Dee Dee Sharp: Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing (1975)

Considered one of the first black female solo vocalists from Philadelphia to achieve success in the early '60s, Dee Dee Sharp has consistently transformed her recording career, starting as a teen idol and re-emerging in the late '70s as a song stylist with husband Kenneth Gamble and partner Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records. Over a five-year period as Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, she recorded a total of three albums for the label, being Happy 'Bout The Whole Thing (1975) the first of them. This Philly sound outing has pop leanings that infiltrate the disco so important to the dance music empire of Gamble. ‘Love Buddies’ is an interesting concept seeing that much of the Philly sound was club oriented, and this first song is the only one penned by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. ‘Touch My Life’ is an adequate tune by James Mendell, but it's Sharp's exquisite voice that really shines, taking over the material and making the entire album excellent. The familiar sounds Sharp creates are a perfect marriage with the Philadelphia sound. The cover of Stan Vincent's ‘Ooh Child’ is sublime, and her cabaret co-write with Mendell on ‘Real Hard Day’ is really strong. 'Make It Till Tomorrow,' the second of three songs co-written by Dee Dee, shows up the tantalizing vocals and sassy style which have been Sharp's signature during her career. Hearing her distinctive and happy cover of ‘I'm Not in Love’ (the 10cc hit) stretch over five minutes and 17 seconds - the longest track on the record - is a delight. This song would be a Top 100 R&B hit for her. Sharp looks stunningly beautiful on the cover and the sounds she emits are superb. She takes the less than perfect ‘Share My Love’ and gives it her best, bringing it to a plateau it simply couldn't reach in lesser hands. Six of the nine titles are written or co-written by associate producer James Mendell, his ‘Best Thing You Did for Me’ a beautiful pop conclusion to this elegant collection. http://www.allmusic.com/, http://www.soultracks.com/

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