Customer Reviews

Goddess Of Love

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This 1983 release was Phyllis' final Arista album and is now (thankfully) available on CD. Of course, this album includes the horrific and blatantly commercial Disco hit "Riding The Tiger" (which Phyllis herself hated so much she ultimately refused to perform it live) but the ballads which Arista's then-president Clive Davis deemed too inferior to release as singles are the album's crown jewels. Sparsely-produced yet lush romantic ballads like "Falling Star", "Just Me And You", "Let Somebody Love You", "We Should Be Lovers" and the minor hit "Why Did You Turn Me On?" are just as good as anything Phyllis recorded for her "Living All Alone" and "Prime Of My Life" CDs and should make this CD a must-have for anyone who loves passionate and romantic music. On a personal note, I want to thank the people at Reel Music for not only reissuing this album on CD but also for the obvious cre they took in properly remastering it. Enjoy!

For those who have collected Phyllis Hyman over the years on CD knows that this album was the "missing link". Granted, all tracks popped up sporadically on various compilations, but not the complete album as its own. Reel Music really took care in remastering GODDESS OF LOVE and present it as it should be heard. Even if not a personal favorite, glad that the album and extended dance versions of "Riding The Tiger" are here. My favorites from this set, "Let Somebody Love You", "We Should Be Lovers", and "25 Miles To Anywhere" sound superb. Very lengthy liner notes in booklet. An absolute "must" for every Phyllis fan.

"Goddess Of Love" would turn out to be the final Lp that would issued on The Arista Label. Lead by the Lame single "Riding The Tiger" (phyllis's dislike of this song has already been mentioned). How Clive Davis thought this was a Hit is beyond me and most of the Phyllis Hyman fan base, but there was no love lost at this point in the Clive Davis/Phylis Hyman relatonship so who knows, maybe he set her up.
The GOOD news was after you get past the first two tracks (the title track "Goddess of Love" being the other) the Lp REALLY becomes Classic Phyllis Hyman. The 2nd single "Why Did you Turn You me" (#74 R&B) right through to "25 miles to anywhere" are among the best songs Phyllis had in her recording career.
With the Stunning album art, it is nice to have the complete Lp at long last (all but "25" could ve found on some compilation) but very pleased we have the lp on Cd.

Why did it take so long to make this CD? Do I have to wait another 27 years for the next one to be made?

This is an album that has forced strong reaction from Phyllis Hyman fans from its release till now. The first and major single used for this album GODDESS OF LOVE was RIDING THE TIGER and is considered by many to be awful, a true insult to Phyllis and her artistry and a move that caused future trouble with her career. I remember when I bought this album 1n 1983. I was 22 and I also was let down by the gimmicky, lackluster songs GODDESS OF LOVE and RIDING THE TIGER. But things were different at that time. With albums you had to flip it over for side two and the first half of the first side being these gimmicky disco castoffs didn't give listeners much motivation. This was sad for the rest of the album was indeed classic Hyman and on this reissued cd which is remastered beautifully it shines like a new found gem.

Phyllis Hymnan was not the only artist that was hindered by the disco era. It was so strong and permeated the airwaves so strongly that practically every artist had to show their over the top disco side. The sad fate that would befall Phyllis is another reason people look so badly at this release. To read in the extensive liner notes how they were trying to create a new image for Phyllis and these two songs were indeed part of it is very interesting. Phyllis Hyman was a true vocal stylist with a range and power to her voice combined with an emotive delivery that far surpassed most singers of any style of that period. She was a great jazz, r@b and soul singer. Her vocals effortlessly flowed and caressed each song she tackled.

I agree that the two disco tracks here were a misstep but hearing them here I still hear the strong presence that is Phyllis rising above the material and though true camp I truly enjoy them. And after them we immediately get WHY DID YOU TURN ME ON, YOUR MOVE MY HEART, FALLING STAR and JUST ME AND YOU. These songs are classic Hyman and were truly overlooked due to the marketing of this album. The bonus track JUST 25 MILES TO ANYWHERE is a beautiful ballad done in the way only Phyllis could do it. There are not as many ballads here but there is so much sadness when listening to Phyllis Hyman collections that I find listening to the albums from this period an uplifting experience. I am able to enjoy the mastery that is Phyllis Hyman - a vocal prowess unsurpassed and the songs are fun, joyful and a positive experience. To just enjoy the magic of Phyllis in this manner is a gift. And this released is remastered beautifully with extensive liner notes. Highly recommended. A very underrated album that gets new life and appreciation on cd.

This was one of Ms. Hyman's finest recordings of her career. The album cover is one helluva eye candy as well. She still to me today is one of the most underrated talents of the last four decades. This is a woman who never really got her just due as an vocalist. She is still missed in the world of music today. I hope that some company comes along one day soon and re-release this recording as well as some of her others onto compact disc real soon.

As an avid Phyllis Hyman follower, "Goddess of Love" was yet another Arista recording slated for consumption in my record collection. The lead single, "Riding the Tiger," is a challenging tune to tackle. Knowing Hyman, as I have from past recordings, there seems to be no song that she can't perform. Part of this album was produced by Narada Michael Walden, legendary producer who also helped put Angela Bofill back on top with the smash hit, "Too Tough" the same year. Hyman performed an excellent cover of "Why Did You Turn Me On," a song originally taken from Walden's own repertoire - the "Dance of Life" album.

The relaxing sound of steel drums made "Let Somebody Love You" an attractive love song while on the engaging "We Should Be Lovers," Hyman woos her male companion to consider becoming something more than just friends.

Other than that, the other five tracks are not as remarkable as those mentioned. "Goddess of Love" was the last album Hyman recorded before parting ways from Arista. As a whole, the album was not her best effort, but piecemeal, there are a few delicious bites to be had.

Well, it should be known that Clive Davis tried to do a Joan Crawford on Phyllis just like when Louis Mayer of Paramount did Joan dirty by trying to systematically push her out of the Paramount by giving her bad scripts. Phyllis would not 'fall into line' for his next money-maker scheme in pushing a cross-over singer. Whitney raised her hand and Clive's machine got behind her full strength, leaving Phyllis and Angie Bofill to the wayside, not caring about quality material, production or anything of that nature. Phyllis complained about this big time and things were at a head when this album was in production. Shortly after the release of this LP he let her go. Phyllis was graceful because she got 'no love' when Clive and Arista took over Buddha Records.

Foremost, I would like to thank whomever was responsible for this great record to FINALLY be re-released on CD! You have made me and a lot of other people very happy.

Phyllis Hyman was almost at the end of her relationship with Clive Davis & Arista Records. He had envisioned Phyllis as a mainstream artist but it hadn't happened. She was reluctant to sing many of the songs he wanted her to do and she fought to record what she wanted to. Let's go back to 1983. Phyllis had just finished her successful stint on Broadway with the show "Sophisticated Ladies" (something Clive was against) and the musical tide was changing from disco to electronic dance rhythms. Phyllis began recording this album with her longtime producer Thom Bell but when she submitted it, Clive sent her back in the studio with famous producer NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN. The result was this album, which consists of 7 Thom Bell songs and 3 Narada songs.

There are so many gems on this record and every type of fan would appreciate it. From dance rhythms of "Riding The Tiger" to the title track to lovely slow jams like "Falling Star".

So as an epilogue to this anectode, one of the songs offered to Phyllis during this era was "What's Love Got To Do With It?", which Phyllis turned down. A year later it became the comeback hit for Tina Turner which was the last straw for Clive Davis. PHyllis was dropped due to their inability to work together and because he was on the verge of launching a younger talent who had as much promise as Phyllis did to become a mainstream star, Whitney Houston!

Despite turmoil with Arista Records during the recording and release of what would be her final LP for the label, Goddess Of Love remains an enjoyable Pop/R&B album. The first two tracks "Riding The Tiger" and "Goddess Of Love" are festive forays into disco-styled dance music that show Phyllis in "diva" mode with commanding vocals and frisky lyrics. Perhaps these more lavishly-produced tracks do not reflect the sound most Phyllis Hyman listeners would expect, but if taken at surface value they are uptempo jams with vocal thrills to spare. "Why Did You Turn Me On" slows the tempo a tad and gives Phyllis a lush orchestral landscape for flexing her capable pipes, and is followed by the dramatic "Your Move, My Heart" before turning to the smoothly alluring "Let Somebody Love You." The ballads "Falling Star" and "Just 25 Miles To Anywhere" are classic Phyllis torch tear-jerkers that sound as fresh today as they did back in 1983, while the funky "We Should Be Lovers" and the understated groove of "Just Me And You" nicely round out the set. The remastering is nicely done, although the title track appears to have a somewhat premature fade (though the average ear likely wouldn't notice the few missing seconds of music). The extended dance version of "Riding The Tiger" appears as a bonus track, and it easily outperforms the album cut with an additional two minutes of vocal ad libs, jungle-styled rhythms, and pure fun! It would have been nice if Reel Music was able to include additional bonus material here, such as the radio and instrumental versions of "Riding The Tiger" and even several non-LP tracks recorded during or around the time of the Goddess Of Love sessions, including the Thom Bell production "I'm Not Asking You To Stay" (now avaialable on the Can't We Fall In Love Again remastered CD), "Is This Love, Must Be Love" (another Thom Bell track which was refused by then Arista label head Clive Davis), "I'll Be There" (from failed motion picture The Doorman), and the powerhouse ballad "Never Say Never Again" (currently available on iTunes). These shortcomings aside, the Goddess Of Love remaster CD represents an important point in the life and career of Phyllis Hyman, as she would go on to release two well-received R&B albums (which spawned several R&B hits including her first #1) and enjoy perhaps the greatest success of her career before her downward personal spiral and untimely (and tragic) death.