Customer Reviews

Right on the Tip of My Tongue

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Ok, "Right on the tip of my tongue" is one of my all-time favourite pop-soul songs, so I was longing to get this album when I discovered the tracks were newly remastered and mixed by none other than the legendary Tom Moulton. And "Right..." sounds absolutely fantastic in full stereo! Apart from Brenda's gorgeous version of "Don't Make Me Over" there's nothing else here that rivals the title track, but the music is nothing less than energetic and soulful, if often very rough in performance. Worth buying as a good document of earnest yet fun soul music.

When the apex of the female lead with male group members burst onto the scene in the Sixties, led by Gladys Knight & The Pips and Ruby & The Romantics, naturally others would be inspired to try their hand. Many failed, but Brenda & The Tabulations gave them a pretty good run for their money, scoring 17 R&B hits between 1967 and 1977, 12 of which also made the Billboard Hot 100 Pop charts.

Originating in Philadelphia the group initially consisted of Brenda Payton, Eddie Jackson, Maurice Coates, and Jerry Jones, and in 1967 they had their first hit with Dry Your Eyes b/w The Wash for the small Dionn label. In the spring the A-side peaked at # 8 R&B/# 20 Hot 100.

Before the year was out they would have four more hits: Who's Loving You (# 19 R&B/# 66 Top 100) b/w Stay Together Young Lovers (# 44 R&B/# 66 Top 100); Just Once In A Lifetime (# 41 R&B/# 97 Hot 100 b/w Hey Boy); and When You're Gone (# 27 R&B/# 58 Hot 100, also with Hey Boy as the flipside). Their final Dionn hits were To The One I Love (# 45 R&B in 1968 b/w Baby You're So Right) and That's The Price You Have To Pay (# 43 R&B in 1969 b/w I Wish I Hadn't Done What I Did).

This CD picks up their hits after moving over to the Top & Bottom label and adding Bernard Murphy to the group, beginning with 1969's The Touch Of You (# 12 R&B/# 50 Hot 100 b/w Stop Sneaking Around). The following year the group downsized to Brenda, Deborah Martin, and Pat Mercer, scoring with And My Heart Sang (Tra La La) - # 12 R&B/# 64 Hot 100 b/w Lies Lies Lies - and a re-make of the 1963 Dionne Warwick hit Don't Make Me Over which peaked at # 15 R&B and # 77 Hot 100 with You've Changed as its flipside.

1971/72 saw four more hits: A Child No One Wanted [# 42 R&B/# 120 Hot 100 "bubble under" b/w Scuse Uz Y'All]; Right On The Tip Of My Tongue [# 10 R&B/# 23 Hot 100 b/w Always & Forever]; A Part Of Me [# 14 R&B/# 94 Hot 100 b/w Where There's A Will (There's A Way)]; and their last hit with Top & Bottom, Why Didn't I Think Of That [# 34 R&B/# 107 Hot 100 "bubble under" early in 1972 b/w A Love You an Depend On]. The last two are, unfortunately, missing from this set.

Also unavailable is their one hit with Epic in 1973, One Girl Too Late b/w Magic Of Your Love (# 48 R&B), and their two with the Chocolate City label - 1976's Home To Myself b/w Leave Me Alone (# 61 R&B) and (I'm A) Superstar b/w Take It Or Leave It (# 31 R&B in 1977).

A vastly underrated group, this CD (and the one titled Dry Your Eyes) are worthwhile additions to any collection of Sixties music. Sadly, Brenda Payton passed away on June 14, 1992.

Thanks to the revived Jamie/Guyden outfit for bringing this material to market. Up to now, this stuff has only been available on some questionably legitimate foreign pieces in fairly horrible sound quality.

While not achieving the recognition of better-known 60's r&b female groups, or making it into the pop top 10, these girls managed to hit the top-100 pop charts 11 times. This piece covers the material they did for the Top and Bottom label late in the 60's and early 70's.

The sound quality is excellent overall with all tracks in true stereo save one - "Always and Forever" - having been newly mixed from the original masters for this project.

While a desirable piece on its own, this makes a great complement to the other B & T compilation ("Dry Your Eyes") also from Jamie/Guyden.

Wow: What a pleasant surprise. Years ago, I picked up this groups Dry Your Eyes a Philly Soul album Van McCoy produced in 1967. This was very, very sugary, with washed out audio . The album had its moments--the title track not being one, but was not a standout.

This is: The production is totally different--well balanced, and lush without being creepily sappy. The vocals are excellent, and the dynamics have a much better range. I don't know if Gamble and Huff had a hand here, but their type of perfect tightrope act between sweet and nutra-sweet soul comes off fantastically on this.

Soul really was a producer's medium, especially in the 1960s, and this album shows me how good a great band can sound when moving from the wrong hands to the right ones.

This was an excellent product. I got good service and a very good album!

No voiceovers, no enhancements, no electronics. natural voices with real instruments. What you hear is what you get. Beautiful.

Classic R&B!!! I loved it!! This is when music was really music!!!!

What a great c.d.Outstanding sound! This c.d.gets my highest recomendation.If you like the artist you'll love the c.d.I'm looking forward to the Dry Your Eyes c.d.