Shirley & The Shirelles, "Look What You've Done To My Heart" c.w "A Most Unusual Boy," Bell 760 (rel. 2/1969)
A record from 1969? Here? It serves as a bridge from the classic era of the 45-rpm record, which ends in 1967 with the rise of the album as musicians' preferred form of expression and the rise of multi-track/stereo recording, which allowed music to cease being a live group performance.
There continued to be worthy music after 1967; it doesn't hold the same appeal to me, for reasons I'm sure many would disagree with, the least being that many recordings became long for the sake of doing so. We will encounter that in the first side we'll hear today from Shirley and The Shirelles, the revamped trio version of the iconic girl group who recorded "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "Baby It's You" and "Soldier Boy," among many others.
The Shirelles were with Scepter Records for a decade. Their final single, "Wild and Sweet" in 1968, led to a move to Mercury's soul imprint Blue Rock, for two singles. At this point, member Doris Coley left the group; after over 10 years of non-stop touring and performing, she wanted to focus on her family.
Lead vocalist Shirley Alston continued with Addie Harris and Beverly Lee; a hip new name promised a fresh start. They signed with Bell Records and, for their first outing, were given new songs by Ellie Greenwich and Chip Taylor. The group had changed with the constant mutations in pop music, and this single gave them poise to cast off their former image.
Ellie Greenwich's "Look What You've Done to My Heart" was the first song this girl-group icon had composed for the group since 1963's "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You." Scepter Records head Florence Greenberg had an iron grip on what they recorded and used her preferred songwriters, with the odd outlier allowed if their song seemed like a sure-fire hit.
The Shirelles were with Scepter Records for a decade. Their final single, "Wild and Sweet" in 1968, led to a move to Mercury's soul imprint Blue Rock, for two singles. At this point, member Doris Coley left the group; after over 10 years of non-stop touring and performing, she wanted to focus on her family.
Lead vocalist Shirley Alston continued with Addie Harris and Beverly Lee; a hip new name promised a fresh start. They signed with Bell Records and, for their first outing, were given new songs by Ellie Greenwich and Chip Taylor. The group had changed with the constant mutations in pop music, and this single gave them poise to cast off their former image.
Ellie Greenwich's "Look What You've Done to My Heart" was the first song this girl-group icon had composed for the group since 1963's "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You." Scepter Records head Florence Greenberg had an iron grip on what they recorded and used her preferred songwriters, with the odd outlier allowed if their song seemed like a sure-fire hit.
I'm sure Greenwich would have dropped whatever she was doing to pen material for them in the earlier 1960s. It just didn't happen; all parties were busy with other projects. As The Shirelles were an inspiration for Greenwich to take up songwriting and singing, this session must have been special for her. Ellie's in there on background vocals--that was a source of income for her when all else failed.
And while the song could be 30 seconds shorter--it repeats verses and chorus a bit too often--it's a solid song that gives Shirley Alston an urgent, dramatic vehicle. Ignore the string section (it's not needed here and trivializes the group's performance to these ears) and focus on Shirley's high-stakes performance. Whew!
And while the song could be 30 seconds shorter--it repeats verses and chorus a bit too often--it's a solid song that gives Shirley Alston an urgent, dramatic vehicle. Ignore the string section (it's not needed here and trivializes the group's performance to these ears) and focus on Shirley's high-stakes performance. Whew!
Small wonder this side became a Northern Soul favorite. The UK issue of this single, on the Stateside imprint, goes for three figures. The American issue is neglected, in comparison, but still sought-after for many reasons.
A muddy mix does the song no favors; this might have kept it from getting into the pop-charts. This was the intended B-side of the US release. Britain decided it was the top-side and it won the hearts of enough fans there to gain NS approval. That it wasn't a hit added to that allure.
A muddy mix does the song no favors; this might have kept it from getting into the pop-charts. This was the intended B-side of the US release. Britain decided it was the top-side and it won the hearts of enough fans there to gain NS approval. That it wasn't a hit added to that allure.
How Cash Box changed in a few years! Gone is the quasi-beatnik insider lingo. Times and music had shifted to another plane in 1969.
Apologies for the crackle at the start of "A Most Unusual Boy." It appears the original owner of this single took it to a chicken picnic and handled it with potato salad-covered fingers. The dried gloop is just on the edge of the record in a thumb-shaped area. Several cleanings did little to abate this whatever-it-is.
This is a sweet, witty song that feels tailor-made for The Shirelles. It's a bridge from their earlier material to the pop sounds of '69. At two minutes and 30 seconds, it achieves what it needs to do and fades out, with not a moment wasted. Its melody leans into a minor-key phrase on a memorable chorus and the verses, with clever details, are relayed with warmth by the talented Ms. Alston. This had pop-chart potential and sounds brighter than the B-side.
This is a sweet, witty song that feels tailor-made for The Shirelles. It's a bridge from their earlier material to the pop sounds of '69. At two minutes and 30 seconds, it achieves what it needs to do and fades out, with not a moment wasted. Its melody leans into a minor-key phrase on a memorable chorus and the verses, with clever details, are relayed with warmth by the talented Ms. Alston. This had pop-chart potential and sounds brighter than the B-side.
After three singles as Shirley and The Shirelles, they reverted to their original name and went to United Artists and RCA-Victor, where they made a 1971 album, Happy and in Love, which is quite good, despite the washy sound of RCA's super-thin "Dynagroove" vinyl. As a wag once joked, Dynagroove saved time--you could hear both sides of an album at once.
Versions of The Shirelles still exist. Shirley Alston retired from singing in 2020, but former members have satellite groups out there working the oldies circuit singing on cruise ships and at county fairs, etc. The group's Scepter Records material is now regarded as a high mark in Black pop music of the 1950s and '60s and has been well-represented in CD reissues (and, I'm sure, on those new 40 dollar LPs on shop racks).
Versions of The Shirelles still exist. Shirley Alston retired from singing in 2020, but former members have satellite groups out there working the oldies circuit singing on cruise ships and at county fairs, etc. The group's Scepter Records material is now regarded as a high mark in Black pop music of the 1950s and '60s and has been well-represented in CD reissues (and, I'm sure, on those new 40 dollar LPs on shop racks).
Tomorrow: a week of past favorites that deserve another look. Up first: Arizona rockabilly Sanford Clark with an Eastern-sounding rocker from 1956. Eastern as in India, that is.
"Look What You've Done To My Heart" seems homage to the groove of 1965's Four Tops Hit "I Can't Help Myself' and "A Most Unusual Boy" I think foreshadows the sound of Gladys Knight. Two shoulda-been hits!
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