Where the Girls Are, Vol. 3

by N/A

Overview

Starting in the 1990s, a cluster of CD reissues have served to remind us that Chess was not just a blues label, in fact recording a great deal of worthwhile (and often successful) soul in the 1960s. Where the Girls Are, Vol. 3 is not the best of these, but it puts an interesting spin on the concept by focusing exclusively on women pop-soul-girl-group singers who recorded for Chess during the decade. There are a few name artists here -- Etta James, Sugar Pie de Santo, Tammy Montgomery (soon to be renamed Tammi Terrell), and (to a lesser degree) Jackie Ross, Mitty Collier, Jan Bradley, and a teenaged Minnie Riperton (as part of the Gems and under the pseudonym Andrea Davis) -- though most of these are only known to those fanatical, often British, soul collectors. The same comments that you could direct toward Chess' '60s soul in general apply to this anthology in particular: while well produced, it sometimes came off as derivative of both Motown and other Chicago soul competitors, without as much standout material as the best competition. That makes this 26-song CD second-division, but certainly not second-rate. For one thing, there is a certain consistency of sound that makes it more listenable than many other similar archive CDs are. There are also some pretty good songs amidst the so-so ones. Geraldine Hunt's 1962 single "I Let Myself Go" is an incredibly blatant yet enjoyable and accurate Mary Wells imitation; Timiko's "Is It a Sin?," which is just marginally less Wells-like, has some fetching hooks; while the Clickettes' "I Just Can't Help It" is cool and catchy soul-tinged girl-group pop. Everything else wilts, however, besides Etta James' compelling "Pushover," an actual 1963 Top 30 hit that was one of her poppiest, yet gutsiest, and best singles. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	07/11/2000
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667174527
Rank:	82790

Tracks

1. Help Me  - Mitty Collier  - R. Miner
2. My Mama Told Me  - Barbara Carr  - Oliver Sain
3. Your Kind of Lovin'  - Jan Bradley
4. (I've Decided On) A Whole New Plan  - Jo Ann Garrett  - Joanne Garrett  - Maurice Simpkins
5. Pushover  - Tony Clarke  - Billy Davis  - Etta James
6. She's Got Everything  - Sugar Pie DeSanto  - Joe Hudson
7. He's My Guy  -  Margaret & Carol
8. Just How Much (Can One Heart Take)  - Ray Evans  -  Kolettes
9. This Time Tomorrow  -  Mongomery  - Tammy Montgomery  - Carl Spencer
10. As I Watch You Walk Away  - Jean DuShon  - Lionel Segal
11. How Long (Can I Go On)  - Jean DuShon  -  Kittens
12. He Makes Me Feel So Good  -  Gems
13. You Gave Me Soul  - Andrea Davis  - B.B. Davis  - Sugar Pie DeSanto
14. Safe and Sound  - Fontella Bass  - Raynard Miner  - Carl Smith
15. You Really Know How to Hurt a Girl  - Jackie Ross
16. I Let Myself Go  - Cara Bell  - William Garrett  - Dave Hamilton  - Mike Hanks  - Geraldine Hunt
17. One Little Thing  - Carol Vega
18. Is It a Sin?  -  Timiko  - Richard Wylie
19. Pretty Little Words  -  Williams
20. A Love of Mine  - Billy Davis  -  Lovettes  - Raynard Miner
21. Don't Cha Know  -  Lockets  - Phil Terry
22. Party Across the Hall  - Yvonne Baker  - Freddy Johnson  - Leroy Kirkland  -  Sensations  - Pearl Woods
23. I Just Can't Help It  -  Clickettes  - George David Weiss
24. You're Changing  -  Mary & the Desirables  - Raynard Miner
25. Jing Jing a Ling  - James Bishop  - Bernard Broomer  - Norman Harris  -  Honey & the Bees
26. My Baby's Real  - Gary Jackson  - Raynard Miner  -  Starlets

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Andrea Davis   Primary Artist
Jackie Ross   Primary Artist
Joe Hudson   Primary Artist
The Gems   Primary Artist
Tammy Montgomery   Primary Artist
Fontella Bass   Primary Artist
Honey & the Bees   Primary Artist
Sugar Pie DeSanto   Primary Artist
The Starlets   Primary Artist
The Sensations   Primary Artist
Geraldine Hunt   Primary Artist
Mitty Collier   Primary Artist
Yvonne Baker   Primary Artist
Clickettes   Primary Artist
Jo Ann Garrett   Primary Artist
Barbara Carr   Primary Artist
Etta James   Primary Artist
Jan Bradley   Primary Artist
The Kolettes   Primary Artist
Joanne Garrett   Primary Artist
Carol Vega   Primary Artist
Mary & the Desirables   Primary Artist
Timiko   Primary Artist
Jean DuShon   Primary Artist
Lockets   Primary Artist
Margaret & Carol   Primary Artist
Tawney Williams   Primary Artist
Tammy Mongomery   Primary Artist
The Kittens   Primary Artist
The Lovettes   Primary Artist
Stan Free   Conductor
Garry Sherman   Conductor

Technical Credits

Raynard Miner   Producer,Composer
Pastor Billy Davis   Composer
Andre Williams   Producer
Andrea Davis   Performer
Pearl Woods   Composer
Mike Hanks   Composer
Billy Davis   Composer
Jackie Ross   Performer
Cliff Parman   Arranger
Carl Smith   Composer
Fontella Bass   Performer
Leonard Caston   Producer
Honey & the Bees   Performer
Richard Wylie   Composer
Phil Wright   Arranger
Oliver Sain   Composer,Producer
Ray Evans   Composer
Geraldine Hunt   Performer
Mitty Collier   Performer
William Garrett   Composer
Dave Hamilton   Composer
George David Weiss   Composer
Gary Jackson   Composer
Bert Berns   Producer
Barbara Carr   Performer
Charles Stepney   Arranger
Etta James   Performer
Jan Bradley   Composer,Performer
Leroy Kirkland   Composer
Norman Harris   Composer
Bert Keyes   Arranger
Gerald Sims   Producer
Kae Williams, Jr.   Producer
B.B. Davis   Composer
Bernard Broomer   Composer
Carl Spencer   Composer
Carol Vega   Performer
Tony Clarke   Composer
Cara Bell   Composer
Phil Terry   Composer
James Bishop   Composer
R. Miner   Composer
Jean DuShon   Performer
Lionel Segal   Composer
Garry Sherman   Arranger
Maurice Simpkins   Composer
Floyd Miller   Arranger
The Lovettes   Performer
Stan Free   Arranger
Abner Spector   Producer
Freddy Johnson   Composer
Sugar Pie DeSanto   Composer