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Paul's first album for Philadelphia International was straight club jazz; sales were slow. This time, Gamble & Huff gave Paul material strong enough to make his sophomore release a viable commercial entity. "Brown Baby's" speaks of people of color making their parents and others proud. "I'm Just a Prisoner" is real, but would have been better served without the string section. It's a stark depiction about a man who has served five years and is contemplating his future. It is about the unsettling fact that he's just a prisoner. Its chilling chorus tells it all -- "The cell is cold as hell, you'll never get use to the smell, my bed is hard as wood, I got to fight to keep my manhood," the riveting saga doesn't just end, the fade is lengthy, and features a dejected Paul woefully mourning the conditions, the situation, and the turmoil of prison life. He sounds believable and frustrated belting out "Me & Mrs. Jones," a classic that many relate to, and those who don't have no problem being down with the passionate singing and clawing lyrics describing the unapologetic infidelity. His "It's Too Late" is a fine rendition of Carole King's classic. You might not recognize "Let's Stay Together," popularized by Al Green. Paul does it it MOR/Jazz style, with a lot of improvising before crooning the original lyrics. It shows versatility, but it's unlikely that people who bought Green's "Jones" appreciated it. A version of Elton John's "Your Song" introduced the Brit to fans of soul music. Vince Montana's magical vibes punctuate the rhythm, which turns into a lightweight gospel revival. "Am I Black Enough for You" fit in with the times of overt black consciousness, a social message moved along by a perky bongo and clavinet-dominated beat, and well-spaced, brassy horn hits. A too staid "I'm Gonna Make It This Time," co-written by Bunny Sigler, marked Paul's second adventure in urban club jazz on 360 Degrees; this one has bite, and Billy sings it with fire.
© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo
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Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Producer - B. SIGLER, Composer - P. Hurtt, Composer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Toni Stern, Composer, Lyricist - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - Carole King, Composer, Lyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Lead Vocalist - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Cary Gilbert, Composer, Lyricist - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Carla Benson, Background Vocal - Evette Benton, Background Vocal - Barbara Ingram, Background Vocal - Vince Montana Jr., Vibraphone - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas - Don Renaldo And His String & Horn Sections, Percussion
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Al Jackson, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - WILLIE MITCHELL, Composer, Lyricist - Al Green, Composer, Lyricist - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Bernard Taupin, Lyricist - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Producer, Piano - Elton John, Composer - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Producer - B. SIGLER, Composer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - John Lang, Composer - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist - Cary Gilbert, Composer, Lyricist - Bobby Martin, Producer - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1974 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Billy Paul, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Lead Vocalist - Kenneth Gamble, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Norman Harris, Guitar - Bunny Sigler, Guitar - Cary Gilbert, Composer, Lyricist - Earl Young, Drums - Bobby Eli, Guitar - Roland Chambers, Guitar - LEON HUFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano - Ronnie Baker, Bass - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Lenny Pakula, Organ - Carla Benson, Background Vocal - Evette Benton, Background Vocal - Barbara Ingram, Background Vocal - Vince Montana Jr., Vibraphone - Eddie Green, Piano - Norman Farrington, Drums - David Bay, Guitar - Larry Washinton, Congas - Don Renaldo And His String & Horn Sections, Percussion
(P) 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Paul's first album for Philadelphia International was straight club jazz; sales were slow. This time, Gamble & Huff gave Paul material strong enough to make his sophomore release a viable commercial entity. "Brown Baby's" speaks of people of color making their parents and others proud. "I'm Just a Prisoner" is real, but would have been better served without the string section. It's a stark depiction about a man who has served five years and is contemplating his future. It is about the unsettling fact that he's just a prisoner. Its chilling chorus tells it all -- "The cell is cold as hell, you'll never get use to the smell, my bed is hard as wood, I got to fight to keep my manhood," the riveting saga doesn't just end, the fade is lengthy, and features a dejected Paul woefully mourning the conditions, the situation, and the turmoil of prison life. He sounds believable and frustrated belting out "Me & Mrs. Jones," a classic that many relate to, and those who don't have no problem being down with the passionate singing and clawing lyrics describing the unapologetic infidelity. His "It's Too Late" is a fine rendition of Carole King's classic. You might not recognize "Let's Stay Together," popularized by Al Green. Paul does it it MOR/Jazz style, with a lot of improvising before crooning the original lyrics. It shows versatility, but it's unlikely that people who bought Green's "Jones" appreciated it. A version of Elton John's "Your Song" introduced the Brit to fans of soul music. Vince Montana's magical vibes punctuate the rhythm, which turns into a lightweight gospel revival. "Am I Black Enough for You" fit in with the times of overt black consciousness, a social message moved along by a perky bongo and clavinet-dominated beat, and well-spaced, brassy horn hits. A too staid "I'm Gonna Make It This Time," co-written by Bunny Sigler, marked Paul's second adventure in urban club jazz on 360 Degrees; this one has bite, and Billy sings it with fire.
© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 01:00:26
- Main artists: Billy Paul
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Epic - Legacy
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
This compilation (P) 2012 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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