Crate Digger’s Corner: Erma Franklin- Soul Sister (Brunswick Records, 1969)
Crate Digger’s Corner…by DJ Musically Rich
(if you’d like to listen to a track from the album as you read, go to the end of the post to start the song)
For this week’s Crate Digger’s Corner I went deep into my R&B records to find what I was going to review, and am I glad I did! I have not listened to this album in almost a decade, and I did not have an overly strong opinion of it based on the times that I had heard it. I don’t know how I wasn’t paying attention (actually, I do, but that’s a story for another day).
Erma Franklin put out this funky, soul gem in 1969 and besides for great overall performances there are a few quirks on here as well that makes this for a very interesting album. Many of the songs are associated with other artists including The Doors, Sam & Dave, Stevie Wonder, Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin. On that note, she is the older sister to Aretha, and also one of Aretha’s backup singers in both the studio and on tour, which is probably how she is most known. Once again I’ve run across an album that does not have a list of musicians on the record. I tried to find them listed somewhere online and wasn’t able to come up with anything, which is unfortunate because the musicianship was great, especially the bass player who seemed to be leading the crew. There is a very Muscle Shoals-like vibe to the music.
The album opens with Jim Webb’s ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’. Led by an orchestra, which beautifully frames Erma’s voice, it is an introduction to the singer in a traditional sound (at the time) for a vocalist. After that, the strings are ditched, and gritty funk is what holds for the rest of the album. The first side is highlighted by The Doors’ “Light My Fire” led by a funky bass line with a solo section for the horns in the middle of the track. Stevie Wonder’s ‘For Once In My Life’ is propelled by a dancing rhythm section with a hot sax solo in it. She also has a couple quality original funk work outs that help round out side one.
Side two opens with a blistering version of ‘Hold On I’m Coming’, which is followed by the one stripped-down ballad on the album, ‘Saving My Love For You’. Now for what I find to be most interesting...she covers ‘Son Of A Preacher Man’. She does an excellent job with it, but the story of that song is where the interest lies. It was originally written for her little sister, Aretha. I’ve read two stories: 1) she cut it, but didn’t feel it fit with the other material that was going on the particular album she was working on so Jerry Wexler passed the song onto Dusty Springfield (Wikipedia). 2) She didn’t like the sexual content of the song and passed on it, which then led it to Dusty Springfield (that was in some liner notes I read, although I can’t remember for what album). Either way, they both agree that after hearing Dusty Springfield’s version (and even more so, after it became a hit) Aretha cut it for her 1970 album, “This Girl’s In Love With You”. However, in between those two (along with many others that covered the song in that in between time period) Erma dropped a great version on this album. ‘Gotta Find Me A Lover (24 Hours A Day)’ is a straight ahead Soul rocker and the album ends with a cover of little sister’s ‘Baby I Love You’ that is fairly similar to the original.
With a great band and terrific performances all around, this is a great record to add to your funk collection when you run across it.
Stars: 4.5/5
Available on: LP/CD
RIYL: Betty Wright- I Love The Way You Love, Cold Blood- s/t, Bill Withers- Still Bill, Donny Hathaway- Live
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To listen to a track from the album…
