Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Did My Baby Call?

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Recently, I got a handful of new 45s, many of which were demo copies. Let me just say this: I am really a sucker for white demos these days. There's nothing like finding a great tune on 45, and if it's a white demo, it just makes it that much better (these sentiments were echoed in an article on the excellent Hitsville Soul Club website a while back). Now, I'm not gonna turn the blog into a demo 45 only site, but you will probably see a few more in the coming weeks.
Anyway, tonight's selection is a tasty 45 on the Stax subsidiary Volt from 1972, The Mad Lads' "Did My Baby Call?". Opening with the hi-hat and an organ, the tune builds over a stutter step drumbeat. The horns come in as the group nears the first chorus, and then the strings, which add a nice layer to the song. From here, the tempo pick up a bit and the tune is more of a dancer. When the group pulls back, a flute comes in, signifying almost a bit of introspection. And then back to the question: Did My Baby Call?......such a quality tune.