Bedazzled!:

« October 2011 | Main | December 2011 »

Derek's 45's of the Week: Barbara Lynn on Tribe Records

While I'm not one that gets into arguments or discussions about certain labels having superiority over one or another, the mere mention of the sides that Barbara Lynn recorded for Tribe Records makes me weak in the knees and crawling to the turntable on all fours.

Tribe was an imprint started by Louisiana producer Huey P Meaux that found its greatest success with excellent releases from The Sir Douglas Quintet, and less success but equally excellent records from Jean Knight and today's lady fair, the inimitable Barbara Lynn. Huey spent time in jail twice for child pornography before his recent death; he is truly an example of a brilliant musical mind housing a sick individual on the inside (call it the Ike Turner disorder, perhaps); a true tragedy, as his discography as a producer is full of literally hundreds of stellar records.

As for Barbara Lynn (Ozen), the lady is the epitome of CLASS. From Beaumont, Texas (where her high school is named in her honor!), Barbara began her musical career fresh out of high school. Barbara was a true trailblazer; not only was she a woman in music, but she was also blazing trails as a songwriter and a fabulous guitarist. The whole package, twenty years before Chrissie Hynde! I have been fortunate enough to see Barbara perform a number of times, and she still has it all; charisma, that beautiful voice and smile, and soulful guitar playing that is a continuous inspiration to me, personally.

Barbara had already issued 16 singles bewtween 1961 and her signing with Tribe in 1966; most of these records are excellent, including the big national hit "You'' Lose A Good Thing". With her first release for Tribe, however, Barbara released the side that in my opinion is not only her best, but also my personal all-time favorite soul single, "I'm A Good Woman". Establishing the scenario of a no-good cheating man over an intense blues intro, the record kicks into a groove so deep that it reminds me of a musical equivalent of the LaBrea Tar Pits. Barbara's vocals are front and center, and driven along by some absolute bad ass behind the drummer who hits the snare drum so hard it's a wonder they made it through the take. I'm assuming that Barbara also plays the brilliant guitar lick at the end as well. I have a feeling that this was a bigger seller than the charts indicated; my first (beat up) copy was a flea market find, a friend found another (beat) copy at a flea market recently, and I was once at a record swap show where an older gentleman who looked more like a Percy Faith collector was asking the dealer if he had this record, which makes me think that it has been in demand for a LONG time, and not just by the rare soul crowd. This is a record in which I could never tire of hearing.

I'm A Good Woman

For her next release, waxed shortly after "I'm A Good Woman", Barbara debuts the southern soul standard "You Left The Water Running" which was later recorded by Maurice & Mac, Wilson Pickett and was also demoed and released posthumously by Otis Redding. Barbara's version cuts a fabulous groove with direct, almost minimalist production that frames her heartfelt vocal delivery.

You Left The Water Running

Enter 1967; Barbara's next single release was the storming "Club A-Go-Go" which perfectly captures the fun of the mod/beat/go-go era just before the axis turned to hippiedom and a more serious, dour mood brought upon by the tragic social events of 1968. It cooks and burns for all of 1:50, but somehow doesn't feel half baked. I really dig the horn arrangement on this track, in which the horns are blowing in the same register as Barbara's voice and almost sound as if they singing along and mimmicking her! The flip side is the awesome slow blues take on Joe Tex's "Watch The One (That Brings The Bad News)" which showcases the deep south roots in Barbara's voice, which at times sounds as though it's driving the mic into distortion. Another excellent horn arrangement on this track, as well.

Club A-Go-Go

Watch The One That Brings Bad News

Barbara's final release for Tribe (before moving to Atlantic records and cutting another stellar bunch of wax from '67-'73) was the stomping "I Don't Want A Playboy". Reprising the "middle finger to the bad man" vibe of "Good Woman", Barbara and band up the tempo here for a swirling minute and fifty seconds that once again feels complete and just makes me wanna hear the record again and again. Special mention is to be made of her scratchy rhythmic guitar work on the cut which is a perfect match for that genius drummer (whoever he/she was). The flip side is the excellent, uptempo soul number "New Kind Of Love" which is the biggest production of all of her Tribe sides, yet still retains the intimate, raw feel of these records.

I Don't Want A Playboy

New Kind Of Love

These 45's (and seemingly all of the Tribe catalog) were released with nearly endless label variations; my copies four distinctly different label designs, and I have seen practically every design on each of these four records.

Derek's Daily 45

Record Collector's Journal

Derek's Daily 45 on Facebook

Derek See: Guitar, Vocals, DJ

The Bang Girl Group Revue

Posted by Dereksdaily45 on November 05, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0)