Rating: ***
(3 stars)
Title: The
Prime of Shorty Long
Company: Soul
Catalog: SS719
Year: 1969
Grade
(cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: minor
ring wear; promo, white label
Available: 1
Price: $20.00
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Recorded prior to his death, but released
posthumously, "The Prime of Shorty Long"
attempted to replicated Long's earlier success. Self-produced (Smokey
Robinson being the only other Motown artist allowed such creative control),
the set wasn't bad. Clearly salvaged from the vaults, the collection was
certainly diverse; Long taking shots at all sorts of genres, including
social commentary ("I Had a Dream"), love man ballads ("When
You Are Are Available") and contemporary rock (a truly odd cover of
Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Long managing to sound
remarkably like Gary Brooker). Among the highlights were "Lily of the
Valley", "Baby Come on Home", "The Deacon Work" and
the fuzz-guitar propelled "Little Bit of Air". Ironically,
normally shrewd when it came to picking hit singles, the Motown organization
seemed clueless what to do with the album. Releasing "I Had a
Dream" and "A Whiter Shade of Pale" as singles proved
hysterically inept choices. Accordingly, the album vanished without a trace.
"The Prime of Shorty Long" track listing:
1.) I Had a Dream (F. Long - S. May) - 3:19
2.) A Whiter Shade of Pale (Keith Reid - Gary Brooker) -
2:55
3.) Memories are Made of This (Gilkyson - Dehr - Miller) - 2:57
4.) I'm Walkin' (Fats Domino - Bartholomew) - 2:21
5.) I Cross My Heart (Ivory Joe Hunter) - 3:06
6.) Lillie of the Valley (F. Long - S. May) - 2:45
7.) Blue Monday (Fats Domino - Bartholomew) - 2:37
8.) Baby Come Home To Me (C. Paul - L. Broadnax - R. Smith) -
2:21
9.) I Wish You Were Here (William Stevenson - F. Long) - 2:34
10.) When You Are Available (Shortly Long - Marvin Gaye) - 2:38
11.) Give Me Some Air (F. Long) - 2:48
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