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- Date Released: January 1, 1976
- Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B
- Label: Fantasy Records
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We Say...
Anchored by the Detroit-based male quintet's two biggest hits — the relentlessly up-tempo "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" and the evocative ballad "In the Rain" — this disc neatly summarizes the four years (1971-74) the Dramatics spent on Stax sister label Volt. With producer Tony Hester providing the go-for-baroque soul backing tracks, the group members (Ron Banks, Larry Demps, Willie Ford, William Howard and Elbert Wilkins; the last two were replaced by L.J. Reynolds and Larry Maze in '73) shifted from an everybody-sings-lead a la Sly and the Temptations format to five-part harmony showcases to piercing falsetto vs. rough-cut baritone face-offs reminiscent of the Dells ("Hey You! Get Off My Mountain"). Aside from the hits, the highlights include the funky "Get Up and Get Down," the message-in-the-music "The Devil Is Dope," the mellow-dramatic "And I Panicked" and the set-closing ballad, "Toast to the Fool," but the vocal performances are jaw-dropping throughout.
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They Say...
In the 1960s, Stax Records was best known for raw southern soul that rejected the type of sleekness and pop sensibilities favored by the northern soulsters at Motown. But by the early '70s, Memphis soul was losing its popularity, and Stax's A&R department started to emphasize northern and so-called "uptown" soul in order to stay competitive. One of Stax/Volt's biggest sellers was the Dramatics, a Detroit group that, like the Temptations at Motown and the O'Jays in the Gamble & Huff camp, effectively combined gritty soul belting with a sleek production style. Thanks to major hits ranging from the delightfully funky "Whacha See Is Whacha Get" to slow jams and ballads like "Hey You! Get Off My Mountain," "Toast to the Fool" and the melancholy "In the Rain," the Dramatics were on quite a roll in the early-to-mid-'70s. All of those gems are included on the hour-long CD, The Best of the Dramatics, which offers a fine overview of the quintet's Stax/Volt years. Many Dramatics albums are worth owning, but if a listener were allowed to own only one Dramatics CD, this would be it.
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| 01. |  |
Get Up And Get Down
|
3:11 |
|
| 02. | |
Thank You For Your Love
|
4:25 |
|
| 03. | |
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
|
3:56 |
|
| 04. | |
In The Rain
|
5:07 |
|
| 05. | |
Gimme Some (Good Soul Music)
|
2:33 |
|
| 06. | |
Fall In Love, Lady Love
|
3:35 |
|
| 07. | |
The Devil Is Dope
|
5:23 |
|
| 08. | |
You Could Become The Very Heart Of Me
|
2:44 |
|
| 09. | |
Fell For You
|
3:23 |
|
| 10. | |
Hey You! Get Off My Mountain
|
3:29 |
|
| 11. | |
Beware Of The Man (With The Candy In His Hand)
|
2:58 |
|
| 12. | |
And I Panicked
|
3:34 |
|
| 13. | |
I Dedicate My Life To You
|
3:30 |
|
| 14. | |
I Made Myself Lonely
|
3:50 |
|
| 15. | |
Highway To Heaven
|
3:56 |
|
| 16. | |
Toast To The Fool
|
5:32 |
|
16 Total Tracks, 61:06 Total Length
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Credits
- The Dramatics - Main Performer // The Dramatics - Main Performer // The Dramatics - Main Performer // Lou Casella - Engineer // Don Davis - Producer // Don Davis - Engineer // Tony Hester - Producer // Don Horne - Engineer // Jimmy Roach - Producer // Jim Vitti - Engineer // Jack Sbarbori - Liner Notes
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