In today's Cherry Red Round-Up: titles from the SoulMusic, Grapefruit, and Cherry Pop labels!

Throughout a recording career spanning, roughly, 1972-2008, Randy Crawford refused to be pigeonholed.  Gifted with a versatile, expressive voice, Randy straddled the worlds of jazz and soul while dipping her toes into funk, pop, dance, and rock; her collaborators include George Benson, Al Jarreau, Steve Hackett, Rick Springfield, David Sanborn, and Joe Sample and The Crusaders.  SoulMusic Records recently explored a major chapter of her discography on the 3-CD anthology You Might Need Somebody: The Warner Bros. Recordings (1976-1993).

Over the course of three thematically arranged discs - Rain, Romance, and the whimsically-titled Razzamajazz - You Might Need Somebody samples the eleven albums released by Crawford on Warner Bros. between 1976's Everything Must Change (her first solo LP) and 1993's Don't Say It's Over.  The depth and breadth of her catalogue is what stands out the most on this vivid collection.  So does the ease with which she reinvents classic material, giving a fresh spin to the lyrics and melodies of such familiar fare as Eagles' "Desperado," Tony Joe White's swamp-pop masterwork "Rainy Night in Georgia," Jerry Butler's deep Chicago soul anthem "I Stand Accused," Benard Ighner's soul perennial "Everything Must Change," the Ashford and Simpson-penned Motown classic "Your Precious Love," Kenny Loggins and Richard Page's "Who's Right, Who's Wrong," Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and John Lennon's "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance."

The hidden gems are equally worthy of rediscovery, whether Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager's sweet "One Hello" (written for the Neil Simon comedy You Ought to Be in Pictures and later repurposed for some stage productions of the Simon/Hamlisch/Sager musical They're Playing Our Song) or Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody's moving "I Let You Walk Away."  The collection, of course, includes Crawford's most acclaimed performances including Joe Sample and Will Jennings' "Street Life," originally performed by Sample's band Crusaders with Randy as guest vocalist (and heard here in the artist's Greatest Hits edit); and the same duo's "One Day I'll Fly Away," which was a European hit for Randy but found greater fame years later when sung by Nicole Kidman in the film Moulin Rouge.

Crawford's silken yet powerful voice often was juxtaposed against smooth backgrounds; yacht rock fans will find a lot to like here on such cuts as "Don't Wanna Be Normal," a soundtrack tune from the Goldie Hawn starrer Wildcats co-written by Michael McDonald and Ambrosia's David Pack (among others) and Bill LaBounty's "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me."  A number of Randy's own strong compositions (the evocative "Cigarette in the Rain," "Don't Come Knockin'," "Go On and Live It Up") showcase another side of the singer.

Randy Crawford followed up the period covered on this collection with a couple of Atlantic albums before returning to Warner Bros. for 2001's Permanent (U.S. title)/Play Mode (U.K. title); she rounded out her recording career with a pair of EmArcy albums recorded with Joe Sample (for which she received a pair of Grammy nominations) before retiring in 2018.  You Might Need Somebody is an enjoyable and lovingly-curated look at a largely underrated performer.  It's housed in an eight-panel digipak and includes a 24-page booklet with liner notes by compilation producer A. Scott Galloway.  Nick Robbins has remastered the audio, and Roger Williams has designed the package.

Last year, Cherry Red's Grapefruit imprint took a deep dive into the musical world of songwriter John Carter.  As we wrote then, "Though John Carter isn't a household name, many of his songs are.  'Can't You Hear My Heartbeat,' 'Beach Baby,' and 'Little Bit O' Soul' are just a handful of Carter's timeless pop confections.  His is also the familiar voice of The New Vaudeville Band's chart-topping 'Winchester Cathedral.'  Sunshine pop aficionados might know him best for 'My World Fell Down,' the spellbinding song he wrote for The Ivy League which was covered by Sagittarius (featuring Glen Campbell, Bruce Johnston, Gary Usher, and Terry Melcher)."  Carter's hitmaking résumé remains an enviable one, with The First Class' hit "Beach Baby" among his most beloved compositions.  Co-written with his wife Gillian Shakespeare, "Beach Baby" made the U.S. top five and U.K. top twenty in 1974.  Now, it lends its title to Grapefruit's definitive 3-CD anthology, The First Class' Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings.

The First Class was one of many manufactured groups created by John Carter as vehicles for his new pop confections. Carter and Shakespeare wrote "Beach Baby" as a nostalgic homage to The Beach Boys and the West Coast lifestyle.  Tony Burrows, the voice of Edison Lighthouse ("Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes))," Brotherhood of Man ("United We Stand"), White Plains ("My Baby Loves Lovin'"), and The Pipkins ("Gimme Dat Ding") was enlisted to sing the lead vocal. Burrows, Carter, and Chas Mills came together for the rich harmonies.  Recorded with a crack band including Shadows drummer Brian Bennett, "Beach Baby" was released in May 1974.  John Peel wasted little time in proclaiming it "five minutes of near-perfection."  When Top of the Pops came calling, a First Class was assembled that bore no relation to the singers on the record.  The five-piece live line-up would appear on future album sleeves but the recordings continued to be the work of Carter, Burrows, Mills, and their team of musicians.

Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings presents The First Class' eponymous 1974 album and 1976 follow-up SST as well as a whopping 60 bonus tracks spread across three discs.  Though the LPs were in a nostalgic vein, they weren't clones of "Beach Baby" and, in fact, drew on a wide spectrum of influences including, but not limited to, The Beach Boys.  The group's second single, "Bobby Dazzler," failed to match the success of "Beach Baby," and ended up scuttling John Carter and Gillian Shakespeare's plans for a stage musical of the same name.  The story of a Birmingham lad who heads to London to become a pop idol (and eventually meets with tragedy), Bobby Dazzler was written with playwright Peter Whelan.  A seven-song demo was recorded which premieres here; it features future musical theater star Elaine Paige (Evita, Cats, Sunset Boulevard) as well as singer-songwriter Lesley Duncan ("Love Song") and session vocalist Clare Torry (Pink Floyd) along with a band.  A number of the songs showcase Carter and Shakespeare's gifts for pastiche.  "One Good Time" is in the vein of a musical theatre "I want" song in which the principals express their hopes and dreams for the future.  "Born to Be a Rebel" is Elvis-esque rock-and-roll, and "Baby Doll Love" channels the Motown sound. "Beach Baby" would have been featured in the musical, too, as a song sung by Bobby and his then-band The Surfers.  "Going On," "A Quiet Life," and "Loving" are all dramatic and appropriately, more character-specific.

Though a considerable period of time passed between the two albums, various singles were released (all of which are included here).  John Carter also kept busy penning jingles, and some of those would be adapted into full-fledged First Class songs.  Beach Baby additionally includes the songs he and his studio team cranked out during the era under the names of Magic, Starbreaker, and South Bank Wheels.  The First Class name kept going in various labels into the 1980s, believe it or not, with such highlights as "Too Many Golden Oldies" and a cover of Brenton Wood's "Gimme Little Sign."  Though The First Class' sound shifted from song to song, one constant was Carter's sure sense of melody as can be heard on instant earworms such as "Life Is Whatever You Want It to Be," "Carry On Singing My Song," and "What Became of Me."  Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings is a breezy listen and a tour through the British bubblegum style which thrived in the 1960s and 1970s thanks to John Carter and similarly pedigreed writers including Mitch Murray, Rogers Cook and Greenaway, Geoff Stephens, and Tony Macaulay.

An eight-panel digipak houses the three discs and a 24-page booklet with David Wells' detailed liner notes, many photos and memorabilia images, and Gillian Shakespeare's plot synopsis of the unproduced Bobby Dazzler musical.  Simon Murphy has mastered the audio from various sources.  Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings is a treasure chest for those who enjoy 1970s British pop (and musical theatre) and a great summer record.

Both Randy Crawford's You Might Need Somebody: The Warner Bros. Recordings (1976-1993) and The First Class' Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings are out now at the links below.

Randy Crawford, You Might Need Somebody: The Warner Bros. Recordings (1976-1993) (SoulMusic/Cherry Red QSXMCR-52087, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Desperado
2. I Stand Accused
3. Same Old Story (Same Old Song)
4. Take It Away from Her (Put It on Me)
5. Single Woman, Married Man
6. Rainy Night in Georgia
7. Tender Falls the Rain
8. Cigarette in the Rain
9. I Got Myself a Happy Song
10. Gonna Give Lovin' a Try - Randy Crawford & World Jazz Association All-Star Band
11. Nobody
12. Lift Me Up
13. Bottom Line
14. Don't Come Knockin'
15. I Let You Walk Away
16. I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me
17. Ain't No Foolin'
18. When Your Life Was Low
19. Everything Must Change (Live)
20. One Day I'll Fly Away

CD 2

1. Time for Love
2. I'm Glad There Is You
3. I'm Under the Influence of You
4. Your Precious Love (Live) - Al Jarreau and Randy Crawford
5. Endlessly
6. Windsong
7. Secret Combination
8. Wrap-U-Up
9. This Ole Heart of Mine
10. We Had a Love So Strong
11. A Lot That You Can Do
12. Now We May Begin
13. Someone to Believe In
14. At Last
15. Almaz
16. Only Your Love Song Lasts
17. Rio de Janeiro Blue
18. Imagine (Live) - Randy Crawford with Yellowjackets
19. All It Takes Is Love

CD 3

1. Don't Wanna Be Normal
2. Blue Flame
3. Street Life (Edit)
4. Last Night at Danceland
5. Who's Right, Who's Wrong (Live) - Al Jarreau and Randy Crawford
6. Who's Crying Now
7. Rich and Poor
8. In Real Life
9. Go On and Live It Up
10. Nightline
11. Give Peace a Chance
12. Knockin' on Heaven's Door
13. Why
14. You Might Need Somebody
15. He Reminds Me
16. Higher Than Anyone Can Count
17. One Hello
18. Just a Touch

CD 1, Tracks 1, 4-5 & CD 2, Tracks 3, 14 from Miss Randy Crawford, Warner Bros. BS 3083, 1977
CD 1, Tracks 2, 9, 11, 16 & CD 2, Tracks 5, 13 from Raw Silk, Warner Bros. BS 3283, 1979
CD 1, Tracks 3, 7, 18, 20; CD 2, Track 12; & CD 3, Tracks 2 & 4 from Now We May Begin, Warner Bros. BSK 3421, 1980
CD 1, Track 6; CD 2, Tracks 1, 7 & 17; & CD 3, Track 14 from Secret Combination, Warner Bros. BSK 3541, 1981
CD 1, Track 8; CD 2, Tracks 8, 19; & CD 3, Tracks 7 & 12 from Rich and Poor, Warner Bros.1-26002, 1989
CD 1, Tracks 10, 15, 19 & CD 2, Track 16 from Everything Must Change, Warner Bros. BS 2975, 1976
CD 1, Tracks 12-13, 17; CD 2, Track 9; & CD 3, Tracks 8-10 & 13 from Nightline, Warner Bros. 1-23976, 1983
CD 1, Track 14; CD 2, Tracks 6 & 10; CD 3, Tracks 15 & 17 from Windsong, Warner Bros. 1-23687. 1982
CD 2, Track 2 from Don't Say It's Over, Warner Bros. 9 45381-2, 1982
CD 2, Tracks 4, 18 & CD 3, Track 5 from Casino Lights, Warner Bros. 1-23718, 1982
CD 2, Track 11 & CD 3, Tracks 6 & 18 from Through the Eyes of Love, Warner Bros. 9 26736-2, 1992
CD 2, Track 15 & CD 3, Tracks 1, 16 from Abstract Emotions, Warner Bros. 1-25423, 1986
CD 3, Track 3 from The Best of Randy Crawford, Warner Bros. 9 45242-2, 1992
CD 3, Track 11 from Warner Bros. (Europe) single 929827-7, 1982

The First Class, Beach Baby: The Complete Recordings (Grapefruit/Cherry Red CRSEG124T, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

The First Class (1974)

1. Beach Baby
2. Won't Somebody Help Me
3. What Became of Me
4. Surfer Queen
5. The First Day of Your Life
6. Long Time Gone
7. Funny How Love Can Be
8. Dreams Are Ten a Penny
9. Bobby Dazzler
10. The Disco Kid
11. I Was Always a Joker

Bonus Tracks

12. Beach Baby (Single Version, Full-Length)
13. Both Sides of the Story
14. Lavender Man
15. One Good Time
16. Born to Be a Rebel
17. Baby Doll Love
18. Chinese Christmas
19. Going On
20. A Quiet Life
21. Loving
22. Beach Baby (Single Version, Edit)

Tracks 15-21 from Bobby Dazzler demo

CD 2

SST (1976)

1. I Was a Star
2. Ain't No Love
3. Child's Play
4. Old Time Love
5. Baby Blue
6. Life Is Whatever You Want It to Be
7. Carry On Singing My Song
8. Smiles on a Summer Night
9. Seven Ten to Nowhere
10. Autumn Love
11. And She Cried

Bonus Tracks

12. Brook Street Jingle
13. Too Many Golden Oldies (Single Version)
14. Make It on My Own
15. Broken Toy
16. Lisa (I Always Loved You)
17. Birds Dream Topping Jingle
18. Song on the Wind
19. The Saddest Word
20. Ocean of Glass
21. Bienvenido
22. Sunlight Detergent Jingle
23. Gimme Little Sign
24. Average Rainfall
25. Please Yourself (Rowntrees Tots) Jingle

CD 3

1. We Like to Dance (Milk Is Our Way) Jingle
2. Disco Kid - Magic
3. Midnite Music - Magic
4. Singer Sewing Machines Jingle
5. Oh California - Magic
6. I'm in Love Again - Magic
7. Kit-E-Kat Munchies Jingle
8. The Sound of Summer - Starbreaker
9. Let's Go British Caledonian Jingle
10. Sidewalk Johnny - South Bank Wheels
11. Midnite Music - South Bank Wheels
12. Vauxhall Chevette - Whatever You Want It to Be # 1 Jingle
13. Crawford's Cheddars Jingle
14. If I Don't Have You
15. Birds-Eye Cod Jingle
16. Sunday Child
17. Greasy Dollar Bill
18. Eveready Batteries Jingle
19. Top Forty Angel
20. Typhoo 1 Jingle
21. Typhoo 2 Jingle
22. Silver Surfer
23. Silvikrin Jingle
24. Coney Island
25. Malibu Jingle
26. I Can't Believe My Eyes
27. Wake Up America
28. Right Guard Deodorant Jingle
29. The Song Was Wrong
30. Woman Magazine Jingle
31. Shine on Me, Woman - Kincade
32. One More Mile to Freedom - Kincade
33. Cracker Jack Popcorn Jingle
34. Vauxhall Chevette - Whatever You Want It to Be # 2 Jingle
35. Too Many Golden Oldies (Full-Length Version)

CD 1, Tracks 1-11 from The First Class, UK Records UKAL-R 1008, 1974
CD 1, Tracks 12-13 from UK Records single UK R 66, 1974
CD 1, Track 14 from UK Records single UK R 73, 1974
CD 1, Tracks 15-21 from Bobby Dazzler: The Musical demo (previously unreleased)
CD 1, Track 22 from UK Records promotional single R 66, 1974
CD 2, Tracks 1-11 from SST, UK Records UKAL-R 1022, 1976
CD 2, Tracks 12, 17, 22, 25 advertising jingles
CD 2, Tracks 13-14 from Epic single S EPC 5801, 1977
CD 2, Tracks 15-16 from Epic single S EPC 6110, 1978
CD 2, Tracks 18-19 from German RCA single PB 9474, 1979
CD 2, Tracks 20-21 from German Philips single 6005 125, 1981
CD 2, Tracks 23-24 from Sunny single EON 106, 1983
CD 3, Tracks 1, 4, 7, 9, 12-13, 15, 18, 20-21, 23, 25, 28, 30, 33-34 advertising jingles
CD 3, Tracks 2-3 from Bell single BELL 1420, 1975
CD 3, Tracks 5-6 from Bell single BELL 1430, 1975
CD 3, Track 8 from Air single CHS 2133, 1977
CD 3, Tracks 10-11 from Epic single S EPC 5982, 1978
CD 3, Tracks 14, 16-17, 19, 22, 24, 26-27, 29, 35 originally unreleased
CD 3, Track 31 from Penny Farthing single PEN 811, 1973
CD 3, Track 32 from Spark single SRL 1069, 1972