Very few singers ever accomplish what this soul man was able to do: create a
lasting and indelible impression on listeners with only a few notes of a song.
But that’s exactly what Brenton Wood did on his smash hit “The Oogum Boogum
Song” in 1967. The opening piano notes and then Wood’s unique vocal still
sounds brand new a half-century later. On February 24, Concord Bicycle is
releasing The Very Best of Brenton Wood, a newly remastered collection charting
his run of worldwide pop hits. Included are “The Oogum Boogum Song,” “Gimme
Little Sign,” “Baby You Got,” along with unforgettable Dedicated to You soul
ballads “Me and You” and “I Like the Way You Love Me.”
In addition
to Brenton Wood’s series of 7-inch 45s releases for the Double Shot Records
label, two deep soul gems from the vaults are included: a stirring and deeply
personal version of Sam Cooke’s Civil Rights anthem “A Change is Gonna Come”
along with “Diamonds,” a sought after song that is among Wood’s most
sought-after recordings. Both are making their physical debut on the compact
disc version of The Very Best Of.
This brand
new collection is Brenton Wood’s first official remastered Best Of compilation
since 1988. Out of print for decades, his two classic studio albums Oogum
Boogum and Baby You Got It were digitally reissued for the first time ever in
2013. Oogum Boogum will also have a wide vinyl album release this May.
Brenton Wood
has had a career of both mainstream success and underground devotion. All Music
Guide recently wrote: “It’s hard not to hear Brenton Wood’s biggest hit, ‘Gimme
Little Sign,’ and not be convinced that it very well might be the greatest
single ever cut. It relies on no one thing—the song is slinky, surprising and
seductive, blessed with a perfect production (the organ break in the middle is
positively, eerily beautiful) and a wonderful, understated performance by Wood,
who proves with his smooth, sure-handed delivery that he is one of the finest
soul singers of his generation.”
Brenton Wood
arrived on the scene in 1967 with back-to-back hits “The Oogum Boogum Song” and
“Gimme Little Sign” that would carry the then-Compton resident from a regional
Southern California artist to international stardom. During his high-voltage
period with the short-lived Double Shot Records independent label, Wood would
record eleven 45s and two studio albums, creating a unique soul and pop hybrid
style crossed with moving doo wop ballads.
The
Hollywood-based Double Shot Records roster would also include garage rock
legends Count Five, doo wop faves the Bagdads, Kent & the Candidates (who
also were Wood’s touring and session
band) and Bay Area singing legend Bobby Freeman. It reflects an era when
popular music was breaking across boundaries and become the sound heard around
the world.
Track
Listing
1. The Oogum
Boogum Song
2. Gimme
Little Sign
3. I Like
The Way You Love Me
4. Baby You
Got It
5. A Change
Is Gonna Come
6. I Think
You’ve Got Your Fools Mixed Up
7. Great Big
Bundle Of Love
8. Me And
You
9. Take A
Chance
10. Darlin’
11. I’m The
One Who Knows
12. Catch
You On The Rebound
13. Two Time
Loser
14. Best
Thing I Ever had
15. Where
Were you
16. Diamonds
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