Go Away Little Boy: The Sass & Soul of Marlena Shaw

Marlena Shaw | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 6, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 6, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000IIWU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,551 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong, sensual and soulful stylings - sassy & powerful, September 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Go Away Little Boy: The Sass & Soul of Marlena Shaw (Audio CD)

Marlena Shaw is the voice behind the sampled vocals of the Blueboy club hit "Remember Me", which were lifted from her 1960's hit "Woman of the Ghetto". Shaw who still performs today, had a few chart successes in the late 60s through to the late 70s, and it was in this latter part of her career that she released several now out of print albums through Columbia, highlights of which are revived here. She slides easily from cabaret tinged jazz, to pop, soul, and disco, and elements of each of these genres can be experienced through this collection. The set is highlighted by what became her signature tune in live performances, a very personalised rendition of the King/Goffin composition "Go Away Little Boy", in which she really struts her stuff as a woman of substance, who no man is gonna take advantage of. While it is through tracks of similar substance that the sassy power of Shaw's vocal style really shines, she manages to give credibility to a couple of late night disco classics, including a strong reworking of the Diana Ross hit "Touch Me in The Morning".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "...Oh Baby...This Time I'm Gonna Be Sweeter...", February 8, 2009

By 

Mark Barry, Reckless Records, London (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Go Away Little Boy: The Sass & Soul of Marlena Shaw (Audio CD)

Here's the breakdown (64:10 minutes):

1. Yu-Ma/Go Away Little Boy [co-written with Gerry Goffin and Carole King]
2. I Think I'll Tell Him
3. Rhythm Of Love
4. Moonrise
5. I Wonder
6. Shaw Biz/Suddenly It's How I'd Like To Feel/Shaw Biz (Reprise)
7. I'm Back For More
8. Sweet Beginnings [Leon Ware cover]
9. More [Marlena Shaw song]
10. Walk Softly [Van McCoy cover]
11. No One Yet [Marlena Shaw song]
12. Pictures And Memories
13. Love Dancin' [Linda Clifford/Gladys Knight cover]
14. Touch Me In The Morning [Diana Ross cover]

Tracks 1, 2, 8, 10 and 12 are from the album "Sweet Beginnings", 1977 on US Columbia 34458
Tracks 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 are from the album "Acting Up", 1978 on US Columbia 35073
Tracks 6, 11, 13 and 14 are from the album "Take A Bite", 1979 US Columbia 35632

This April 1999 Columbia/Legacy CD was compiled by LEO SACHS and has detailed liner notes by BARRY WALTERS. The original master tapes were remastered by TOM RUFF at the Sony Music Studios and the sound is sweet - really clear - very little hiss on any of the songs - punchy when it needs to be - subtle and soft too when the strings kick in - typical of the high standard across the entire LEGACY range.

Musically this is very Studio 54/Philadelphia International territory - and despite the "sass" in the subtitle - this compilation is often very mellow. There are funky floor filling tunes on here like "Sweet Beginnings", "More", "Pictures And Memories" and "No One Yet" which late Seventies Three Degrees, Isaac Hayes, Gladys Knight and Ronn Matlock fans will love. Highlights also include the witty and perceptive "get out of my life - oh no - come back" lyrics of the opener "Yu-Ma/Go Away Little Boy", while the lovely bedroom ballad "Moonrise" features sweet Alto Sax fills by SELDON POWELL. It should also be noted that "Touch Me In The Morning" is the ultra-rare full-length 12" disco mix at 7:19 minutes. And although it doesn't state it on the rear sleeve either, the Linda Clifford cover of "Love Dancin'" is the rare 12"extended version at 7:56 minutes also - two big draws for those who like their club classics.

Part disco, part soul diva, part jazz-vocal and very Seventies - there's a lot on here to enjoy - and Shaw's vocals are a discovery worth making.

"Go Away Little Boy" is a really good compilation culled from 3 hard-to-find albums.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two 1979 12" remixes, October 4, 2006

By 

Constantin Declercq "Constantin Declercq" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go Away Little Boy: The Sass & Soul of Marlena Shaw (Audio CD)

Besides "Yu ma/Go away little boy", this awesome collection features two 1979 excellent 12" mixes in Linda Clifford's soulful disco style : "Love dancin'" (7:50) and "Touch me in the morning" (7:15). Until then they were quite impossible to find -even on vinyl.