Customer Reviews

What Colour Is Love / Dee Dee

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Dee Dee Sharp originally known for Mashed Potato Time, Ride, Do The Bird, Gravy, and other early 60's sounds finally shows her mature side in this grandly produced 70's Gamble-Huff production. "Trying To Get The Feeling", "Flashback", and "What Color Is Love" are all heady ballads. "Breaking and Entering", "Let's Get This Party Started", "Easy Money" are all uptempo, funky songs. "Invitation" is a torchy, raw song. Dee Dee proves to us that she can do it all. She even does a duet with Jerry Butler.

Had Dee Dee desired it, she could have been one of the greatest jazz divas of all time. Her vocal range, impeccable timing, and brilliant talent are all here. Dee Dee was not only talented, but intelligent as well. After her divorce from husband Kenneth Gamble, she decided to get a PhD in psychology, support herself, and raise her children. Smart move, if you have ever followed the downfall of Gamble & Huff and TSOP which left a lot of great artists floundering.

If you can find it, another must-have is her cd Happy About The Whole Thing (a Japanese import) which in the 70's preceded this 2 album-in-one CD set.

Some of the reviewers have indicated this is NOT Dee Dee Sharp of the 1960 "Mashed Potatoes." I beg to differ. It's true that her voice sounds different from her 1960 hits. By the 1970s, Dee Dee Sharp's voice matured into a soulful and powerful instrument. Her voice on this cd sounds just like her earlier 1975 LP "Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing." She begins a song by articulating a lyric religiously and then later powerfully releases the full emotiion of the song, never sounding shrill like some other nameless soulful singers. I gave this cd only 4 stars because I think the order of the songs is unimpressive. Once programmed, however, the cd is almost as brilliant as her earlier LP, "Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing." (By the way, why isn't that one on cd? She does the definitive versions of "Ooh Ooh Child" and "I'm Not in Love.") On this cd, I think her version of "I Really Want to See You Tonight" is better than the original, a song I always hated until I heard Ms. Sharp's version. I think it apparent that I believe Dee Dee Sharp is one of the most underrated singers, and, shamefully, she is rarely mentioned in music history, probably because she never left the Philadelphia sound (which is okay, but is limiting to such a great singer). How I wish she could have ventured down to Memphis like Dusty Springfield to record some songs with classic musicians. Anyway, this cd is available and gives a hint of the greatness of Dee Dee Sharp. Enjoy!

Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime to hear passionate soul singing at its ultimate in this magnificent collection...Dee Dee was a big hit-maker in the sixties but became an extraordinary singer in the 70's and 80's being one of the best in the business!! When "What Color Is Love?" came out, it looked like a sure thing that Dee Dee would obtain legendary status as this powerful collection is filled with soul-stirring performances & from the beautifully haunting "What Color Is Love?" to the passionate plea in "Nobody Could Ever Take Your Place", nobody could take Dee Dee's place in these wondrous songs! The second album sadly her last to date is the great "Dee Dee" which came out in the early 80's to great reviews but no radio support which was hard to figure out because so many of these incredible tracks could have been huge "hit's" with any airplay at all!! Dee Dee's duet with legendary Jerry Butler "Everyday Affair" could be a hit today with single release...Jerry and Dee Dee are thrilling together and "Everyday Affair" stands up along with any of the greatest ever duets along with Dinah & Brook or Marvin & Tammi. "Dee Dee" has a number of great funky dance numbers which feature wild Dee Dee Sharp vocals which will make your head spin!! Awesome favorite on this great album is a ballad that builds to intense levels, "Invitation" is a smoldering and riveting scorcher that will give pleasure to anyone who loves great passionate vocals! "I Love You Anyway" is sultry and hypnotic and was a chart R&B hit that should have been a huge pop hit as well and would have if Top 40 would have given airplay!! Little wonder interest in music and sales have gone down when extraordinary talent like this gets strangely overlooked. DON'T MISS THIS ONE and with any luck this great singer will record once again as a great voice like Dee Dee Sharp's could only get better with age and what a joy it would be to hear a long overdue update from this great and talented wonder. ENCORE please Dee Dee...we miss you alot!!!

Dee Dee is perhaps the most under rated R&B female artist of the 70's. While these 2 selections are great; in particular, What Color is Love, her first album at Philadelphia International(on the TSOP label) was in my opinion one of the 2 finest female R&B albums of all time (the other being Jean Carn's first LP at the same label).
Unfortunately, "Happy bout the whole thing" is currently unavailable on CD, i personally would pay big bucks for a copy!

What Color is Love shows off both Dee Dee's powerful, emotional voice as well as highlighting the great philly sound of the 70's.
a definite must for any philly sound lovers, a staple for any female R&B lover. Dee Dee rules!

This is a FANTASTIC 2 LPs on one CD.
It's crimminal that it is out of print.
'What Color is Love?' is a masterpiece and 'Dee Dee' is just plain fun.
If you ever liked the Philly International Sound--this CD is a REAL treasure.

A shame that there is so little of Dee Dee Sharp singing contemporary and well-produced SoulPop like these collections.

If you see this CD in a used CD store snatch it up, ditch those mashed potatoes---and get your groove on!!

Like the other reviews, Dee Dee Sharp is excellent. If you have the vinyl Lp you will notice that Breaking and Entering is a little different on this cd. That song spent 4 weeks at number one on Billboard's Disco/Dance chart.

THE SONGS YOU HAVE LISTED HERE SOUND LIKE THE VOICE OF DELLA REESE. IN FACT, DEE DEE DOESN'T SING SONGS LIKE THIS. DEE DEE HAS MORE OF AN UPTEMPO PHILLY STYLE.....PLEASE FIX THIS LIST OF SONGS IMMEDIATELY. I'LL WAIT AND ORDER LATER TO ENSURE I'M ORDERING THE RIGHT DISC.

THIS IS NOT DEE DEE SHARP'S VOICE

In The Still Of The Night 2. Time After Time 3. Fine Sugar 4. Years From Now 5. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm 6. Headin' Home 7. Daybreak Serenade 8. My Melancholy Baby 9. One For My Baby 10. In The Meantime 11. The More I See You 12. How Can You Not Believe Me? 13. How About You? 14. And That Reminds Me 15. I Cried For You 16. By Love Possessed 17. I Only Want To Love You 18. How Can You Lose (Whatcha' Never Had)? 19. If Not For You 20. I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin' 21. C'mon C'mon 22. Wishing (I Wish) 23. You Gotta Love Everybody 24. Sermonette 25. My Dreams End At Dawn 26. When I Grow Too Old To Dream 27. You're Just In Love 28. Time Was 29. Once Upon A Dr

Enjoyed this album immensely. A "got to have" for Dee Dee fans. Captures her later works on the PI label. Nice orchestration and GREAT vocals. A more "adult" Dee Dee Sharp!

Yes, folks. From listening to the samples, this is REALLY Dee Dee Sharp (Gamble). While I await a (hopeful) backorder, I have both albums in vinyl. And, YES, it is the same Dee Dee Sharp who did Mashed Potatoes (sp?) in the '60s and who LATER married Kenny Gamble (of Philly's Gamble & Huff fame) and came out with these two intriguing, stylish albums in the late 70s. Her cover of "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" is worth the price of the entire CD (trust me). I hope it becomes available used OR reissued soon! (Hint, hint to record label)

They were attempting a more adult, contemporary sound with these albums. Get her oldies if you want "Gravy" & "Mashed Potato Time"!