Listen:
Details
Format: LP
Label: Be With Records
Year: 2019
Media Condition: New
Sleeve/Cover Condition: New
TRACKS:
A1 Here I Am Baby
A2 Everything I Own
A3 Green Grasshopper
A4 Play Me
A5 Children At Play
B1 Sweet, Bitter Love
B2 Gypsy Man
B3 There's No Me Without You
B4 The First Time I Saw Your Face
B5 I'd Rather Be Lonely
C1 Mark My Word
C2 The First Cut Is The Deepest
C3 Melody Life
C4 Work and Slave
C5 Working To The Top (My Ambition) (Part 1)
C6 Don't Let Me Down
C7 Band Of Gold
D1 Put A Little Love In Your Heart
D2 I See You, My Love
D3 It's Too Late
D4 Baby If You Don't Love Me
D5 Love Walked In
D6 When Will I See You Again
D7 Play Me (Part 2)
Originally Released in 1974.
PERSONNEL:
Vocals – Marcia Griffiths
Bass – Lloyd Parks
Brass – Federal Soul Givers
Drums – Paul Williams
Guitar – Willie Lindo
Organ – Lloyd Charmers
Percussion – Lloyd Charmers
Piano – Lloyd Charmers
Producer – Lloyd Charmers
Sweet And Nice, the vital debut album from Jamaica's undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths. It's reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller.
These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Marcia's version of "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" has long been played by genre-hopping selectors. It's followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of "Everything I Own" and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is "Green Grasshopper", her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover "Play Me" and the thundering, humid funk of "Children At Play" -otherworldly, moody, and essential.
Side two keeps the fire burning. "Sweet, Bitter Love" should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album's alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield's already-eternal "Gypsy Man" follows, recast as proto-lovers rock. "There's No Me Without You" is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia's heartbreaking delivery. "I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP's second side.
This expanded edition adds an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Amongst these 14 extra tracks you'll find the exquisite late-60s singles "Melody Life" and "Mark My Word" which, along with the sumptuous reading of "Band Of Gold".
Label: Be With Records
Year: 2019
Media Condition: New
Sleeve/Cover Condition: New
TRACKS:
A1 Here I Am Baby
A2 Everything I Own
A3 Green Grasshopper
A4 Play Me
A5 Children At Play
B1 Sweet, Bitter Love
B2 Gypsy Man
B3 There's No Me Without You
B4 The First Time I Saw Your Face
B5 I'd Rather Be Lonely
C1 Mark My Word
C2 The First Cut Is The Deepest
C3 Melody Life
C4 Work and Slave
C5 Working To The Top (My Ambition) (Part 1)
C6 Don't Let Me Down
C7 Band Of Gold
D1 Put A Little Love In Your Heart
D2 I See You, My Love
D3 It's Too Late
D4 Baby If You Don't Love Me
D5 Love Walked In
D6 When Will I See You Again
D7 Play Me (Part 2)
Originally Released in 1974.
PERSONNEL:
Vocals – Marcia Griffiths
Bass – Lloyd Parks
Brass – Federal Soul Givers
Drums – Paul Williams
Guitar – Willie Lindo
Organ – Lloyd Charmers
Percussion – Lloyd Charmers
Piano – Lloyd Charmers
Producer – Lloyd Charmers
Sweet And Nice, the vital debut album from Jamaica's undisputed first lady of song Marica Griffiths. It's reggae at its most soulful. Slinking through a tight ten tracks of R&B and pop-sourced material, it became an instant best seller.
These songs are now returned to how they were presented on that first Jamaican release, and under their intended album title. Marcia's version of "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" has long been played by genre-hopping selectors. It's followed by the sophisticated, rollicking wah-wah funk of "Everything I Own" and the slice of smooth lovers soul par excellence that is "Green Grasshopper", her ace, lilting Neil Diamond cover "Play Me" and the thundering, humid funk of "Children At Play" -otherworldly, moody, and essential.
Side two keeps the fire burning. "Sweet, Bitter Love" should leave you swooning, and is also one of the album's alternate titles. Curtis Mayfield's already-eternal "Gypsy Man" follows, recast as proto-lovers rock. "There's No Me Without You" is elevated to canonical status by the majestic, forlorn horns of the Federal Soul Givers and Marcia's heartbreaking delivery. "I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" re-takes its rightful place at the end of the LP's second side.
This expanded edition adds an entire second record of rare material recorded around the same time as Sweet And Nice, much of it unavailable since it was originally released. Amongst these 14 extra tracks you'll find the exquisite late-60s singles "Melody Life" and "Mark My Word" which, along with the sumptuous reading of "Band Of Gold".