Barbra Mercer, "Doin' Things Together With You" c/w "Nobody Loves You Like Me," Golden World GW-28 (rel. 9/1965)

For a pleasant change of pace, we have photographs of the principal figures in today's record and a review--from the lesser Record World, but given the dearth of visual material in recent posts, it's a minor but compelling win. All this for another offering of Golden World, the little Detroit label that tried its hardest to claim some mainstream space beside Berry Gordy's company. Their only success on the pop charts was with a couple of singles by local white rock group The Reflections. Their r&b and soul material got airplay and chart success within that genre; most white pop listeners had no idea the other records existed.
    Barbra Mercer had been a member of Detroit girl group The Sty-letts, who recorded for a smaller Motor City imprint, Pillar Records, in 1963. Golden World's Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, then a recent exile from Motown, saw star potential in Ms. Mercer and released three singles on his label. They lean more towards a Dionne Warwick sound, and, as in the case of today's record, a bit of behind-the-scenes schizophrenia. A different production team guides each side of this single.
    Richard Perry, once a member of white doo-wop group The Escorts, became a producer in the mid-1960s and, by decade's end, was one of the most sought-after figures in popular music. He co-produced "Doin' Things Together with You," a handsome and haunting song by Van McCoy, with Gary Kannon--another significant producer in the 1970s. As Gary Katz, he was behind the early albums and singles of prog-rock duo Steely Dan. Here we see cultural harmony in service of an elegant performer and song.
    This was the second issue of this song, On an earlier single, it was issued as "The Things We Do Together;" the second title suits the song's sweet, detailed narrative of a woman who counts her blessings as he enjoys the blossom of a beautiful relationship. She savors every moment she spends with her beloved; "I lost all track of time," she confesses.
    With a soulful chorus in tow, Mercer coos McCoy's music and lyrics with grace and elegance. At this time, Van McCoy gave Burt Bacharach serious competion. His melodic ideas seem boundless in his 1964-66 songs; they break the barriers of genre expectations and paint their scenes with subtle watercolor hues. They were too delicate and artistic for the hard-edged pop world of 1965, but the world would soon embrace McCoy's work. All its elements are here in this impressive, expressive piece of music.

 

Record World's short reviews make Cash Box's seem like prose poetry. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r8ezeksw0e5v0bu3g0r6c/2311a.mp3?rlkey=wfubonxg2qdn0ami207e3k0rl&st=dt6p4inn&dl=0

"Nobody Loves You Like Me" is a Richard Wylie/Ronnie Savoy co-production. It delivers a more typical Detroit sound. As Wylie was one of the architects of the Motown sound, he had a right to use certain of its tics. This Supremes-esque upbeat mover has a funkier sound than that group's, but makes the most of a limited budget on a song that is less personal than the A-side and thus better-suited for the r&b (or pop) charts. For what it is, it's fine, but a letdown after the baroque beauty of Van McCoy's song. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lko4ltd05fhv437mbgh12/2311b.mp3?rlkey=xx4n8rphyektu46ywizslvmw2&st=k9uz3woi&dl=0

Mercer left Golden World Records after this single and made her final record for a Wyoming (!) imprint, Sidra Records. "So Real" became a Northern Soul favorite and the Sidra release fetches triple figures. Capitol Records picked up the single and reissued it on their superior heavy vinyl; that version still gets over 100 dollars in clean condition. That was it for her and the music biz.

Tomorrow: white vocal group The Expressions (nee The Imaginations) deliver gritty goodness on their final single, made for Parkway Records in 1963.