Odia Coates [1973] - Make It Up To Me Baby [ Buddah #BDA 371]

A record played today by Gary Van Den Bussche on his lunchtime show on Starpoint Radio by Odia Coates with "Make It Up To Me Baby" pricked up my ears, if I'd heard it before then I'd forgotten about it! 

It's a song written by Paul Anka and Scottish composer Johnny Harris. The version I knew was the later more uptempo/disco version on which she duetted with Anka on three years later in 1976, but this is the real deal, pure class and I would say should be in everyone's collection but as far as I'm aware it's only available on original 7" and hasn't featured on any compilation (but may be wrong) so it's not that easy to get hold of.

It was her debut solo single in 1973 having been a member of Sisters Love from 1968 who joined Motown in 1972 and released a few singles the MoWest imprint in 1972-73 before migrating to the main label for one single before disbanding. I don't know whether Coates was featured on those singles, one of which, "Learning to Trust My Man", got spins on the UK's Northern Soul scene and of course "Give Me Your Love" was a big on the rare groove scene.

She will be best known for her #1 Hot 100 hit "(You're) Having My Baby" with Anka in 1974  which was Anka's first #1 hit for 15 years. The song was originally intended to be an Anka solo but Coates was in the recording studio at the time and at the suggestion of a United Artists executive was made into a duet.

Odia Coates recorded just one, self-titled, album in 1975 on United Artists which included a solo version of the hit with Anka (who wrote most of the original material on the album) but it doesn't include the song featured here which has become a collector's item now fetching up to £300 in mint condition. If looking for it make  sure it's the Buddah single and not the one on United Artists as that's the duet version with Anka!

There are couple of good soulful ballads on the album "Heaven And Hell" and "Do I Love You (Yes In Every Way)". The album is not available digitally but fairly cheap and easy to pick up on original vinyl.

Coates died from breast cancer aged 49 in 1991.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Buddah
Cat No:	None
Date:	1973
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£150-£300 approx. (based on Discogs prices)

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