Glenda Collins - Baby It Hurts - The Holloway Road Sessions: Clamshell Box - Import 3 CD Box Set

Credits:

Glenda Collins

Over a four-year span in the mid-60s, vocalist Glenda Collins and producer Joe Meek crafted a run of songs that may not have made a huge splash on the charts, but theyve stood the test of time to cement Collins status as one of the more interesting non-Beatles-influenced pop singers of the era. Matching Meeks trademark production wizardry with Collins clear and ringing vocals, the nine singles are a breezily dramatic mashup of vocal pop sweetness, girl group toughness, and early rock & roll innocence. None of the original singles are featured on Baby It Hurts: The Holloway Road Sessions 1963-1966, instead all the tracks are alternate takes, session recordings, demos, and bits of ephemera culled from the legendary archives of tapes Meek squirreled away in a tea chest. Cherry Red does a fine job presenting the results: the first disc consists of alternate takes of the singles in order, most of which are missing final overdubs, feature guide vocals, or are slowed down to their original tempo -- Meek had a tendency to boost the pitch a little to make the records sound more exciting. Also included are different versions of a handful of tracks that werent released at the time but have shown up on collections over the years. The second disc is a wealth of songs with alternate vocals, unused takes, backing tracks, and even an a cappella track. Disc three recovers a session where Collins teamed with fellow Meek artists the Riot Squad to run through a selection of covers of Motown songs and other hits of the day, segues into a selection of discoveries that were previously unreleased -- including a cover of the Beatles "This Boy" retitled "This Girl" and the rollicking "Hear That Train A Coming," which shows off Collins at her most soulful -- then ends with a bunch of songwriting demos and alternate takes. The collection provides a fascinating glimpse into Meeks process while also showcasing both Collins fine vocals and the studio groups such as the Outlaws and Tornadoes who provided such fine backing. While it might seem like overkill to have so many different versions of songs here, its worth a slow trawl through the set to uncover some real gems -- like the previously unused tracks found on disc three and rough-and-ready takes on some of the songs that almost sound like garage rock. Its also worth hearing the Meek-sung demos once just to be able to marvel at how such a tuneless singer could have a part in creating such good music. His lack of vocal prowess is more than made up for by his ear and skill at picking collaborators. His partnership with Glenda Collins produced some classic singles, and this look behind them is fascinating, even if one isnt a Meek fanatic. ~ Tim Sendra

Tracklisting:

1.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground2.Feel So Good3.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Original Speed]4.In the First Place [Original Speed]5.Baby It Hurts6.Nice Wasn't It [Original Speed]7.Lollipop8.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Original Speed]9.Johnny Loves Me [Original Speed]10.Paradise for Two [Mix Take 4]11.Thou Shalt Not Steal12.Been Invited to a Party13.Something I Got to Tell You [Original Speed Alternate Version]14.My Heart Didn't Lie [Original Speed Pre-Backing Vocals]15.Its Hard to Believe It16.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday17.You're Gonna Get Your Way18.Run to Me [Take 2]19.Self Portrait [Early Alternate Take]20.This Little Girls Gone Rockin' [Take 3 + False Start]1.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Vocal Take 4]2.Feel So Good [Vocal Take 4]3.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Backing Take 1 + Guide]4.In the First Place [Vocal Take 2 Pre-Overdubs]5.Baby It Hurts [Backing Take 6]6.Nice Wasn't It [With Guitar Solo]7.Lollipop [Backing Take 2]8.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Backing Take 1]9.Johnny Loves Me [Vocal Take 4 Pre-Overdubs]10.Paradise for Two [Vocal Take 13]11.Thou Shalt Not Steal [Backing Take 2]12.Thou Shalt Not Steal [Guitar Take 6]13.Been Invited to a Party [Backing Take 4 + Guide]14.Something I Got to Tell You [Backing Take 1]15.My Heart Didn't Lie [Flute Take 12]16.It's Hard to Believe It [Alternate Version]17.It's Hard to Believe It [Backing Take 1]18.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday [Backing Take 6]19.You're Gonna Get Your Way [Backing Take 2]20.Run to Me [Take 2 Acapella]1.Dancing in the Street [Take 1]2.Mockingbird [Take 3]3.You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You [Take 1 with Sax]4.Can I Get a Witness [Take 2]5.Magic Star6.I Who Have Nothing [Take 1]7.Lover Come Back to Me [Take 3]8.White Cliffs of Dover [Take 15]9.This Girl [Take 6]10.Walk on Boy11.In the Garden [Take 1]12.Hear That Train A'coming13.Love Story14.Put a Ring on My Finger15.The First Time I Saw You [Take 1]16.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Joe Meek Demo Fragment]17.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Dave Adams Demo]18.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Joe Meek Demo]19.Nice Wasn't It [Joe Meek Demo Take 8]20.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Joe Meek Demo]21.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday [Joe Meek Demo]22.Love Story [Joe Meek Demo]
1.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground
2.Feel So Good
3.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Original Speed]
4.In the First Place [Original Speed]
5.Baby It Hurts
6.Nice Wasn't It [Original Speed]
7.Lollipop
8.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Original Speed]
9.Johnny Loves Me [Original Speed]
10.Paradise for Two [Mix Take 4]
11.Thou Shalt Not Steal
12.Been Invited to a Party
13.Something I Got to Tell You [Original Speed Alternate Version]
14.My Heart Didn't Lie [Original Speed Pre-Backing Vocals]
15.Its Hard to Believe It
16.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday
17.You're Gonna Get Your Way
18.Run to Me [Take 2]
19.Self Portrait [Early Alternate Take]
20.This Little Girls Gone Rockin' [Take 3 + False Start]
1.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Vocal Take 4]
2.Feel So Good [Vocal Take 4]
3.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Backing Take 1 + Guide]
4.In the First Place [Vocal Take 2 Pre-Overdubs]
5.Baby It Hurts [Backing Take 6]
6.Nice Wasn't It [With Guitar Solo]
7.Lollipop [Backing Take 2]
8.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Backing Take 1]
9.Johnny Loves Me [Vocal Take 4 Pre-Overdubs]
10.Paradise for Two [Vocal Take 13]
11.Thou Shalt Not Steal [Backing Take 2]
12.Thou Shalt Not Steal [Guitar Take 6]
13.Been Invited to a Party [Backing Take 4 + Guide]
14.Something I Got to Tell You [Backing Take 1]
15.My Heart Didn't Lie [Flute Take 12]
16.It's Hard to Believe It [Alternate Version]
17.It's Hard to Believe It [Backing Take 1]
18.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday [Backing Take 6]
19.You're Gonna Get Your Way [Backing Take 2]
20.Run to Me [Take 2 Acapella]
1.Dancing in the Street [Take 1]
2.Mockingbird [Take 3]
3.You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You [Take 1 with Sax]
4.Can I Get a Witness [Take 2]
5.Magic Star
6.I Who Have Nothing [Take 1]
7.Lover Come Back to Me [Take 3]
8.White Cliffs of Dover [Take 15]
9.This Girl [Take 6]
10.Walk on Boy
11.In the Garden [Take 1]
12.Hear That Train A'coming
13.Love Story
14.Put a Ring on My Finger
15.The First Time I Saw You [Take 1]
16.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Joe Meek Demo Fragment]
17.I Lost My Heart at the Fairground [Dave Adams Demo]
18.If You've Got to Pick a Baby [Joe Meek Demo]
19.Nice Wasn't It [Joe Meek Demo Take 8]
20.Everybody's Got to Fall in Love [Joe Meek Demo]
21.Don't Let It Rain on Sunday [Joe Meek Demo]
22.Love Story [Joe Meek Demo]