Etta James - Can't Seem To Shake It

[Bigsoulman]

Any ideas when this will be out on a 7"

Sir Ady?

[Steve Plumb]

Hope it gets a 45 release soon

[Swifty]

Any ideas when this will be out on a 7"

Sir Ady?

Wow , just listened to it on Youtube , I Like muchly !!!!!

Swifty

[Bigsoulman]

Mr C said a few months ago that it would be coming out in the next batch of Kent 45's....

WHEN MAN!!!!!

[Soulman58]

Top sound from a top sonstress

[Spacehopper]

crackin record...how the hell did it not get a release back when it was recorded??

well chuffed when i heard it was being put out on a seven, think this will sell out quick...come on...when?

dean

[Ceejay]

Sorry if this seems a bit picky but isn't the title CAN'T SHAKE IT.......................or is there another called Can't Seem To Shake It

Edited December 14, 2012 by Carol J

[Shinehead]

Here it is in all its glory

Edited December 14, 2012 by shinehead

[Ceejay]

Here it is in all its glory

[Peter99]

Here it is in all its glory

That private copy would be a nice thing to have. Great record.

Peter

[Soulfinger]

The facebook northern soul thing seems to be suggesting this is an impending Kent Select 45. What a tune this is!

 

Can anybody confirm this please?

[Soulfinger]

Not true then? Bugger!

[Bigsoulman]

According to Ady there was contractual/copyright problems still to be sorted?

 

Maybe confirm Ady?

[Soulfinger]

Thanks mate.   That's a pity; it's on the Who's Blue? Etta Compilation CD which I think I got about a year ago (so Ady must have had access then) but I really, really want it on a 45. 

[Ady Croasdell]

In a twist to the tale, it might be out in the first half of next year but not on Kent. I'll post on here when I know for definite

[Soulfinger]

In a twist to the tale, it might be out in the first half of next year but not on Kent. I'll post on here when I know for definite

 Ooh mysterious intrigue! Thanks Ady, next year doesn't seem like too far away.

[Robbk]

WOW!  Right up my alley!  Classic Chicago 1964!  It could have been a fantastic 1964 Chicago recording.  What a well-written song!  It's very sweet.  It's neither made for the gruff and Bluesy Etta James lead, nor the fairly weak group behind her.  And the instrumental is weak, too, where are the drums, percussion?  Strings have the right idea, in the main, but go the wrong way in a couple places.  The call-response of the lead and coordination with the background group could be better.  The background group should be much stronger.  The arranger didn't emphasize the nice changes correctly. 

 

Too bad.  I can hear, in my mind's ear, a fabulous recording.  It would have been one of my favourite styles.  And if done correctly, would have resulted in one of my all-time favourite recordings.

 

Etta did okay with it.  But, it would have been a lot better, if it had been recorded at Universal Sound Studios, (1) produced by Calvin Carter , arranged by Riley Hampton, and sung by Barbara Green backed by The Dells; or, (2), it would also have worked well in 1965, produced by Carl Davis, arranged by Sonny Sanders, and sung by Mary Wells, backed by Billy Butler and The Chanters.  Or (3), I'd even have settled for Leo Austell producing, Burgess Gardner arranging and Betty Everett on lead, with The Daylighters backing her up!

 

Who wrote that terrific song, and what company originally published it?

Edited October 24, 2014 by RobbK

[Arthur Fenn]

Rob my friend, its just fine as it is thank you 

[Tattoodave]

It looks like someone has booted it already, can't figure out how to post a link, but here it is

ebay item 121453216489

[Geoff]

One of my favourite records down the 100 Club, always gets me on the dance floor. Shame it might not come out on Kent bearing in mind that Ady's been playing it for quite a while.

[Garethx]

Am I correct in saying this is from the Ed Townsend sessions which produced Mellow Fellow?

[The Yank]

According to the liner notes on the "Who's Blue" CD, "Can't Shake It" was recorded at the same session as  "Mellow Fellow" and "Bobby

Is His Name".

[The Yank]

WOW!  Right up my alley!  Classic Chicago 1964!  It could have been a fantastic 1964 Chicago recording.  What a well-written song!  It's very sweet.  It's neither made for the gruff and Bluesy Etta James lead, nor the fairly weak group behind her.  And the instrumental is weak, too, where are the drums, percussion?  Strings have the right idea, in the main, but go the wrong way in a couple places.  The call-response of the lead and coordination with the background group could be better.  The background group should be much stronger.  The arranger didn't emphasize the nice changes correctly. 

 

Too bad.  I can hear, in my mind's ear, a fabulous recording.  It would have been one of my favourite styles.  And if done correctly, would have resulted in one of my all-time favourite recordings.

 

Etta did okay with it.  But, it would have been a lot better, if it had been recorded at Universal Sound Studios, (1) produced by Calvin Carter , arranged by Riley Hampton, and sung by Barbara Green backed by The Dells; or, (2), it would also have worked well in 1965, produced by Carl Davis, arranged by Sonny Sanders, and sung by Mary Wells, backed by Billy Butler and The Chanters.  Or (3), I'd even have settled for Leo Austell producing, Burgess Gardner arranging and Betty Everett on lead, with The Daylighters backing her up!

 

Who wrote that terrific song, and what company originally published it?

    There are no writer credits given on the CD, maybe Ady will enlighten us?

      I'm in the "I Like It Just The Way It Is" club.

[Robbk]

This song was discussed in the "Modern Soul category.  Is this a recording that was made after 1979?

 

Was Ed Townsend the producer?  Maybe he was the writer, or co-writer?  So, then it WASN'T recorded during Etta's time with Argo/Cadet?

[Soulfinger]

 

But, it would have been a lot better, if it had been recorded at Universal Sound Studios, (1) produced by Calvin Carter , arranged by Riley Hampton, and sung by Barbara Green backed by The Dells; or, (2), it would also have worked well in 1965, produced by Carl Davis, arranged by Sonny Sanders, and sung by Mary Wells, backed by Billy Butler and The Chanters.  

 

To be fair, either of those options would improve most songs.

 

I love it as it is. It just makes me want to dance!

[Soulfinger]

It looks like someone has booted it already, can't figure out how to post a link, but here it is

ebay item 121453216489

 

Why on earth would anyone pay money for that? 

[Tattoodave]

Why on earth would anyone pay money for that?

Beats me, as does any three year old on Playstation

[The Yank]

This song was discussed in the "Modern Soul category.  Is this a recording that was made after 1979?

 

Was Ed Townsend the producer?  Maybe he was the writer, or co-writer?  So, then it WASN'T recorded during Etta's time with Argo/Cadet?

 

 

    The liner notes have the session taking place in October,1964 which sounds about right.

      Billy Davis is listed as the producer.

[Robbk]

    The liner notes have the session taking place in October,1964 which sounds about right.

      Billy Davis is listed as the producer.

Then it WAS an Argo master.  I wonder why it wasn't released by Chess in some form?  It must have been arranged by Phil Wright or Riley Hampton (with less possibility (but some) that it was Johnnie Pate (who still was a free-lancer at that time).  With Billy Davis producing, and the song not being an old, "standard" song, the writers were very likely from Billy Davis' Chevis Music writing staff (including, Davis, himself, Carl Smith, William McKinley, Leonard Caston, Gerald Sims, Tony Clarke, Raynard Miner, Ty Hunter, and Maurice McAllister, among others).