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Iceman: The Mercury Years compiles 44 tracks from the talented Butler's mostly successful 1965-1974 stint at the label. Despite his hits and classics with the label, he didn't start off with gangbusters there. He did steady himself somewhat with "I Dig You Baby" and "Mr. Dream Merchant." Just as his fortunes seemed to be drifting downward, Butler rebounded by 1967. Iceman: The Mercury Years makes no bones about its unabashed emphasis on Butler's work with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell. Not surprisingly, the tracks included prove the point. The big hits -- including "Only the Strong Survive," "Hey, Western Union Man," and "A Brand New Me" -- lose nothing in a greatest-hits format. Still, some of the lesser-known songs from Ice on Ice and The Iceman Cometh certainly weren't the best choice for this compilation. Away from Gamble & Huff and back in Chicago, Butler's early-'70s work was typified by the strong and dramatic sounds of the area. Interestingly enough, this set gets its most interesting and instructive moments centering on Butler's Mercury decline. Songs like "Special Memory," "How Did We Lose It," and "If It's Real" aren't great, but certainly retain their strength among the better-known tracks. While his 1973 hit duet, "Ain't Understanding Mellow," is included, other great tracks of the period, like "That's the Way It Was (That's the Way It Is)" and his great cover of Carole King's "So Far Away," didn't make it here. All in all, Iceman: The Mercury Years does offer great songs, but the original albums might be more sufficient.
© Jason Elias /TiVo
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Bob Miller, ComposerLyricist - Luchi De Jesus, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Billy Butler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Luchi De Jesus, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Billy Butler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Luchi De Jesus, Producer - Burt Bacharach, Composer - Hal David, Author - Jerry Butler, MainArtist
℗ 1967 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Luchi De Jesus, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - John Paul Jones, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Irwin Levine, ComposerLyricist - Luchi De Jesus, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Philip Springer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1967 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Dennis Lambert, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - John Ellison, ComposerLyricist - Samuel Bell, ComposerLyricist - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
LARRY WEISS, ComposerLyricist - Scott English, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - JERRY ROSS, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - LARRY WEISS, ComposerLyricist - Jimmy Wisner, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1967 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Otis Redding, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Cal Carter, Producer - Arthur Wright, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1967 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Billy Butler, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Theresa Bell, ComposerLyricist - Gamble & Huff, Producer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist - THOM BELL, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer - Theresa Bell, ComposerLyricist - THOM BELL, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Theresa Bell, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, ComposerLyricist - JERRY ROSS, Producer - Joe Renzetti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1968 The Island Def Jam Music Group
DISC 2
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer - Theresa Bell, ComposerLyricist - THOM BELL, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Bobby Martin, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer - Theresa Bell, ComposerLyricist - THOM BELL, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, Producer - Billy Butler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer - R. MCCOY, ComposerLyricist - H. Miller, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, Producer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Kenneth Gamble, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Bell, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Donny Hathaway, Producer
℗ 1970 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, Producer - Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, Producer - Donny Hathaway, Producer - James Blumenberg, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1970 The Island Def Jam Music Group
D. Meehan, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Bobby Scott, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Larry Wade, ComposerLyricist - Billy Butler, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ronald Simmons, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - WILLIE DIXON, ComposerLyricist - Gene & Jerry, Producer - Walter Simtec Simmons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Gerald Sims, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Billy Butler, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charles Jones, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1971 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Gerald Sims, Producer - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Billy Butler, Producer - Chuck Jackson, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1969 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Gerald Sims, Producer - Charles Jackson, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist - Eutrice Shell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Gerald Sims, Producer - James Mack, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist - Brenda Lee Eager, FeaturedArtist - Homer Talbert, ComposerLyricist - Herscholt Polk, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1971 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Gerald Sims, Producer - Jerry Butler, Producer, MainArtist - Larry Wade, ComposerLyricist - Terry Callier, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Samuel Brown, Producer - Samuel F. Brown 3, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Kenneth Gamble, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, Producer, Executive Producer, MainArtist - LEON HUFF, ComposerLyricist - Robert Bowles, Conductor, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1972 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist - AL DUBIN, ComposerLyricist - Harry Warren, ComposerLyricist - Robert Bowles, Producer
℗ 1972 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Burt Bacharach, ComposerLyricist - Hal David, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Brenda Lee Eager, FeaturedArtist - Samuel Brown, Producer
℗ 1972 The Island Def Jam Music Group
MARVIN YANCY, ComposerLyricist - Jerry Butler, MainArtist - Chuck Jackson, ComposerLyricist - Bob Bowles, Producer
℗ 1969 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Bristol, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Brenda Lee Eager, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1973 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Bristol, Producer, ComposerLyricist - John Glover, ComposerLyricist - James Dean, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1969 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Jerry Butler, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Richard Brooks, ComposerLyricist - Arthur Brooks, ComposerLyricist - Dick Cosby, Producer
℗ 1969 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Iceman: The Mercury Years compiles 44 tracks from the talented Butler's mostly successful 1965-1974 stint at the label. Despite his hits and classics with the label, he didn't start off with gangbusters there. He did steady himself somewhat with "I Dig You Baby" and "Mr. Dream Merchant." Just as his fortunes seemed to be drifting downward, Butler rebounded by 1967. Iceman: The Mercury Years makes no bones about its unabashed emphasis on Butler's work with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell. Not surprisingly, the tracks included prove the point. The big hits -- including "Only the Strong Survive," "Hey, Western Union Man," and "A Brand New Me" -- lose nothing in a greatest-hits format. Still, some of the lesser-known songs from Ice on Ice and The Iceman Cometh certainly weren't the best choice for this compilation. Away from Gamble & Huff and back in Chicago, Butler's early-'70s work was typified by the strong and dramatic sounds of the area. Interestingly enough, this set gets its most interesting and instructive moments centering on Butler's Mercury decline. Songs like "Special Memory," "How Did We Lose It," and "If It's Real" aren't great, but certainly retain their strength among the better-known tracks. While his 1973 hit duet, "Ain't Understanding Mellow," is included, other great tracks of the period, like "That's the Way It Was (That's the Way It Is)" and his great cover of Carole King's "So Far Away," didn't make it here. All in all, Iceman: The Mercury Years does offer great songs, but the original albums might be more sufficient.
© Jason Elias /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 44 track(s)
- Total length: 02:09:59
- Main artists: Jerry Butler
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Island Def Jam
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 1992 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1992 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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