Just what the truth is I can't say anymore
Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts
02/01/83 : Pearls II - Elkie Brooks
I am aware of Elkie Brooks, mostly from "Pearl's A Singer" (which I've just learned was written by Lieber and Stoller) and so I'm expecting this to be more of the same - reasonably unchallenging blues/rocky stuff. But, before we get there, we've got another compilation album to judge on its relevance.
You obviously already know my decision but Abba's The Singles - The First Ten Years actually came close to being judged as worthy. Abba, like Lennon, are always going to be culturally relevant and given this covered the previous ten years, it was also timely. But - I've already rejected one Abba compilation for not being Abba Gold and so I don't feel I can really consider this, even though this has "The Day Before You Came", one of my Abba faves, which the original version of Gold didn't. When I get to Gold, I promise it's going to get a thorough write-up but, until then, we're back to Elkie (but it was a close one).
Which, I think few would argue, is indeed reasonably unchallenging blues/rocky stuff - it's mostly cover versions, which work to varying degrees of success. "Nights Of White Satin" (first recorded by The Moody Blues in 1967, but also covered, somewhat bizarrely, by Giorgio Moroder) works best for me. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed her version of Pink Floyd's "Money", but attempting Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" definitely invited unfavourable comparisons with the original.
I was also surprised to see that "I Just Can't Go On" was written by Lee Kosmin, who was someone I'd never heard of until he'd popped up recently having initially recorded one of the tracks on Bonnie Tyler's album - and this album is definitely in similar territory, but slightly less mad. Another musical similarity that popped into my mind from time to time was "female Rod Stewart", so I was surprised to see he originally wrote "Gasoline Alley" - although Elkie's version gives it a bizarre Chinese-tinged country feel (which is an odd choice, to say the least). Having said all that, I did like "Giving You Hope", which is an Elkie original. All in all, it's not a hateful album and quite interesting in places, but entirely inessential - it just feels like a night in the pub with a decent enough singer belting out a selection of stuff she likes. But, it's not an album either of us have ever owned which leave us on 13/53 - which isn't a great ratio to end on (but more on this in the next post).
We're at #6 on her ninth week of a 25 week run, which seems more than I'd have given it, to be honest. Above it in the charts this week were collections from John Lennon, Abba and Raiders, followed by Duran and Dionne - a slightly odd top five, I'd suggest. But it's an odd time of year in the charts, borne out by the only new entries in the top 100 this week which are Chas'N'Dave (#59) and Bob Seger (#91) - New Year and Xmas are a funny time and no mistake.
Wikipedia doesn't tell us much - allegedly Elkie tried to make it rockier but her label told her "no, we'll just have more of the same, thank you very much". Her entry describes her as a bit of a trail-blazer back in the day, but also contains the following somewhat unfortunate sentence "However, in 1998, after her accountant informed her that he had not been paying her taxes, Brooks found herself in severe debt and was reduced to living in a mobile home". She got back on her feet though and is still with us, if not active musically.
Customers also listened to" Barbara Dixon (who I think history has been somewhat unkind to), Kiki Dee (who I suspect history has been undeservedly kind to) and Joan Armatrading (who history views favourably enough, but forgets was a black lesbian in the 70s & 80s - and the 70s & 80s weren't an easy time for anyone, let alone black lesbians trying to succeed in the music industry). My judgement above feels a bit harsh on Elkie - she'd put in the hard yards and I respect that but I'm afraid I really don't see this as a great album.
And with that, it's the end of 1983 - how did that happen?
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