Monday, October 30, 2017

Dionne Warwick: Odds & Ends--Scepter Records Rarities

With a total of 40 Pop chart hits, Dionne Warwick’s recordings for the Scepter label rank as arguably the most successful run of any artist—and certainly of any female artist—for an independent label during the 1960s. But all that success had a downside for her considerable legacy: Scepter became a hot property for acquisition, and as a result the label’s holdings were bought and sold several times before Dionne herself arranged to buy her own masters back. By that time, though, the Scepter tapes had been scattered in disarray, thus leaving a lot of material in limbo and causing compilers to throw up their hands. 

Well, where other reissue labels fear to tread Real Gone Music goes full speed ahead! Odds & Ends—Scepter Records Rarities offers 26 hard-to-find tracks (plus some bonus promo spots) from the Scepter vaults, including rare alternate versions (of hits like “Don’t Make Me Over,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose”), stereo singles (“He’s Moving On;” “Amanda”), foreign language singles (“A House Is Not a Home” in Italian and French; “Walk On By” in German and Italian), stereo mixes (of “Get Rid of Him” and “Silent Voices”), and just plain lost tracks (like “Our Ages or Our Hearts” and “Monday, Monday”). 

Many of the selections are previously unissued and most are making their CD debut. What’s more, this one’s released with the full cooperation of the legendary lady, Dionne herself, who sat down for an interview with liner note writer Joe Marchese, and includes rare photos. Remastered by Ted Carfrae, Odds & Ends—Scepter Records Rarities is a stone solid must for any Dionne fan, and of course any Bacharach-David fan as well…this is some of the greatest—and rarest—vocal pop music of the ‘60s!

Track Listings
Disc: 1
  1. I Say a Little Prayer (Alternate Version)
  2. Monday, Monday
  3. A House Is Not a Home (Italian Version)
  4. He's Moving On (Stereo Single Non-Soundtrack Version)
  5. Amanda (Stereo Single Non-Soundtrack Version)
  6. Walk On By (German Version)
  7. Get Rid of Him (Stereo Mix)
  8. Don't Make Me Over (Alternate Version)
  9. Reach Out for Me (French Version)
  10. The Good Life (Studio Mix)
  11. Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets (Alternate Version)
  12. Walk Little Dolly (Italian Version)
  13. If You Let Me Make Love to You, Then Why Can't I Touch You
  14. La Vie En Rose (English Version)
  15. You'll Never Get to Heaven (German Version)
  16. As Long as There's an Apple Tree (Extended Version)
  17. Our Ages or Our Hearts
  18. How Many Days of Sadness (French Version)
  19. I Love Paris (Studio Mix)
  20. Silent Voices (Stereo Mix)
  21. The Windows of the World (Italian Version)
  22. C'est Si Bon (Studio Mix)
  23. Odds & Ends (Alternate Version)
  24. A House Is Not a Home (French Version)
  25. Walk On By (Italian Version)
  26. Do You Know the Way to San Jose (Alternate Version)
  27. Dionne Radio Promo Spots & Public Service Announcements


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