Jumping Jehosephat!
Nicolas S. Martin | Indianapolis, IN United States | 04/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Somehow Betty Harris escaped my attention for 52 years. My bad. Her voice is positively drenched with emotion, and this collection is solid. She could hold her own with Mavis and Ann Peebles, and even Aretha, who, it must be admitted benefitted from the very best material. Shoot, this disc is worth buying just for the amazing starter, "Cry Baby," which I am now trying to convince my 5-year-old to adopt as her torch song. Maybe someday my girl can grow up to be a lost soul queen, too!
Because I was not familiar with Betty, she isn't stale. (I admit I can hardly stand to hear the old Aretha, no insult intended. I've just heard her too much. The Supremes? Forget it!) While the production technology is not up to contemporary standards, it certainly doesn't get in the way of the emotion -- it's basic black. In fact, it may be a good thing that it is raw. Imagine how much of the power of James Brown lies in the fact that his rough edges weren't trimmed off by the likes of Clive Davis or Tommy Mottola. If there is justice -- and there isn't, of course -- Betty Harris's music will endure long after Mariah Carey and Joss Stone are forgotten.
Amazon takes you on a sort of lost soul queen treasure hunt. If you find one then up pop recommendations for another 2 or three. And listening to the song samples, they sound pretty good. But none sounds better than Betty, and it is a joy to listen to the real thing instead of the slick, mechanized product of today. We need fewer American Idols and more rediscovered soul queens."
IT WAS SO DOGGONE GOOD I CRIED MYSELF!!!!
Martin L. King | 12/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"betty harris had me the instant i heard her version of solomon burke's CRY TO ME. i knew that it was gonna be that elevation, and i was not disappointed. definitely buy this cd. it will be worth the purchase now!!!!!"
I got hooked
COMPUTERJAZZMAN | Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States | 01/13/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I originally bought the CD "Soul Perfection Plus" and got hooked on Betty Harris. So I am trying to get everything available by her and now this CD is available. She really is the Lost Soul Queen. This CD has some of the same songs as the other CD, but I guess that's the price I've got to pay."
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1