BARBARA MASON-LADY LOVE.

dereksmusicblog ♦ May 9, 2012 ♦ 2 Comments

BARBARA MASON-LADY LOVE.

During a career that’s spanned over forty years and five decades, Philly born singer Barbara Mason has released over a dozen albums and countless singles. Her recording career started in 1964, with the release of the single Trouble Child. A year later, in 1965, Barbara released one of her best know and most successful single, Yes, I’m Ready. It reached number four in the US Billboard 100 and number two in the US R&B Charts. This lead to the release of Barbara’s debut album, also entitled Yes, I’m Ready, which reached number 129 in the US Billboard 200. After this, Barbara would release further albums, with Oh How It Hurts released in 1968, If You Knew Him Like I Do in 1970 and Give Me Your Love in 1973. Give Me Your Love was Barbara’s first album for Buddah Records and was the most successful album of her career, reaching number ninety-five in the US Billboard 200 and number seventeen in the US R&B Charts. The following year, 1974, saw Barbara release the follow-up to Give Me Your Love, Lady Love. Like Give Me Your Love, Lady Love saw Barbara reunited with the creme de la creme of Philly’s musicians, with recording taking place at Philly’s legendary studios Sigma Sound. Before I tell you about the music on Lady Love, I’ll tell you the background to the album.

Recording took place at Sigma Sound Studios in 1973 with the cream of Philly’s musicians accompanying Babara. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, guitarist Bobby Eli, Leon Huff on piano, while Ron “have mercy” Kersey plays piano, organ, Fender Rhodes and clavinet. Larry Washington adds percussion, while the familiar strains of Don Renaldo’s strings and horns grace Lady Love. The final piece in the jigsaw were the Sweethearts of Sigma, backing vocalists Carla Benson, Evette Benton and Barbara Ingram. This hugely talented group of musicians and singers would accompany Barbara on Lady Love.

Seven tracks were chosen for Lady Love. Of the seven tracks on Lady Love, Barbara wrote three of them. There are two cover versions, one isShe covers Stevie Wonder’s All In Love Is Fair. The other is a ten minute epic version of Gamble and Huff’s Me and Mrs Jones. Here, Barbara replies to Billy, vamping her way through ten majestic minutes, that brings new meaning to a track that gave Billy Paul a number one single. With the seven tracks recorded, Lady Love would be released in 1974. Would it surpass the success of Give Me Your Love?

On the release of Lady Love, although it didn’t replicate the success of Give Me Your Love, it was a commercial success. Lady Love reached number twenty-nine in  the US R&B Charts. Two singles were released from Lady Love, but neither Caught In the Middle nor World War Three charted. However, since the release of Lady Love it’s perceived as one of the greatest albums of Barbara Mason’s long and illustrious career. You’ll realize just why, when I tell you about the music on Lady Love.

Opening Lady Love is a song that since its release, has become synonymous with Billy Paul Me and Mrs Jones written by Gamble and Huff. Here, Barbara replies to Billy, on a ten minute epic version. Straight away, you realize that something special is about to unfold, with the Baker, Harris rhythm section, Bobby Eli’s guitar and Don Renaldo’s Strings and Horns combining. When Barbara’s slow seductive vocal enters, she’s accompanied by the Sweethearts of Sigma. Lush strings cascade, while the rhythm section provide the romantic heartbeat and rasping horns punctuate the arrangement. Barbara’s vocal has a sultry, breathless quality, perfect for the lyrics, as she replies to Billy. Together, with her multitalented band and backing vocalists, Barbara vamps her way through the track, breathing new life and meaning to the track, which is best described as a Magnus Opus.

Bed & Board was a track that Bobby Flax and Lenny Lambert cowrote, a song  Barbara had originally recorded on her previous album, Give Me Your Love. Her new version features a lengthy rap, similar to Millie Jackson’s on her Caught Up and Still Caught Up albums. Slow strings sweep elegantly and gracefully, while blazing horns combine with the rhythm section, keyboards and percussion. Then come Barbara’s rap, which gives way to her impassioned vocal. Her delivery is heartfelt and emotive, while the arrangement meanders along, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli’s guitars combining as the arrangement reflects the emotion and heartache in Barbara’s vocal. Later, The Sweethearts of Sigma accompany Barbara, as she raps her way through the track. Her band play with a subtlety and passion, allowing Barbara’s vocal to take centre-stage. This results in a powerful, moving and thoughtful track, that’s one of the highlights of Lady Love.

The first of a trio of tracks written by Barbara is Who’d Ever Think. It’s arranged by Ronnie Baker. His arrangement is sympathetic to Barbara’s vocal. Her vocal is tinged with sadness and frustration, while the rhythm section, punchy, braying horns, cascading strings and percussion combine. Again, the Sweethearts of Sigma  add subtle, beautiful backing vocalists, while drums and angry horns reflect the anger and frustration in Barbara’s vocal. Lush strings add to the sadness and emotion, as Barbara delivers a vocal where she lays bare her soul. For five minutes, Barbara and her band unite as one. Their mission is to accompany Barbara and reflect her emotive, heartfelt vocal. This they do seamlessly and brilliantly, producing  an arrangement that’s sympathetic, reflecting the frustration and heartbreak in her vocal. 

World War Three sees Barbara launch into another rap as a track she wrote begins. It’s a track that points towards the future direction of her music, funk. From the get-go, her band rise to challenge, reflecting the passion and energy in her vocal. This isn’t surprising given that Barbara had most of M.F.S.B. accompanying her, one of the most adaptable and talented bands of the seventies. The rhythm section and wah-wah guitars combine with blazing horns, dancing strings, keyboards and percussion. Meanwhile, Barbara’s lyrics are packed with social comment, while the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section and Bobby Eli surpass themselves, producing the funkiest of backdrops for Barbara’s impassioned, sassy vocal, which sometimes, is drenched in echo. Although quite different from the three preceding tracks, World War Three demonstrates not just Barbara’s versatility as a singer, but reinforces just how talented a songwriter she also is.

While, Caught In The Middle is final song written by Barbara it features one of her most heartfelt, fervent vocals. This intensity is matched by an arrangement that’s not lacking in drama and emotion. Flourishes of keyboards, bursts of dramatic drums and punchy horns combine with the soaring, ethereal backing vocals from the Sweethearts of Sigma. Waves of music unfold, starting with Barbara’s vocal, which grows in power and emotion. As this happens, her band reflect and replicate this power and emotion. Later, the piano, strings, horns and backing vocalists combine, beautifully, adding to Barbara’s impassioned, fervent vocal. It’s impossible not be swept up in the emotion and drama of the track. Indeed resistance is impossible, it’s much better to just succumb to intensity and drama of this immensely powerful track.

I Miss You Gordon is a track that Al Elias and Andy Badale cowrote. When you hear the track, it’s perfect for Barbara’s vocal. It’s drenched in sadness and heartache, with the rhythm section and percussion accompany Barbara, before arranger Vince Montana, adds lush strings and rasping horns. Then, as strings cascade, the Sweethearts of Sigma join in. Their addition is just the finishing touch. They sing with a subtlety, their vocal reflecting the sadness in Barbara’s emotive, needy vocal. Together, they accompany Barbara as the song heads to its moving, emotive and heartfelt ending.

Closing Lady Love is All In Love Is Fair a song written by Stevie Wonder. A writhing bass line, then lone piano solo gives way to Barbara’s vocal. Her vocal is swathed in lush strings, while drums add drama, as the the piano and and meandering bass accompany Barbara. Here, Barbara’s vocal is powerful, emotional and soars effortlessly above the arrangement. Meanwhile, the piano and strings are key to the beauty of the track, as Barbara delivers one of her most beautiful, passionate and powerful vocal. This seems the perfect way to close Lady Love.

Truly, Barbara Mason’s second album for Buddah Records Lady Love is to me, one of the best albums of her career. With the cream of Philadelphia’s musicians, backing singers and arrangers working on Lady Love, then it’s no surprise that this is such an outstanding album. With tracks like Me and Mrs Jones, Bed & Board, Who’d Ever Think and I Miss You Gordon, the seven tracks on Lady Love demonstrate not just Barbara Mason’s talent as a singer, but as a songwriter too. Barbara wrote a trio of tracks on Lady Love Who’d Ever Think, World War Three and Caught In The Middle. Of the seven tracks on the album, Me and Mrs Jones and Bed and Board are both Magnus Opus.’ Barbara’s reply to Billy Paul’s Me and Mrs Jones breathes new life to a track that’s always been synonymous with Billy Paul. So good is her ten minute epic, that it’s almost worth buying Lady Love for that track alone. Having said that, there are other six tracks on Lady Love, and each of them are of the highest quality. This makes Lady Love, which was released by Soul Brother Records an album that’ll appeal to anyone who loves Philly Soul, soul or R&B. For me, Lady Love is an outstanding album, with Philly soul queen Barbara Mason accompanied by some of Philly’s finest and most talented musicians on seven stunning songs. Standout Tracks: Me and Mrs Jones, Bed & Board, Who’d Ever Think and I Miss You Gordon.

BARBARA MASON-LADY LOVE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KUnjFONNjA