Welcome back!

I hope you all enjoyed the fantastic guest offering from Tony C from last week, I have to admit it’s been getting some serious rotations around these parts and I look forward to, as I hope you all do, his next contribution here. I apologise for my late entry to the party this week but I’ve been a busy boy dealing with several ‘real life’ issues, and to be honest I’ve found it difficult to find both the time as well as the energy to pull out the 1’s and 0’s for you all. But as they say the show must go on! (who are the mysterious they?)

So, the 45 I have for you today is the very aptly named ‘I’m Tired, I’m Tired, I’m Tired (Things Better Change Before It’s Too Late)’ by my all time favourite female vocalist Marva Whitney. Released in March 1969 on the King record label, this was the B-side to ‘You Gotta Have A Job’. The cut was also given a release as an A-side in September 1968 coupled with ‘If You Love Me’. The track starts off with a tasty rolling bass line which sets the pace and tone before Marva Whitney’s powerful ‘call to arms’ styled vocals drop in along with all the usual JB musical goodness. This really shows off her vocal range and capabilities and I urge anyone who isn’t familiar with her output to dig deeper on this one.

I’ve had the extreme pleasure of catching her live several times when she has passed through London and I must say she never ever disapoints with her powerful performances. Originally born Marva Ann Manning, her roots were based in gospel and she started out singing and touring in her family band, The Manning Gospel Singers whilst only three years old. In her mid-teens Marva joined another gospel outfit, The Alma Whitney Singers, where she met and married Harry Whitney. After the group disbanded she went onto study music and became lead singer with Thomas Gadson & The Derbys. A short while later in 1967, she was picked up by The James Brown Revue to replace Vicki Anderson.

After touring extensivly with James Brown, He pushed her forward musically and she became some what of a project for him. Several 45s and two albums including the fantastic and highly sought after ‘It’s My Thing’ LP later, and her place in Funk and Soul history had been carved in stone! Of late she has also as well as touring Europe, recorded a new LP with Osaka Monaural called ‘I Am What I Am’.

I hope you enjoy today’s 45 as much as I do. Before I strap myself back into the Real-life-a-mobile and head off I want to give you a big heads up on the return of Better Days this weekend. I’ll be hitting up The Lower Ground Bar in West Hampstead, London with DJ’s El Guiri, Dr No and Disco Fran, where we’ll be taking over the long running Saturday Night Stereo with our Funk, Soul, Disco, R&B and Rare Grooves. If you happen to be in London this Saturday 23rd May come and join us as everything is shaping up nicely and it looks as though we should (touch wood) get a good turn out.

I’ll catch you on the flipside of the long awaited Bank Holiday Weekend, until then stay safe!