MAXINE BROWN, "WANTING YOU" C/W "MY TIME FOR CRYING," ABC-PARAMOUNT 45-10327 (REL. 6/1962)

Today’s single spent a long time bubbling under the Billboard Hot 100. All summer long it was stuck there. 105 one week; 111 the next. Toward’s summer’s end, weary from its long fight, it broke the barrier and got to #98, hampered by an inferior A-side when the B might have gotten it much farther. It was another attempt by talented singer-songwriter Maxine Brown and her producer-songwriter husband Mal Williams to storm the Bastille of popular music.

The key to her success was her switch to Florence Greenberg’s Wand imprint. Greenberg—one of many forceful women executives in pop music of this era—knew how to twist arms and curry favors. Though Ms. Brown enjoyed two early smashes with “Funny” and “All in My Mind,” her time at ABC-Paramount was plagued by a lack of public and promotional attention. Her singles for that imprint are all impressive; some sound like hits in hindsight but weren’t treated so by their handlers.

Had deejays flipped release no. 10327 over and played “Wanting You,” I feel Maxine might have done better in the competitive music market. It has a rough, brash sound that feels like the Black recordings made in Detroit at the time. That rawness and atmosphere is here in spades on a moody, swingin’ song that’s ideal for Ms. B’s performance. Songwriter Sam Taylor penned several songs for Maxine—“Funny,” “Think of Me,” “Forget Him,” “Now That You’re Gone” and this number, which may be the best of the bunch.

This styrene ABC platter is one play away from the dreaded frazzly state of distortion that reveals a poor stylus in its distant past. I’m glad whomever had this record didn’t give it a final spin on their el cheapo turntable. You can hear the beginning of deterioration in the treble end of the sound spectrum. I’ll hope to find a vinyl pressing, since this label did both on most of their releases.

>>> Hear it HERE! <<<

“My Time for Crying,” the A side, was written by Bob Crewe and Sid Bass—an odd couple of music. Bass was from an older generation of music and recorded easy-listening material for RCA and other imprints. There’s nothing wrong with the song, or with Maxine’s performance, but neither does the song inspire the same connection as “Wanting You.”

This song could have been recorded by a country artist without much change. Maxine reminds us who’s boss at the two-minute mark, when she turns on the heat for a memorable ending to a so-so song. That’s the measure of a great vocalist—to own a lesser song and make it seem like it’s something great. Her performance rallies in a remarkable way.

>>> Hear it HERE! <<<

We’ll hear from Maxine again ere long—she made too many great records to be an occasional visitor.

Tomorrow: three short songs by Ersel Hickey, the king of under-90-seconds in rock ‘n’ roll. Two come from a rare 1962 Apollo Records 45. Don’t leave the room while any of these songs play!