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Aretha Franklin scored a smash hit in 1968 with The House That Jack Built. Harlem-based Thelma Jones recorded the song first. And she did it better. It was a seal of approval when Aretha covered you; witness her versions of Ray Charles, Baby Washington, Johnny Ace, Dionne Warwick and Ben E. King songs. Thelma was in great company.
Her recording career came in two bursts: ten tracks cut for Barry Records in 1966 through 1968, and a dozen for Columbia a decade later. The oft-funky Barry sides are infused with gospel fervour (Thelma began her singing career in church, natch), while the Columbia decks are glossy, commercial and occasionally disco-fied (in a good way). Yet the two phases sit side-by-side very happily on this CD, thanks to the common denominator of Thelma’s fabulous vocals.
01 STRONGER
02 NEVER LEAVE ME
03 GOTTA FIND A WAY
04 OH, OH, HERE COMES THE HEARTBREAK
05 SOUVENIRS OF A HEARTBREAK
06 I WON'T GIVE UP MY MAN
07 THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT
08 GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT
09 SECOND CHANCE
10 MR FIX-IT
11 SALTY TEARS
12 YOU'RE THE SONG (THAT I CAN'T STOP SINGING)
13 I'D RATHER LEAVE WHILE I'M IN LOVE
14 LOVE, LOOK WHAT YOU GOT ME INTO
15 I'M LONELY ENOUGH TO TRY ANYTHING NOW
16 I WANT WHAT YOU WANT
17 I SECOND THAT EMOTION
18 I CAN DREAM
19 NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE
20 ANGEL OF THE MORNING
21 HOW LONG
22 STAY A WHILE WITH ME |