DEE DEE WARWICK-FOOLISH FOOL.

dereksmusicblog ♦ May 7, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

DEE DEE WARWICK-FOOLISH FOOL.

Although Dee Dee Warwick’s career started in 1963 when she recorded You’re No Good for Jubilee Records, produced by Leiber and Stoller, it wasn’t until she signed for Mercury Records and began working with producer Ed Townsend that her career took-off. Before that, Dee Dee had recorded for a variety of labels, often with Leiber and Stoller. This included I Don’t Think My Baby’s Coming Back, recorded in 1964 on Leiber and Stoller’s Tiger label. After this, Dee Dee recorded I (Who Have Nothing), written by Leiber and Stoller, but not produced by them. Then in 1965, Dee Dee signed to Mercury and her career started in earnest. With Ed Townsend producing, Dee Dee released We’re Doing Fine on Blue Rock, which reached number twenty-five in the US R&B Charts. When Dee Dee released I Want To Be With You on Mercury, this resulted in the first US R&B top ten single of her career. Her follow-up was the classic I’m Gonna Make You Love Me. Fast forward four years, and Dee Dee and Ed are reunited, resulting in the Grammy nominated, deep soul classic Foolish Fool. Not only did it reached number fourteen in the US R&B charts and number fifty-seven in the US Billboard 100, but became the title-track for Dee Dee’s 1969 Mercury album. Foolish Fool is a collection of tracks from a variety of sessions Dee Dee recorded for Mercury and after being unavailable for far too long, will be rereleased by SoulMusic Records on 21st May 2012. Before I tell you about the music on Foolish Fool, I’ll give you some background to the album.

The eleven tracks on Foolish Fool were recorded between 1965 and 1969, at various studios and with a variety of producers. This included six produced by Ed Townsend, three of which were recorded in 1968, including Foolish Fool. Dee Dee’s version of Bacharach and David’s Alfie was recorded in London in 1966 and produced by Johnny Franz. It was released as a single in the UK in 1966, while in the US, it was the flip-side of the 1967 single Locked In Your Love. It’s Not Fair was co-written by Kenny Gamble and Thom Bell, produced by Gamble and Huff. In total, there are six of Dee Dee’s singles feature on Foolish Fool. These are When Love Slips Away, Don’t Pay Them No Mind, Don’t You Ever Give Up On Me, Foolish Fool and That’s Not Love. One of the singles, Don’t Pay Them No Mind was produced by Lou Courtney. Jerry Ross was the other producer who produced two tracks, the 1967 singles When Love Slips Away and Don’t You Ever Give Up On Me. Once the eleven tracks on Foolish Fool were chosen, the album was set for release in 1969.

On the release of Foolish Fool in 1969, it reached number thirty in the US R&B Charts. This was no doubt helped by the success of the single Foolish Fool, which had earlier reached number fourteen in the US R&B charts and number fifty-seven in the US Billboard 100. That’s Not Love was then released as a single, reaching number forty-two in the US R&B Charts. This would prove to the most successful period of Dee Dee’s career. Not only would Foolish Fool would prove to be the most successful single of Dee Dee’s career, but Foolish Fool would be her most successful album. You’ll realize why, when I tell you about the music on Foolish Fool.

There’s no better way to open Foolish Fool than with a deep soul classic, Foolish Fool, Dee Dee’s biggest single. From the get-go, you realize something more than a bit special is about to unfold. Crystalline guitars and the rhythm section combine, before Dee Dee’s powerful vocal, accompanied by quivering strings enters. Her vocal is impassioned, angry and even sassy, the object of her, the thought of someone taking her man from her. Like her vocal, the arrangement is powerful, reflecting the drama and frustration in her vocal. Guitars, rhythm section, piano and strings are all it takes to accomplish this. By the end of the track, you realize that while the word classic is bandied about all too often, Foolish Fool is worthy of being called a classic. Once you’ve heard the emotion, frustration and affront in Dee Dee’s vocal you too, will realize why.

Bacharach and David’s Alfie has been covered by many artists, with Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee’s sister, both having hits with this track. In the sleeve-notes to Foolish Fool, Dionne refers to Dee Dee’s version as the “definitive version.” That may sound like a big statement, but Dionne is in a position to judge. With swathes of dramatic strings giving way to Dee Dee’s vocal, you begin to come around to Dionne’s way of thinking. Dee Dee emotively and slowly delivers the lyrics, while strings cascade above her. A piano augments the strings, as Dee Dee’s heartfelt and beautiful vocal brings out the subtleties and nuances in the lyrics. In doing so, Dee Dee makes the song her own, delivering quite possibly, the definitive version.

When Love Slips Away is one of two tracks Jerry Ross produced. This is the best of these two songs, with Dee Dee’s vocal tinged with sadness and regret, as the track swings along. Rasping horns, lush strings and the rhythm section combine with the piano and backing vocalists. Together, they provide the perfect backdrop for Dee Dee. When she adds her vocal that’s heartfelt and full of hurt, this is the finishing touch to a song that’s not just sadness personified, but beautiful too.

Way before Philadelphia International Records conquered the world, the three prime movers of the Philly Sound combined on a track for Dee Dee. It’s Not Fair was written by Kenneth Gamble and Thom Bell, while Gamble and Huff produced the track. The track is tinged with drama, perfect for the lyrics. Dee Dee’s vocal is powerful, full of emotion and frustration, while the production is polished, like you’d expect of a Gamble and Huff. Dee Dee delivers her vocal, while the rhythm section, rasping horns, harpsichord and strings accompany her. Meanwhile backing vocalists augment her vocal, reflecting the hurt in frustration in Dee Dee’s vocal. As the track ends, you realize that Gamble and Huff even in 1968, were accomplished producers. One wonders whether Mercury had persisted with Gamble and Huff as producers, what the future would’ve held for Dee Dee? Given the quality of this track, it was a missed opportunity.

You Taught Me To Love, is one of six tracks Ed Townsend produced on Foolish Fool. It’s a track laden with emotion, Dee Dee delivering her vocal with the requisite combination of power and passion. Ed Townsend uses swathes of strings, a slow, dramatic rhythm section and blazing horns to accompany Dee Dee. This is really effective, with the Dee Dee’s vocal heartfelt and sincere. 

On Thank God, there are some of the most moving lyrics on Foolish Fool. It’s a song about the folly of war and conflict, with humanitarian lyrics, written by Ed Townsend. You can’t help but be moved by both the lyrics and arrangement. Dee Dee accentuates the lyrics, as if believing in them deeply. Strings and kettle drums accompany her, but what makes the track so good, is the Teaneck Choir. Their massed voices unite gracefully and spiritually, helping Dee Dee get across the beauty and importance of the the lyrics.

That’s Not Love saw Dee Dee and producer Ed Townsend collaborate to cowrite this song. Recorded in 1969, this was from the same session as Foolish Fool. Like that track, Dee Dee delivers one of her best vocals, against an arrangement where flourishes of piano, sweeping strings and the rhythm section accompany her. Dee Dee’s vocal is powerful, impassioned and dismissive. She almost barks out the lyrics, as if angry and frustrated. As the song progresses, the arrangement becomes dramatic and powerful. This is perfect for the vocal, helping get across the Dee Dee’s frustrated, dismissive vocal.

Where Is That Rainbow was recorded at the same session as the previous track, with Dee Dee carrying on where she left of. She delivers the lyrics with a mixture of emotion and passion, her vocal questioning, while the arrangement sees the rhythm section, strings and blazing horns accompanying her. The strings cascade as horns punctuate the arrangement, while drums are prominent throughout the track. However, it’s Dee Dee’s heartfelt, sincere vocal that steals the show. 

Although Lou Courtney only produced one track on Foolish Fool, Don’t Pay Them No Mind has some of the most powerful lyrics on the album. While they were relevant in 1969, there still relevant over forty years later. The lyrics are about a couple ridiculed by society because of their race or sexual or preferences. Dee Dee rises to the occasion, delivering them with a mixture of passion and frustration, even anger. Horns rasp, strings sweep and swirl, while the rhythm section add the track’s heartbeat, as Dee Dee gives an impassioned vocal. Backing vocalists accompany her, while a Hammond organ atmospherically drifts in and out of the track as Dee Dee delivers her lyrics with a defiance. Of all the tracks on Foolish Fool, this is not just one of the most moving, but one of the best.

Don’t You Ever Give Up On Me is the second Jerry Ross produced track. Here, the tempo increases, with Dee Dee giving a joyous vocal, accompanied by an uplifting arrangement. Blazing horns, backing vocalists and cascading strings combine while the rhythm section drive the track along. When the arrangement and vocal are combined, the result is an irresistibly uplifting and joyful track.

Closing Foolish Fool is Thank You Love, the last of the six Ed Townsend produced tracks. This is the perfect track to close the album, with Dee Dee saving one of her best vocals till last. Her vocal is a fusion of passion, power and emotion, so much so, that you can hear the pops on the microphone as she throws herself into the song. Behind her, strings sweep, braying horns punctuate the arrangement and rhythm section combine, as Dee Dee gives thanks. In doing so, Dee Dee raises the stakes emotionally, surpassing herself, with her voice dripping in gratitude and sincerity.

Foolish Fool features a collection of tracks that Dee Dee Warwick recorded over a four year period, with a variety of producers. Each of these producers seemed to get the best out of Dee Dee. Producers of the caliber of Gamble and Huff, Lou Courtney, Jerry Ross, Johnny Franz and Ed Townsend realized just how talented Dee Dee was and tapped into her talent, each bringing out different emotions and with Dee Dee displaying her passion on each track. Whether it was sadness, joy, anger, frustration or heartache, Dee Dee could give a realistic portrayal of each emotion. She brought each song to life, made you think each song was personal. Among the highlights of the album are the title-track Foolish Fool, which since its release, has become a deep soul classic. One listen will tell you why. On Bacharach and David’s Alfie, I can only agree with Dionne Warwick, that Dee Dee’s version is the “definitive version.” When Love Slips Away and You Taught Me How To Love, Dee Dee’s vocal is heartfelt and sincere. The Gamble and Huff produced It’s Not Fair brings out the best in Dee Dee, and if it hadn’t been for Mercury Records’ impatience in wanting a hit single, they could’ve forged a fruitful and long-lasting relationship with her. Both Thank God and the Lou Courtney produced Don’t Pay Them No Mind are two of the most moving tracks on Foolish Fool, while Don’t You Ever Give Up On Me is an uplifting and joyous track. Thank You Love which closes the album, sees Dee Dee give thanks, her vocal sincere and emotional. Of the eleven tracks on Foolish Fool, Dee Dee never drops her standards, as if constantly striving for perfection. The same can be said of the five bonus tracks, which feature on SoulMusic Records on release of Foolish Fool on 21st May 2012. These five tracks have the same qualities as the eleven tracks on Foolish Fool. This is what makes Foolish Fool such a compelling and enthralling album. Not only does Foolish Fool feature some great music, but is the perfect introduction to one of the greatest voices in soul music Dee Dee Warwick. Standout Tracks: Foolish Fool, When Love Slips Away, It’s Not Fair and Don’t Pay Them No Mind.

DEE DEE WARWICK-FOOLISH FOOL.