Customer Reviews

When Will I See You Again: Best of

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The Three Degrees were originally a Sixties Girl Group out of Philadelphia, discovered by producer/songwriter Richard Brrett, who also had Little Anthony & the Imperals, the Chantels, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers in his stable. However, all of the songs on "The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again" are taken from the Seventies, when the group was signed to Philadelphia International Records and their albums were being produced by Gamble & Huff. At that point the Three Degrees consisted of Valerie Holiday, Sheila Ferguson, and the only remaining original member Fayette Pickney and the R&B Girl Group was now doing lush disco songs starting with their first hit for their new label, "Dirty Ol' Man." Then they got to sing with MFSB on "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" the new theme song for television's "Soul Train," which went #1 on the Pop Charts in 1974. That same summer the Three Degrees hit the charts with their mega-hit, "When Will I See You Again," which made it to #2 and became their signature song (and therefore the title for this hits collection). The group's other charting songs were "Love is the Message," "I Didn't Know" and "Take Good Care of Yourself," but they were minor efforts compared to "When Will I See You Again." But when the disco bubble popped the Three Degrees went another evolution, changing members and doing a lot of performing and recording in the U.K., where they had always enjoyed more popularity (they played at Prince Charles's 30th birthday party and were invited to his wedding). I was trying to track down the group's Girl Group songs, so this album was not what I was looking for, but in terms of the disco sound these songs have a certain touch of elegance (I wanted to say the Three Degrees have a smoother sound than a lot of their disco contemporaries, but that don't sound classy enough). As is often the case with groups like this, the hits are not necessarily the best of the lot and I would declare a preference for "Can't You See What You're Doing to Me," "I Live Being a Woman," "A Woman Needs a Good Man," and "A Year of Decision" as being the songs worth discovering amongst these 20 tracks.

This venerable, talented trio has never been fully captured on CD. This one is your best bet.

The problem? These girls had two career phases, utterly irreconcilable to most of their fans. Phase one is The Three Degrees most of us know and love: the Philly International years. They were to this label what The Superemes were to Motown, but their monster hits "When Will I See You Again" (1973), "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)," (1974) and their grace notes on Tom Moulton's brilliant 1977 remix of "Love Is The Message" did not commercially sustain.

Still, every album they cut on this label is worthwhile. Even minor R&B hits like "Take Good Care Of Yourself" (1975) still send a chill up the spine with their corny but wistful power.

When the hits dried up, the girls teamed up with Giorgio Moroder, the Italo-German wunderkind who made Donna Summer. Most fans of the 3D's early years HATE these records. I like one of them.

The earlier records are better music overall, but the first album cut they with Giorgio ("New Dimensions," 1978) has a thrilling side-one suite. Think of "Givin Up/Givin In," "Lookin' For Love," and "Falling in Love Again" as the Three Degrees five years later...no longer spring chickens, angry with the downside of the love they used to coo about, but not quite through with it.

Side two is notable for "The Runner," a big disco hit in early 1979. Too bad the second album they cut with Moroder, "3D" (1980) is mostly junk, in the same Eurodisco vein.

An ideal compilation would include most of "New Dimensions," plus one or two sweet singles these girls cut before they hit big, including their 1970 remake of The Chantals' ballad "Maybe."

Alas, soul sisters rarely get their due...

I have found the song, "When Will I See You Again," AT LAST! There are few songs that tug at your heartstrings and evoke such powerful emotions in a person the way that song does! I suppose I feel such emotion over this song because I was born in 1970, and that song reminds me of my childhood every time I hear it. It's funny how we associate certain songs with meaningful times in our lives. For the longest, I didn't know who sang the song, and I was even unsure as to the correct title. But recently after listening to an oldies radio station here in Houston play the song, the DJ finally announced the correct song title and artist. Needless to say, I was sooooo excited! I got on Amazon as soon as I got home, and was thrilled to find that they had it in stock! Thanks Amazon! You made my day! =o)

The Three Degrees were one of the most successful groups to emerge from the Philadelphia soul scene in the seventies. Their American success was limited to their Philly sound period but they continued to have success in Europe, particularly Britain, for a few years after that. Their music is a wonderful mix of ballads and up-tempo material but may generally be described as easy-listening disco music.

This collection focuses on the early part of their career, their Philly sound period. Among the hits included here are TSOP (their only American number one hit) and When will I see you again (their only British number one hit). Other great songs including Dirty old man, Year of decision and Take good care of yourself, the last two of which charted high in the UK.

After they switched labels to Ariola, their British hits included Golden lady, Jump the gun, Giving up giving in, Woman in love, The runner and My simple heart. You must look elsewhere if you want those tracks.

As a collection of their Philly sound music (the only part of their career that most Americans are interested in), this is brilliant.

I had one variety tape that I taped myself of the 3 Degrees singing 'When will I see you again' and lost it. Every chance I got to see them on TV in the 70s I took. I have been waiting for Radio on Dial to finally play this song. NOTTTTT! In disgust I finally went looking on Amazon.com. And there they were!! I finally found them after all these years! I promptly ordered the CD titled 3 Degrees (When will I see you again). Received it & in about 3 days and I've been in heaven ever since. I play it at home on my computer and on my computer at work a lot! These girls are sooo underrated. The only girl groups who has ever been in the same league with the Degrees were the Jones girls (also VERY underrated!) & the 3 sisters who toured briefly with Earth Wind & Fire in the 70s, sorry I've forgotten their names. I get the same cold chills I used to get in the 70s when I listen to this 3 Degrees CD. I'd never heard them sing Dirty Old Man, Love Is The Message, I Didn't Know, or any of the others, but they too sound so good that I feel like I've just gotten their latest new release. Hadn't the slightest idea that they were the vocalist on the TSOP all these years. Get this CD! I promise if you are a 3 Degrees fan you will be greatly satisfied!!! I love these girl's voices!! Thank you Amazon, now I'm gonna look for the Jones Girls! I still have all their old albums, but no CDs. Anyway I love this 3 Degrees CD!!!!!!

What a great CD!

I had forgotten just how good The Three Degrees really were! For years I had searched for the title track, "When Will I See You Again", and when I found this disc at Amazon.com I didn't hesitate to buy it. Along with the other great originals, "T.S.O.P." and "Take Good Care of Yourself" to name a few, this CD is a must have for any serious lover of the music of the seventies.

The only problem I have is getting this CD back from my wife.

I can promise you one thing, you won't be disappointed.

Here is one of the best groups that are in the league with The Emotions. Sheila Ferguson, Valerie Holiday, and Fayette Pickney had some of the tightest harmonies, only second to the harmonies of the Hutchinson sisters of The Emotions. I love all of the songs, but, my favorite song has to be "Love Is The Message", that fused them with the other Philly powerhouse, MFSB (the group that is responsible for the "Soul Train" theme song, TSOP [The Sound Of Philadelphia}, in which The Three Degrees colaborated on, as well).

If, like me, you were little in 1976, driving around with mom and food shopping in one of those gas eating Ford Country Squires--you know, those fake wood sides-you got to hear A LOT of soul. Fords only came with AM radios in those days, which is why you knew a lot more top 40 songs and did not really get to what was then FM music until you actually grew up enough to seek it out.

The problem is that a lot of these great soul hits go back and back and back into subconsious closets. Entangled in sounds of Led Zeppelin and King Crimson--and with a hard case like me, Hawkwind and Albert Ayler and a sea of other brain damaging material--you sit stumped in 2010 trying to think of WHO did that soul song way back then--now that you want to rediscover this music. You sit and sit and hurt your brain--did you ever even know?

Well, in very roundabout fashion, I got some of my answers. After recently seeing Billy Friedkin's The French Connection, I found out that when Doyle and Grasso walked into the club and that girl group was singing Jimmy Webb's "Everybody Is Going To The Moon," that girl group was a very young Three Degree.

We all know how as 1971 turned to '73 and '77, soul got glossier and a little more pop oritented. So I was suprised to find a lot of the song on here, "When Will I See You Again" rings to mind, were in fact, the Three Degrees.

This album was not the 60s-70s soul romp I was expecting, but what I got instead was just as great: with great Philly production and who I think is MFSB backing the Degrees up, this is that shiney and production are excellent, and hearing this music now--which provided a welcome pulse next to Debbie Boone and Olivia Newton John all those years ago on the old AM--reminds me this stuff sounds better now than back in the divided AM/FM 70s and 80s.


You just can't deny how good it sounds

Inncidently, if you dig on "Everyone Is Going To The Moon," check out Thelma Huston's Sunshower, the album Webb produced for her in 1969.

Having only heard this group's monster hit, WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, I was really curious about their career. I enjoyed reading the liner booklet because it detailed the evolution of the group and gave me a definite frame of reference.

Every track on this disc features exceptional harmonies and musical arrangements. I never caught myself thinking about the fact that these songs were produced in the 70's and as someone who loves music, I appreciate the timeless quality of this music.

Although all tracks feature great vocals, the standouts to me are: WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME, LONLIER ARE THE FOOLS, HERE I AM, IF AND WHEN & EVERYBODY GETS TO GO TO THE MOON

Of note are:

DIRTY OL' MAN - with its "tell it like it is" lyrics that don't seem mean-spirited

YEAR OF DECISION - although I didn't particularly care for this song, the lyrics really resonated with me as we move toward a very important presidential election

TSOP & LOVE IS THE MESSAGE - both feature exceptional MUSICAL arrangements utilizing the Three Degrees as backing vocalists

I'd highly recommend it to music fans who may be curious about the evolution of female r&b groups or just this group in particular.

i was lucky to see them perform live some years ago,Sheila F.,the lead is breathtaking,I really got hooked on their sound, the TSOP.