVE with old-time brass horns that give it a New Orleans vibe, and the wonderful PEOPLE IN LOVE, which would have made a great single if another song had been released from this album. Every song on here is amazing .

MELODY FAIR recorded soon after in Miami, Florida is just as great. It has even deeper soul cuts like I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, TO THE OTHER WOMAN [ I'M THE OTHER WOMAN ], and SAVED , Lulu's raved up version of the Lavern Baker classic that Elvis Presley immortalized on his 1968 comeback special. Plus, there is the funky hit single from 1970 HUM A SONG [ FROM YOUR HEART ] with it's Sly & The Family Stone influence, another R&B dance track MOVE TO MY RHYTHM , and more stunning blue eyed soul ballads AFTER THE FEELING IS GONE and TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF, just to name a few on this great follow-up album.

Disc 2 is loaded with the holy grail : 6 rare singles only A + B sides released on single either in the US or UK only , such as GOT TO BELIEVE IN LOVE, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO CLAP, EVEN IF I COULD CHANGE , IT TAKES A REAL MAN, and more. Plus, there are many unreleased songs from Lulu's short , but productive tenure with Atco from 1969 - 1972. These songs are fresh to discover for the first time. The packaging is wonderful, Lulu is interviewed in the liner notes, and many rare photos. Rhino did a fantastic job. After all these years, they finally opened the vaults on Lulu! The only thing is that this release so far has only been issued in the UK, not through Rhino US at all. Lulu fans & fans of Dusty Springfield, Kiki Dee, Shelby Lynne, Bettye Lavette, and any other female singer would be wise to hear this music. It's Lulu & blue eyed soul at it's best .
January 12, 2008

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