When first I heard this album, I honestly was shocked at how much of a departure from Odetta's earlier, more familiar material, it had been; definitely, some of her immediately preceding albums (Odetta in Japan; Odetta Sings Dylan; Sometimes I Feel Like Cryin') set the stage for this as she inched away from acoustic spirituals and campfire songs and into more blues, jazz, and even contemporary. And, this album, in turn, set the stage for her next album, "Odetta Sings" (1970; Polydor), which was even more of a new sound for her as it was 100% contemporary pop (albeit with 2 great originals by her). Though both this album and Sings were commercial flops (probably why this album hasn't been released on CD or digitally…. yet.) It's a pretty solid attempt at contemporary at a time when the public's craze for folk music was waning, and it's a very interesting look at her jazz singer side. Rest in Power, Odetta! «Give Me Your Hand» [0:05] «Strawberry Fields Forever» [2:55] «Love Songs of the Nile» [6:27] «Oh, My Babe» [9:55] «Little Red Caboose» [13:13] «Child of God» [14:54] «Hogan's Alley» [17:27] «Little Girl Blue» [19:22] «African Prayer» [23:12] «Oh, Papa» [26:41] «Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round» [29:35]
Pretty cool when the only comment to a video is super insightful and adds a lot of context!!! The girl deserved money, so it's good she tried for it, but sad to hear this was a flop. I do prefer the more acoustic stuff, seems less contrived, and her original blues work is mind blowing, but really anything she put her voice to was at least fairly amazing at a bare minimum.
When first I heard this album, I honestly was shocked at how much of a departure from Odetta's earlier, more familiar material, it had been; definitely, some of her immediately preceding albums (Odetta in Japan; Odetta Sings Dylan; Sometimes I Feel Like Cryin') set the stage for this as she inched away from acoustic spirituals and campfire songs and into more blues, jazz, and even contemporary. And, this album, in turn, set the stage for her next album, "Odetta Sings" (1970; Polydor), which was even more of a new sound for her as it was 100% contemporary pop (albeit with 2 great originals by her). Though both this album and Sings were commercial flops (probably why this album hasn't been released on CD or digitally…. yet.) It's a pretty solid attempt at contemporary at a time when the public's craze for folk music was waning, and it's a very interesting look at her jazz singer side. Rest in Power, Odetta!
«Give Me Your Hand» [0:05]
«Strawberry Fields Forever» [2:55]
«Love Songs of the Nile» [6:27]
«Oh, My Babe» [9:55]
«Little Red Caboose» [13:13]
«Child of God» [14:54]
«Hogan's Alley» [17:27]
«Little Girl Blue» [19:22]
«African Prayer» [23:12]
«Oh, Papa» [26:41]
«Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round» [29:35]
Pretty cool when the only comment to a video is super insightful and adds a lot of context!!! The girl deserved money, so it's good she tried for it, but sad to hear this was a flop. I do prefer the more acoustic stuff, seems less contrived, and her original blues work is mind blowing, but really anything she put her voice to was at least fairly amazing at a bare minimum.