Description
A gorgeous compilation of sweet soul music from Jean Wells. Jean Wells story is not an extraordinary one in the world of soul, although her voice certainly was. Her biggest hit Have A Little Mercy from 1967 was a glorious slice of deep soul, a plea to a lover, whom she is addicted to, but who doesn’t seem to notice.
Her gospel-trained voice perfectly encapsulating those feelings, whilst a stark arrangement dominated by an ethereal organ and dramatic horn stabs heightens the unbearable effect this man is having on Jean’s life.
Born in West Palm Beach Florida in 1942, as a youngster she sang in gospel choirs, and taught herself piano. At the age of 17 she left home and headed for Philadelphia, a city that would become her musical base throughout her career.
Philly at the time was at the centre of the American music industry and as such a slew of local record labels led by Cameo had grown up around the town. Jean went looking for a record deal and soon found herself recording for the tiny Quaker Town label. Her first single Song Of The Bells was successful enough locally that the label released two further releases If He’s A Good Man and I Know He Loves Me, neither of which managed to build on the success, and they remained unknown outside of the local area.
Jean went back home to Florida, but the desire to be part of the music industry remained and she returned to Philly to record a single record, Don’t Come Running Back To Me b/w Little Boots for ABC-Paramount, before heading back south once more.
Yet she was back again in 1966 and it was at this point that she managed to get traction in the industry. Meeting up with producer and A&R man Clyde Otis. Since striking out on his own he had produced some of Aretha Franklin’s finest pre-Atlantic recordings for Columbia including the wonderful One Step At A Time which has recently been revived by soul DJs and producers of re-edits alike.
The music on this triple 7″ were to be the final recordings that Jean made in this part of her career. She left the industry and according to Clyde Otis she went into the gospel field. She made two slight returns – in 1979 she made the disco/ boogie single I Just Can’t Stop Dancing for the Philadelphia based TEC label. Two years later she was back again, still in the city that she had so often called home, this time recording the disco-fied album Number One for Sunshine Recordings.
After this Jean disappeared from sight. Probably back into the world of gospel, she left us with a fantastic recorded legacy, of which her recordings here for Clyde Otis are the choicest cuts.
Tracklist:
A – What Have I Got To Lose (2:26)
B – Have A Little Mercy (2:36)
C – With My Love And What You’ve Got (We Could Turn This World Around) (2:23)
D – Take Time To Make Time For Me (2:16)
E – Somebody’s Been Loving You (But It Ain’t Been Me) (2:19)
F – He Ain’t Doing Bad (2:19)
