The Patterns, "Ain't Doin That No More" c/w "It's So Nice (I Had To Do It Up Twice)," ABC-Paramount 45-10284 (rel. 1/1962)
It seems heart-breaking that the only image of today's group is degraded and fuzzy. That someone thought enough of this trio to have a promotional photo made is impressive. This is the only version of the photo I can find.
Here's another one-record-wonder, which may be regional masters ABC-Paramount purchased or leased for national release. The label often did this in the 1950s and '60s and brought middle-of-nowhere groups and recordings into the mainstream. Most of these failed in the marketplace, but the label never gave up on this ploy. It must have worked just often enough to encourage them to keep it up.
This is an excellent, sassy, soulful pair of recordings. "Ain't Doin' That No More" is the superior side here. A shopping-as-emotional-therapy narrative, its earthy vocals are set atop a gritty bed of low-down rhythm and blues, with rumbling piano and tinny, twangy guitar. The song was one of many penned by Joel Turnero, who wrote for various Black artists from the early 1950s to the 1970s. A much clearer image of the songwriter exists, along with an ad he ran in Black newspapers when he plied his trade:
Here's another one-record-wonder, which may be regional masters ABC-Paramount purchased or leased for national release. The label often did this in the 1950s and '60s and brought middle-of-nowhere groups and recordings into the mainstream. Most of these failed in the marketplace, but the label never gave up on this ploy. It must have worked just often enough to encourage them to keep it up.
This is an excellent, sassy, soulful pair of recordings. "Ain't Doin' That No More" is the superior side here. A shopping-as-emotional-therapy narrative, its earthy vocals are set atop a gritty bed of low-down rhythm and blues, with rumbling piano and tinny, twangy guitar. The song was one of many penned by Joel Turnero, who wrote for various Black artists from the early 1950s to the 1970s. A much clearer image of the songwriter exists, along with an ad he ran in Black newspapers when he plied his trade:
The three Patterns imbue this attractive song with a been-there-done-that vibe, and their world-weary approach couldn't be improved. This was another 50-cent surprise in the recent Saturday haul, which I'm still processing; I hope there's at least one more record on par with this.
Cash Box got the sides mixed up, but professed their approval of this obscure gem.
"It's So Nice (I Had To Do It Up Twice)," which has strings and a stronger vocal arrangement, sounds like the intended A-side. It has all the trappings of a typical girl-group song, but all parts are delivered in the funkiest, most street-wise manner possible. The lead singer is a tad off-note, but she sings with an intensity that overcomes her occasional clinker.
The other Patterns deliver earthy harmony support and the arrangement, with those bluesy, surprising strings, rocks rather than palls. The Patterns come off on this side as the rough country cousins of The Shirelles. I'd love to know where they came from and how they got onto record.
The most likely scenario might have Joel Turnero's using them to make demos of these two sides. The resultant recordings caught someone's ear, and it's possible strings were added to the sound of this side and the results deemed good to go. This is just a wild guess--not fact. 'Cos there's zero information on this record, which has become an underground favorite of girl-group and soul collectors.
Most of Joel Turnero's work continues in this down-home vein. Check out "Du De Squat" by Little Luther for another solid example. Turnero never got a hit out of any song he composed, but he got several dozen recorded over the years by a variety of artists; many of those singles are rare and spendy affairs.
Tomorrow: Cult arranger/producer Jack Nitzsche produces his wife as the lead singer of a Shangrilas-style tuff girl group for a 1966 Imperial Records single. A curious blend of styles with a decided edge.
'Sittin' 'round, baby, like a class-a square.' Love it! You're probably right that the "It's So Nice..." was an A side but I love the finger-snapping simpler "Ain't Doin' That No More." Both songs don't feel like 1962 but sound like they look back to lay down a jazzy jivey '50s vibe.
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