Soul4real : Dionne Warwick & Irma Thomas - New 45s

Another great double-sided soul release from Soul4Real, which will leave you wondering where both these songs have been for the last fifty years...

When Dionne Warwick joined Warner Brothers in 1972 after a decade with Scepter, she ended her long association with Bacharach and David and began working with the finest soul producers of the era – including Holland/Dozier/Holland, Jerry Ragovoy and Thom Bell.

These collaborations led to some of the best albums of Dionne’s career – albums for which more material was recorded than could be included. For that reason, the two incredible mid-70s tracks featured on this essential 45 stayed in the can for almost 40 years, before initially pitching up on CD in 2013.

Happily Soul 4 Real have now paired Ragovoy’s ‘Meant To Be’ and Bell’s ‘I Found Someone Else’ for their first ever vinyl release. The high quality of Dionne’s “Then Came You” and “Track Of The Cat” albums notwithstanding, it’s still astonishing that these tracks were shelved as danceable, radio-friendly soul doesn’t get any better.

Two legendary producers, one legendary singer. What’s not to love?

𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲

The B-side here, “Turn Around And Love You”, has Irma's wonderful honey brown voice working out on this great mid-tempo recorded in Detroit in 1971. “All I Wanna Do Is Save You” is THE side for me though. A great, supremely crafted deep slowie, recorded at Malaco with Wardell Quezergue at the helm, it builds to a giant crescendo with Irma crying out “Save You” at the end of each line.

From the first time I saw Irma singing live in 1981 at her own bar The Lion's Den, I have wanted to ask her one question: “Why don't you just change your title 'The Queen of New Orleans Soul' and have 'The Queen of Soul' instead?”. That will do just nicely for me. After hearing these two originally unissued tracks, I think you will agree with me.

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘆𝗰𝗲