When
Holland-Dozier-Holland broke up with
Motown in 1968, two female vocalists proved crucial in putting the songwriters' newly established record labels on the map. First
Freda Payne was signed to
Invictus and scored a massive crossover hit with
"Band of Gold" in 1970. Out of contract with
Chess,
Laura Lee was convinced to record for
Invictus' sister label
Hot Wax. The title track of 1972's
Women's Love Rights made up for its average chart success with its perfectly timed manifesto and rallying cry for downtrodden women. Its outspokenness went as far as attracting the attention of one
Jane Fonda who was touring the country advocating women's liberation. Their connection to
Holland-Dozier-Holland aside,
Lee and
Payne originated from widely different backgrounds. Remarkably,
Motown's
Berry Gordy had tried in vein to sign jazz vocalist
Payne, who had worked with
Duke Ellington, while at the same time showing not much interest in the gospel stylings of
Lee. The latter would go on to explore her gritty side in Muscle Shoals, in the wake of then labelmate
Etta James who had just cut
Tell Mama. Next to some signature Southern soul ballads, an uptempo song like
"Wanted: Lover, No Experience Necessary" with hindsight foreshadowed her
Hot Wax output. Partly responsible for this was songwriter
William Weatherspoon, who enabled
Lee to build directly on her
Chess sides. He had already contributed a gem of a cheatin' song in
Payne's
"Love on Borrowed Time," but his mark proved more rewarding on
Lee's thematically more coherent debut. Music magazine
Mojo would recognize it's anthem-like qualities by including
"Wedlock Is a Padlock" in a Top 100 of protest songs for its May 2004 issue. In its turn the bolshie monologue preceding the
Buddy Johnson ballad
"Since I Fell for You" would be acknowledged as the lyrical jump off point for
Millie Jackson, who would make candid revelations into whole concept albums. Although it spawned four Top 40 R&B chart hits,
Lee would always remain more of a critics' favorite. The singer would go on to record two more albums for
Holland-Dozier-Holland of which
Two Sides of Laura Lee nearly matches her debut. Quite possibly it urged
Chess to belatedly release part of her single sides into album form.
Love More Than Pride could rightfully be perceived as the blueprint for her
Hot Wax albums. ~ Quint Kik