The Click-Ettes, "Lover's Prayer" c/w "Grateful," Dice D96/D97 (rel. 7/1959)
We are in the wonderful, wonky world of Zell Sanders, who ran a group of record labels from various addresses in the boroughs of New York City from the mid-1950s to the mid-'70s. She hit the big time twice with two singles that peaked in the #2 position on the pop charts: "Over the Mountain, Across the Sea," a duet by her daughter Johnnie Richardson and Joe Waters in 1956 and "Sally Go 'round the Roses" by The Jaynettes in 1963. In-between are a plethora of exotic rarities and unheard gems, often with the participation of Rex Garvin as producer, pianist and ad-hoc arranger.
Daughter Johnnie was another major provider of material for Zell's labels, which included J&S, Sprout, Zell's and Dice. Many releases featured a Black girl group run like a franchise, with various young vocalists shuffled in and out of its many iterations. The Click-ettes was one name for this house group. Their records appeared most often on Sanders' labels, but were sometimes leased to bigger concerns such as Chess Records, who understood the hit potential of Sanders' recordings and had to abide her dismissive attitude towards trifling things like legally binding contracts.
When indie producer Abner Spector teamed up with Sanders for several releases on their Tuff imprint, the Chess brothers no doubt groaned as they offered to manufacture and distribute that label's records.
Many Click-ettes singles are super-rare; they might have had one small pressing and no more. Today's is their most successful effort for Dice and an excellent example of the group's churning, emotional sound. While not a chart hit, it did get airplay and had the potential to break out. Had anyone but Sanders been in charge, the single could've gotten on the charts. She was a poor steward of her own efforts from a conventional business sense. I'm sure that, to her, the erratic decisions and double-crosses were just fine, thank you.
The sound Sanders got from her basement productions defines the atmospheric, romantic vibe of New York doo-wop/vocal group music in the 1950s. Much reverb swaths the performers' voices, who sing against a simple, barren instrumental backing; no frills like strings or brass save for rare occasions when Zell felt flush and put some extra bucks into the production costs.
"Lover's Prayer" is co-written by Johnnie Richardson and Barbara English, who was a longtime member of this girl group. It's likely English is the lead voice on this fish-beat romantic, as Cash Box might've described it. It gets a chonky sound, with the big-sounding backup of the other Click-ettes in support of a passionate, youthful lead. That 12/8 rhythm (three beats, written as triplets, on each single note of a measure) suffuses this side with a yearning, moody atmosphere that's mighty appealing.
Daughter Johnnie was another major provider of material for Zell's labels, which included J&S, Sprout, Zell's and Dice. Many releases featured a Black girl group run like a franchise, with various young vocalists shuffled in and out of its many iterations. The Click-ettes was one name for this house group. Their records appeared most often on Sanders' labels, but were sometimes leased to bigger concerns such as Chess Records, who understood the hit potential of Sanders' recordings and had to abide her dismissive attitude towards trifling things like legally binding contracts.
When indie producer Abner Spector teamed up with Sanders for several releases on their Tuff imprint, the Chess brothers no doubt groaned as they offered to manufacture and distribute that label's records.
Many Click-ettes singles are super-rare; they might have had one small pressing and no more. Today's is their most successful effort for Dice and an excellent example of the group's churning, emotional sound. While not a chart hit, it did get airplay and had the potential to break out. Had anyone but Sanders been in charge, the single could've gotten on the charts. She was a poor steward of her own efforts from a conventional business sense. I'm sure that, to her, the erratic decisions and double-crosses were just fine, thank you.
The sound Sanders got from her basement productions defines the atmospheric, romantic vibe of New York doo-wop/vocal group music in the 1950s. Much reverb swaths the performers' voices, who sing against a simple, barren instrumental backing; no frills like strings or brass save for rare occasions when Zell felt flush and put some extra bucks into the production costs.
"Lover's Prayer" is co-written by Johnnie Richardson and Barbara English, who was a longtime member of this girl group. It's likely English is the lead voice on this fish-beat romantic, as Cash Box might've described it. It gets a chonky sound, with the big-sounding backup of the other Click-ettes in support of a passionate, youthful lead. That 12/8 rhythm (three beats, written as triplets, on each single note of a measure) suffuses this side with a yearning, moody atmosphere that's mighty appealing.
Billboard was first to review this record, on June 22nd 1959. They didn't think much of it. Cash Box, for their 7/4 issue, was much more positive about the group and their material.
"Grateful" opens with a guitar intro: almost a shock after the unadorned vibe of the A-side. This has a compelling arrangement that puts the backup band more to the fore. It sounds clearer, too: the contrast of the guitar, lead and background vocals is well-defined.
It's similar in style to "Lover's Prayer," but the clarity adds to its effect. Both sides were popular enough to keep this single in print for two or three years. Sanders got a distribution deal with Jubilee Records and, for once, didn't also put the records out on her own imprints--the source of the Chess brothers' perturbation.
The single was reissued several times over the years and appears to have been a New York-area favorite from back in the day when a single could be huge in one or two cities and unknown to the rest of the country.
It's similar in style to "Lover's Prayer," but the clarity adds to its effect. Both sides were popular enough to keep this single in print for two or three years. Sanders got a distribution deal with Jubilee Records and, for once, didn't also put the records out on her own imprints--the source of the Chess brothers' perturbation.
The single was reissued several times over the years and appears to have been a New York-area favorite from back in the day when a single could be huge in one or two cities and unknown to the rest of the country.
We've heard this group as The Fashions, Click-ettes and Gems here in the past; they were used as background vocals on other records made by Sanders and their eerie harmonies are easy to recognize.
I hope to someday own "Jive Time Turkey," "Warm Soft and Lovely" and "To Be a Part of You" by this group. One never knows when such crazy-rare 45s will drop into my sphere of existence!
Tomorrow: Eddie Rambeau delivers a pleasing UK-flavored item coupled with a rare male cover of a song by cult singer Norma Tanega on a seldom-heard 1965 DynoVoice single.
I hope to someday own "Jive Time Turkey," "Warm Soft and Lovely" and "To Be a Part of You" by this group. One never knows when such crazy-rare 45s will drop into my sphere of existence!
Tomorrow: Eddie Rambeau delivers a pleasing UK-flavored item coupled with a rare male cover of a song by cult singer Norma Tanega on a seldom-heard 1965 DynoVoice single.
These are good songs but both remind me of "The Five Satins' 1956 hit "In The Still Of The Night." "Grateful" suffers tremendously to me with its weird six full stop and start pieces of music.
ReplyDeleteFunny-I like that about "Grateful." It's a different approach, and as such I must salute it.
DeleteOnce again good music and a great write-up.
ReplyDelete