Episode #80: Strike While the Iron's Hot



The next-to-last Star Time Summer Special (it's still summer) is another 2-hour behemoth, featuring a whopping 37 songs from great female singers of the '50s and '60s. There are a lot of poppers in this one. I don't think "poppers" was a term before, but it is now. I'm especially fond of the tracks by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Varetta Dillard, Little Alice, Dionne Warwick, Big Ella and Connie Austin, but honestly you're pretty much in for 120 minutes (rather, 108 minutes and 10 seconds without commercials) of continuous brilliance. As usual I tried to hold the ballads in check, but if you have Dinah Washington you're damn well gonna play her.

ArtistSongYearLabel
Set 1
Little EstherHollerin' and Screamin'1953Federal
Big MaybelleGabbin' Blues (Don't Run My Business)1952Okeh
Sister Rosetta Tharpe with the Sam Price TrioEvery Time I Feel the Spirit1954Decca
LaVern Baker & the GlidersJim Dandy1956Atlantic
Etta JamesMarket Place1957Modern
Pearl BaileyStrike While the Iron's Hot1958Coral
Varetta DillardJust Multiply1958RCA Victor
Ruth BrownThis Little Girl's Gone Rockin'1958Atlantic
Dinah WashingtonThe Light1959Mercury
Set 2
Marie KnightHope You Won't Hold It Against Me1960Addit
Jean DuShonTired of Trying1961ATCO
Miss LaVellJust Look at You Fool1961Duke
Irma ThomasI Done Got Over It1962Minit
Lulu ReedSay Hey Pretty Baby1962Federal
Little AliceSo What If I Can't Cook19624J
Mary WellsThe One Who Really Loves You1962Motown
Shirley EllisThe Real Nitty Gritty1963Congress
Ernestine AndersonKeep an Eye on Love1963Sue
Betty EverettYou're No Good1963Vee Jay
Set 3
Barbara LewisPushin' a Good Thing Too Far1964Atlantic
Barbara LynnDon't Spread It Around1964Jamie
Fontella BassRecovery1965Checker
Timi YuroBig Mistake1965Mercury
Nina SimoneI Put a Spell on You1965Philips
Dionne WarwickYou Can Have Him1965Scepter
Brenda HollowayOperator1965Tamla
Sugar Pie DeSantoJump In My Chest1966Checker
Lydia MarcelleAnother Kind of Fellow1966Sue
Set 4
Bettye SwannDon't Look Back1967Money
Patti LaBelle & the BluebellesTake Me For a Little While1967Atlantic
Aretha FranklinSee Saw1968Atlantic
Big EllaThe Queen1968Rush
Connie AustinBall of Fire1968King
Marie FranklinYou Ain't Changed1968Maverick
Marva HodgeThink About the Good Times1969Philips (Neth.)
Carla ThomasI Play For Keeps1969Stax
Diana Ross & the SupremesSomeday We'll Be Together1969Motown

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