Sandra Rhodes is known
for providing backing vocals for Al Green and Conway Twitty (she also co-wrote
Twitty’s hit “The Clown”), among others, and in 1973 released her own album on
Fantasy. Titled Where’s Your Love Been, this
album features lots of original material, some of it co-written by Sandra
Rhodes and Charles Chalmers, who was then
her husband, and some of it co-written by Sandra and her sister, Donna Rhodes.
There are also some really good covers, including an excellent rendition of The
Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The backing vocals on
these tracks are by Sandra herself, along with Charles and Donna (together billed
as The Joint Venture). As you might guess, the vocals are excellent. But the
songwriting is also top-notch. Sandra Rhodes may be a little bit country, but
she’s got a whole lot of soul. And you’ll hear it on track after track here.
I’m shocked this album hasn’t been released on CD until
now. It’s an album that starts off really well, and then just gets better as it
goes on (most of my favorite songs are on the second half). This CD issue
includes seven bonus tracks, all previously unreleased. There are also new
liner notes, written by Bill Dahl.
“No One Else Could
Love You More”
Where’s Your Love Been opens with a pretty country tune, “No One
Else Could Love You More,” which is at first led by acoustic guitar. It’s a
sort of love song that acknowledges the bad times, opening with these lines: “Baby, with my head upon your shoulder/Don’t
it make it hard for you to leave/The world outside’s a whole lot colder/Than
all the bad times you ever had with me.” It’s an honest love song, perhaps
a bit harsh when she says, “And when all
the world has forgotten you were ever born/No one else could love you more.”
“No One Else Could Love You More” was written by Sandra Rhodes and Charles Chalmers.
That’s followed by “I
Think I Love You Again,” a country song with a good, mellow groove. This is
another sort of love song, with lines like “Sometimes
while smiling in the middle of the nighttime/As I taste a stranger’s kiss/Oh, I
miss you baby/The feeling is coming back to me/And I think I love you again.”
This song was written by Toni Wine and Irwin Levine.
“No Such Thing As Love”
“No Such Thing As Love”
is a song with a sweet and pretty sound, the guitar reminding me a bit of The
Byrds, or perhaps some of Michael Nesmith’s work with The Monkees. There is
also some nice work on steel guitar. This song was written by Sandra Rhodes and
Charles Chalmers, and is about a secret love. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “And I’ll hold you in my arms ‘til
morning/Then I’ll softly take my leave without warning/But my heart is looking
for the day/When I won’t have to go away/And we won’t hide the dreams we’re dreaming
of/But today there can be no such thing as love.”
“Sho’ Is Rainin’”
The album begins to take
on a bit of an R&B feel on “Sho’ Is Rainin’” – with backing vocals echoing,
“Rainin’, rainin’” and some good work
on organ. I love the smooth beauty of
Sandra’s vocals particularly on this track. “Sho’ Is Rainin’” was written by
Sandra Rhodes and Charles Chalmers.
“Where’s Your Love Been”
“Where’s Your Love Been,”
the album’s title track, is the only track I’d heard before. It has a great build
and a very cool, sexy vibe. On this one, Sandra sings, “One day you left with the wind/Now here you are again/But this time
before I let you in/Where’s your love been?” And we know precisely what
she’s talking about. There’s a nice lead guitar part after she asks the
question, almost like a response, or a sort of heated discussion about it, as
that great, steady groove continues beneath it. “Where’s Your Love Been” was
written by Sandra Rhodes and Donna Rhodes.
The Rolling Stones
Sandra Rhodes does a
really good cover of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” one of my favorite
Rolling Stones songs. I particularly like the bass on this version. There is
also some nice work on piano and harmonica. For me, there are shades of Lady
Macbeth in the verse about “blood-stained
hands.”
We then get deeper into R&B
territory with the excellent tune “Never Grow Old,” complete with horns and
delightful backing vocals. This tune has such an upbeat, positive vibe, I just
love it. It was written by Sandra Rhodes and Donna Rhodes.
“The Best Thing You Ever Had”
Something in Sandra’s
voice makes me not completely believe the opening line: “I hope you’re happy with your new love.” No, this is a woman with a
bit of anger and resentment. And she’s so sure of herself, as she sings, “Time’s gonna prove I was the best thing you
ever had.” And hell, I believe that line. I mean, just listen to her voice.
Who could be better? And she has backing vocals to add to the strength of her
statement. This one was written by George Jackson.
Bonus Tracks Include Sonny & Cher Song
The CD issue of this
excellent album includes seven bonus tracks, all previously unreleased. The
first, “Double Dealing Woman,” begins with a funky groove, and accents on horn.
Sandra then describes the woman of the song’s title: “She looks just like an angel with the devil in her eye/With
intoxicating kisses, she sends you to the sky/But after you get up there, she’ll
leave you high and dry.” And I really like these lines: “You tell her that it’s over, but she knows
you’re not that strong/You can’t ever leave her, boy, you loved her much too
long.” “Double Dealing Woman” was written
by Sandra Rhodes, Charles Chalmers and Morris Tarrant.
“Someday Sweet Baby” is a
seriously cool track written by Sandra’s sister, Donna Rhodes. It has an insistent
beat and a strong vocal performance, as well as some nice instrumental moments,
all helping to make this a dance tune. Donna also co-wrote “Jingo,” a mellow,
sweet tune which, according to the liner notes, was named after a dog the sisters had.
The bonus tracks also include a pair of tunes written by
Sandra and Charles Chalmers: “I’d Rather Hurt You Now” and “Linda Was A Lady.”
The one cover included in
the bonus tracks is “Baby Don’t Go,” written by Sonny Bono, and a hit for Sonny
& Cher in 1965. Sandra’s version has a sweet feel, and opens with the first
verse rather than a bit of the chorus as Sonny & Cher’s version did. The
guitars remind me a bit of The Byrds. There is also some nice work on harmonica.
“When
I get to the city my tears will all be dry/My eyes will look so pretty, baby/No
one’s gonna know I’ve cried/I’m going away/Maybe I’ll be back someday.”
The CD concludes with "I Don't Play The Game," a mostly mellow and pretty song written by Sandra Rhodes. “Look out, here comes fortune/Look out, here comes fame.”
CD Track List
- No One Else Could Love You More
- I Think I Love You Again
- No Such Thing As Love
- Sho’ Is Rainin’
- It’s Up To You
- Where’s Your Love Been
- You Can’t Always Get What You Want
- Never Grow Old
- The Best Thing You Ever Had
- Sowed Love And Reaped The Heartache
- Double Dealing Woman
- Someday Sweet Baby
- Baby Don’t Go
- I’d Rather Hurt You Now
- Linda Was A Lady
- Jingo
- I Don’t Play The Game
This CD re-issue of Where’s Your Love Been was released on
March 18, 2014 through Omnivore Recordings.
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