Customer Reviews

Queen of the Night

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4 star:		(1)
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There are many underrated singers who seems to have floundered about during the 70's--Bonnie Bramlett and Etta James are just two who come to mind. And then, there's Maggie Bell who never received the recognition in the United States that she deserved. QUEEN OF THE NIGHT is a flawless representation of what Maggie Bell was made of--rock, funk, and blues. She starts off with CADDO QUEEN, pushed to the limit by Ralph MacDonald's insistent percussion (is that a washboard and thimbles in the background?) and ends, almost breathlessly with a pensive TRADE WINDS. A must have!

Remember that lost gem from Rod Stewart? That is where Maggie's whiskey-drenched voice was first heard by me. I have still have the original two solo efforts by her on vinyl. So played out! So excited to see them released on CD! Maggie has one of those once in a life time voices. Please experience her renditions, you will NOT be disappointed!

In the early and mid 1970's, Maggie Bell was on the circuit all over the place. What happened to her, i do not know, but we have her on CD now! Wow, she brings back memories of Janis Joplin and her own style too. Trade Winds is such a remarkable song performed in her own slow blues way. It should be her signature song. Another that will get to you is As The Years Go Passing By with the band showing that they can deliver. A great CD for us baby boomers. She made many appearances on the Midnight show with Wolfman Jack. Maybe that will shake your memory up about her.

"Queen of the Night"(1974) was the first solo album released by white, soul /blues belter, Glasgow-born Maggie Bell, sometimes called the Scottish Janis Joplin, and it's one for that mythic desert island. Bell, formerly lead singer of the well-known Scottish group "Stone The Crows," has a voice unrivalled for its passion and power. She came from a musical family, began singing with local dance bands as a kid, and went to Germany in the late 1960's, to sing at the American bases, where she certainly picked up a few songs for the repertory. But let me make one thing clear, upfront: Bell concerns herself, in the repertory I know, at least, with women's issues. To make another thing clear upfront: I have loved her work so well and so long, that I am sitting here looking at this album in vinyl, one with the notch through the side, that I managed to find, and I don't mind telling you, it's gotten me through some long and lonely nights.

The album, by Atlantic, was produced by the famed Jerry Wexler (they did "Suicide Sal," as well.) And Atlantic just threw high-priced, top-drawer talent at it. Though, Bell says, "The funny thing about `Queen of The Night' is that I made two previous albums for Atlantic in New York - one with Felix Papalardi of Mountain, and the other with Felix Cavaliere of the Young Rascals - which were never released." And the studio threw top-drawer talent at those, too: Luther Vandross backed her.

Nevertheless, the talent on "Queen" was superb. Reggie Young and Cornell Dupree played lead guitar; Dupree, who later took up residence in England, played the rolling thunder piano on "As The Years Go Passing By." And I prefer their take to Albert King's. John Hughey played pedal Steel; Chuck Rainey, bass; Steve Gadd, drums; the Sweet Inspirations, a Stax group, backup. But the true glory of this record is the eleven songs that are its content.

It opens with "Caddo Queen," Confederate rock. "Oh My My," was, of course, written by Ringo Starr of the Beatles. The title song was written by Ronnie Leahy, keyboard player with Stone The Crows. "I always had it in mind to do that song," Bell has said, and no wonder, it certainly has functioned longtime as her signature. Then there's "A Woman Left Lonely," country-western, also done by Rita Coolidge. "Souvenirs" by John Prine, followed by "After Midnight," by J.J. Cale, also done by Eric Clapton. "We did a Latin American treatment on our version with lots of percussion," Bell said. "'The Other Side' was done in a kind of Mae West style. 'Hey Mister - can you help me! I'm looking for a ride over to the other side.' It's got a very American, razzmatazz feel." "As The Years Go Passing By," the best. "Yesterday's Music," "We had It All," "Tradewinds." A few years ago, my darling partner was gifting me with all the Maggie Bell then available at Amazon, and he remarked that, according to the company, he was sending me the last available copy of this record, sitting in a Glasgow warehouse. But they've remastered and rereleased it. Don't miss your chance, girls.

Maggie Bell could sing up a storm, and this album contains some good material. The legendary Atlantic producers wanted Maggie & signed her to the label after her Scottish rock band STONE THE CROWS busted up. They were considered one of the top bands in the UK, and Maggie garnered many Top Female Singer wins in the UK music papers. So here , Maggie was brought to the US to record, and this album has some varying qualities to it in terms of material chosen to record.

I have most all of Maggie's recordings, and this album has some great, some good & some poor choices of material. What I do like about it : the opening song CADDO QUEEN , a rocker all about a ship down on the bayou, and Maggie sings it great. AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY is a standout track - a slow blues number that Maggie sinks her voice into , and it builds up to a big powerful ending. The highlight of the whole album is the title song QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, written by ex-Stone The Crows Ronnie Leahy. This is Maggie in her prime, a totally essential, rock theatre type song, and the backing female vocalists singing " She's the queen of the night " really adds to it. Quite a song & performance. And objectively, this is the kind of original material that Maggie should have had more of here. SOUVENIRS is a five minute ballad that is really enhanced by Memphis/Stax styled horns, and that really gives this folk number written by John Prine a big boost in production terms. YESTERDAY'S MUSIC, WE HAD IT ALL, and THE OTHER SIDE are more traditional pop songs, but Maggie excels at making them her own. OH MY MY is the Ringo Starr song , and AFTER MIDNIGHT is the Eric Clapton hit - both good songs & well done, but what was the point of doing them? They are good, & not knocking them. Original material written for Maggie like the title track would have been fresher.

Now here is what I don't like on this album. I can't believe that after CADDO QUEEN , the pace slows down to Maggie's mundane version of Janis Joplin's A WOMAN LEFT LONELY. Frankly, for Maggie to do a song of Janis', and from PEARL, which was a only 3 years old at the time and a worldwide hit, just invited comparisons to Janis even more, and Maggie's reading of it just can not compare to Janis'. Someone should have told Maggie to leave a Janis song alone. It doesn't move at all, and even if Janis didn't do this one, it still sounds boring here. This version sticks out as the only sore spot on an otherwise good album. Thank goodness you can now program the CD, rather than having to pick up the tone arm & skip this disaster. TRADE WINDS is a much better ballad & the album closer , a social commentary on the times, also done by Roberta Flack, The Three Degrees and other artists. I think that recording in the US , Maggie sounds somewhat not at home on some of these songs. SUICIDE SAL, the follow-up is a much stronger album, and recorded in England. That album I think is a notch or two better than this one. Maggie was received with accolades for this album. It's a good one. But thinking of how much better it should have been, I have to give it one star less.

Maggie Bell's music alternately simmers and boils with passionate playing and singing. According to the liner notes, Bette Midler considered this one of the "greatest" albums she'd heard. Maggie Bell should have continued to record through the years, her voice is that powerful and unique. The album has gone everywhere with me for 25 years and finally it's on cd-thank you Germany, for putting this and "Suicide Sal" out.

If you liked Janis Joplin, you will fall in love with Maggie Bell. Her deep throaty voice unfurls the depth of blues/rock. Her soul is released in versions of "SOUVENIRS" and the classic song of "TRADE WINDS". She brings her special blend of blues to "AS THE YEARS GO PASSING BY". This CD is definetly for the more mature audience who can appreciate the art form. Not for the teens. You will play this CD over and over again. There are playful tunes to "OH MY MY" and "CADDO QUEEN" It is to be noted that Maggie Bell was female vocalist of the year for two years in a row in England. Her brand of music is like no other. It has heart felt songs. She has an excellent follow up CD named "SUICIDE SAL" which is just as good. Mark Piergallini - Chicago "Home of the Blues"