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One suspects that Atlantic Records had trouble actually assembling this album, based on the differences between the content and the title. As with most of Atlantic's early LPs, Love Ballads was comprised of existing singles and B-sides, in this case going back to Clyde McPhatter's days with the Drifters. And it is mostly made up of softer, slower numbers, such as "Heartaches," "Come What May," "When You're Sincere," "No Love Like Her Love," and "Long Lonely Nights," that most would call ballads, but in the middle are a surprising amount of what were then known as "rhythm numbers." It's a testament to McPhatter's vocal range that he pulls it all off -- his voice on "Just Hold My Hand," "You'll Be There," "When You're Sincere," "There's No Love Like Her Love," or even "Lucille" (a number salvaged from the first, nearly abortive Drifters session in the spring of 1953) has a vulnerable, fragile edge that just makes the listener want to stop in his tracks, and he seems perfectly at home surrounded by a female choir. But on "Bip Bam," he hits the words incredibly hard, sounding more like a rival to Big Joe Turner than Nat "King" Cole. The slower songs are the direction that McPhatter preferred, aiming at a more sophisticated R&B audience and hoping for a crossover into pop circles -- considering that most of the material dates from 1956-1957, it's all surprisingly sophisticated and groundbreaking in its time.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Clyde McPhatter, MainArtist - A. Hoffman, Writer - J.Klenner, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - Lloyd Trotman, Bass - Mike Stoller, Piano - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - George Barnes, Guitar - Sam Taylor, Tenor Saxophone - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Kenny Burrell, Guitar - Budd Johnson, Conductor, Arranger, Baritone Saxophone - Howard Biggs Orchestra, Orchestra - Frank Table Porter, Writer - Red Soloman, Trumpet - Steve Lipkins, Trumpet
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Ray Ellis, Conductor, Arranger - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Joyce Heath Gagliano, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1956 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - B. Benton, Writer - C. Otis, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Ruth Brown, Vocals - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals - Clyde McPhatter with Ruth Brown, MainArtist - J. Selph, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - Lloyd Trotman, Upright Bass - The Drifters, MainArtist - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Connie Kay, Drums - Mickey Baker, Guitar - Sam Taylor, Saxophone - Clyde McPhatter, FeaturedArtist - Charles Calhoun, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1953 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - Al Caiola, Guitar - Lloyd Trotman, Bass - Phil Kraus, Percussion - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Ray Ellis, Conductor, Arranger - Panama Francis, Drums - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Dan Robey, Writer - Danny Perry, Guitar - Edward O'Conner, Trombone - Paul Perryman, Writer - Romeo Pengue, Alto Saxophone
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1957 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - The Drifters, MainArtist - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Clyde McPhatter, Lead Vocals, Writer, FeaturedArtist
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1953 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - Bernice Davis, Writer - Mimi Uniman, Writer - Lee Andrews, Composer, Writer - Wendell Marshall, Bass - Al Caiola, Guitar - Ernie Hayes, Piano - Phil Kraus, Marimba - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Joe Marshall, Drums - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Doug Henderson, Writer - Budd Johnson, Tenor Saxophone - Douglas H. Henderson, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1957 Atlantic Recording Corporation
E. Johnson, Writer - Clyde McPhatter, MainArtist
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - Herb Wiener, Writer - Al Caiola, Guitar - Lloyd Trotman, Bass - Phil Kraus, Percussion - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Ray Ellis, Conductor, Arranger - Panama Francis, Drums - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Danny Perry, Guitar - Edward O'Conner, Trombone - Romeo Pengue, Alto Saxophone - Cy Crane, Writer - Joel Corn, Writer - Sandra Greenfield, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1957 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Jerry Wexler, Producer - AHMET ERTEGUN, Producer - Clyde McPhatter, Vocals, MainArtist - Jimmy Williams, Writer - Ken Wood, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1957 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Clyde McPhatter, MainArtist - J Leiber, Writer - M. STOLLER, Writer - B. Relf, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Clyde McPhatter, Performance, MainArtist - B. Smith, Writer - M. James, Writer
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 1958 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Album review
One suspects that Atlantic Records had trouble actually assembling this album, based on the differences between the content and the title. As with most of Atlantic's early LPs, Love Ballads was comprised of existing singles and B-sides, in this case going back to Clyde McPhatter's days with the Drifters. And it is mostly made up of softer, slower numbers, such as "Heartaches," "Come What May," "When You're Sincere," "No Love Like Her Love," and "Long Lonely Nights," that most would call ballads, but in the middle are a surprising amount of what were then known as "rhythm numbers." It's a testament to McPhatter's vocal range that he pulls it all off -- his voice on "Just Hold My Hand," "You'll Be There," "When You're Sincere," "There's No Love Like Her Love," or even "Lucille" (a number salvaged from the first, nearly abortive Drifters session in the spring of 1953) has a vulnerable, fragile edge that just makes the listener want to stop in his tracks, and he seems perfectly at home surrounded by a female choir. But on "Bip Bam," he hits the words incredibly hard, sounding more like a rival to Big Joe Turner than Nat "King" Cole. The slower songs are the direction that McPhatter preferred, aiming at a more sophisticated R&B audience and hoping for a crossover into pop circles -- considering that most of the material dates from 1956-1957, it's all surprisingly sophisticated and groundbreaking in its time.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:34:07
- Main artists: Clyde McPhatter
- Composer: Lee Andrews
- Label: Rhino Atlantic
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing ℗ 2005 Atlantic Recording Corp. Manufactued & Marketed by Warner Strategic Marketing
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