Customer Reviews

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

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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".

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.

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.

Oh my goodness! Somebody at Columbia finally had the brains to issue the FULL-LENGTH version of Marlena's "Touch Me in The Morning" on CD. Until now, this song was repeatedly cropped and butchered in one way or another for whatever reason. Back in 1987, Columbia issued a various artists classic disco 2-LP set titled "Let's Dance". Liner notes went on and on about how disco had become an oft-disregarded and much-maligned musical form...yet they themselves shortened some of the songs when it was time to issue on CD; they even chopped off almost 2 minutes (count 'em!) from "Touch Me In The Morning". Heresy! It's taken far too long but I'm glad this incredibly superb (and outrageously underrated) song has finally seen justice. Buy this CD, skip to track 14 and I dare you not to feel anything when Marlena sings this hauntingly gorgeous melancholy song.

I thought that I considered myself an R&B Buff, but imagine my surprise a few weeks ago as I was driving home from work and heard the incredible voice of Marlena Shaw for the first time. I immediately came to Amazon.com and ordered this CD...and all I can say is that it is an essential piece of any soul/R&B/jazz/disco lovers collection. From her signature "Go Away Little Boy" to the disco rendition of "Touch Me In The Morning", Marlena is pure magic...This is the first of many more Marlena disc that will be added to my collection.

Marlena Shaw is one of those Artists that I always say if only She was out now how it would be so different? because She along with Betty Wright,Millie Jackson,among a few others were telling it like it was.Go away little boy was the cut.this song alone is the best song that Erika Badu&Stephanie Mills haven't done.Her voice&presentation are both soulful&bring a warm vibe that is missing badly nowadays.enjoy

Marlena's has a CD with a live concert put out in the mid to late 80's with a Sssssmokin' version of "Go Away Little Boy" that had a monologue which would not be misplaced in one of her contemporaries, Millie Jackson's repertoire...although Millie would probably season it to her taste. Anyway, if anyone's got a CD copy of Marlena's live album from the mid-eighties, I believe it was on the Verve label, please let me know...

This is a wonderful compliation of the works of Marlena Shaw! I first listened to her "Yu-Ma/Go Away Little Boy" track over 20 years ago. This proves that good music is timeless: it's as good today as it was in 1977! What a sultry, jazzy, sexy singer that Marlena Shaw is: today, tomorrow, forever.

i have heard this song on the radio 23 years ago, and it was a top hit everyone loved it especially me mr. gale star of hollywood. i have been trying to get this song: go away little boy: and the album that has this song for 23 years.thank god i finally found it, i love that song,i can't live without it. i knew that someday, oneday i would finally get that album, now i can get it on cd. go away little boy is one of my personally great songs of my entire life. i can now play it again and again, in my car when i'm crusing,and also hear it in my home, as much as i want. plus i can now see what other songs are on that album/cd. and see what other songs i have been missing out on all these years.the old music from the 70's and 80's is still the best music ever made. they just don't make really good music like the way i like it anymore.the good old days of 1977 are back for me at least for my music. i love this type of music till i die-forever and beyond !

To the music fan from Ireland, I do own this CD!!! I've had this for a few years. It is a good album but if you've been searching for 15 years, then hopefully you will see this and get in touch.

Marlena Shaw: Is It Love Verve/Digital

1. DAY IN-DAY OUT
2. IT IS LOVE
3. NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT / THAT'S LIFE
4. UNFORGETTABLE
5. AT LAST
6. THEM THERE EYES
7. LOVER OF THE SIMPLE THINGS
8. ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE
9. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING
10. GO AWAY LITTLE BOY
11. ROCKIN' CHAIR BLUES

***LIVE FROM VINE ST.***