VA [2023] - Win Or Lose [Soul4Real #S4RLP02] (Full Album)

Blibao based label Soul4Real has announced that their second compilation "Win Or Lose" is available to pre-order from their website for release on 15 Jul '23.

It's a compilation of twelve songs all previously unissued at the time, although most have later featured on CD or digital compilations and appear on vinyl the first time. 

It's a mix of deep and mellow soul ballads, mid-tempo items and four-on-the-floor Motown songs all dripping with "Soul" for lovers of the real deal. The highlights to these ears are the superb mid-tempo gem "It's Here For You" from Etta James and Brenda Holloways' version of the Ashford & Simpson song "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" recorded by many including Syreeta, Loleatta Holloway, Walter Jackson as well as The Temptations and others.

The A side consists of six tracks from the vaults of Chess and Duke by Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Etta James and Fontella Bass. Another enigmatic Chess artist Joy Lovejoy, about whom nothing is known, had a huge Northern Soul tune "In Orbit" and it has been speculated over the years that perhaps it was another known artist using a pseudonym. Perhaps it's Fontella Bass given she recorded this song "Joy Of Love" which 'may' be a clue and her voice is quite similar on "Rescue Me" to "In Orbit"? This is purely speculation and why she would record under pseudonym when she continued to record into the 70s is strange. However, she left Chess/Checker in 1967 (when "In Orbit" was released) and moved to Paula, so perhaps it was released as Joy Lovejoy after she left for contractual reasons or Chess decided not to credit her as she left acrimoniously over not being given writing credits for "Rescue Me" which was the label's first million seller in 10 years since Chuck Berry?

The B side is dedicated to unreleased Motown songs by The Velvelettes, Brenda Holloway, Johnny Bristol and David Ruffin.

A Side

A1 - Bobby Bland - For Men Only

A2 - Bobby Bland - This Time I'll Be True

A3 - Etta James - Can't Shake It

A4 - Etta James - I Never Meant To Love Him

A5 - Etta James - It's Here For You

A6 - Fontella Bass - Joy Of Love

B Side

B1 - The Velvelettes - Your Heart Belongs To Me

B2 - Brenda Holloway - Love Woke Me Up This Morning

B3 - Johnny Bristol - Tell Me How To Forget A True Love

B4 - David Ruffin - One Lucky Day I Found You

B5 - David Ruffin - You Ought To Know Me

B6 - Marvin Gaye - I Wish I Didn't Love You So

We have gathered together into a playlist those tracks available on Spotify (bold above). We couldn't find Johnny Bristol's version of the song so have included The Spinners version of "Tell Me How To Forget A True Love" and have also included an alternative version of the Marvin Gaye song "I Wish I Didn't Love You So".

The three 'missing' tracks are included below from Alex Subina's (Sou4Real) YouTube channel.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Vinyl
Label:	Soul 4 Real
Cat No:	S4RLP02
Date:	15/07/2023
Price:	€24

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