RUBY TUESDAY
Ruby Andrews: You Made a Believer Out of Me
- From 7" (Zodiac, 1969) and Everybody Saw You (Zodiac, 1970). Also on Casanova
Ruby Johnson: I'll Run Your Heart Away
- From 7" (Volt, 1966)
Two Rubies from the Black Label. Confession: I'm a sucker for funky female soul songs and Ruby Andrews' "You Made a Believer Out of Me" had me from jump. Her hard-edged voice fits right in with the song's urgency and the rolling piano loop just nails down the rhythm as good as any hip-hop beat. Once you're done sweating to that, you can ease back with Ruby Johnson's big Volt hit, "I'll Run Your Heart Away." This used to be one of my favorites songs off the Stax/Volt Boxset (Vol. 1) and it's such a masterpiece of bluesy, melancholy soul. Like Andrews, Johnson benefits from a well-produced track that uses a key instrument - this time the guitar - taking a prominent role in the rhythm section but Johnson's hollers are what seal the deal and then some.
ELSEWHERE
Moistworks.com has the "Welcome Back Kotter" theme available right now. This is such a great song...
