This Girl’s In Love With You – Dionne Warwick-Something about everything Warwick does just does not sit right with me. Her voice is beautiful, but the records lack punch. Just not my cuppa tea, I guess.
Ticket To Ride – Carpenters-I love The Carpenters, and Karen’s rich, husky voice. (even more soul than Warwick, perhaps) , but this ill advised cover of the Beatles classic falls flat.
Time And Love – Laura Nyro-Another one I can simply do without. Sounds like a stab at a feel good gospel tinged rave up, but ultimately fails. I’m just not getting any of the feelings she’s going for.
Time Is Tight – Booker T. & The MG’s-Emblazoned into all of our grey matters thanks to The Blues Brothers Movie, the original version here is played cleanly and precisely. It has that soft elongated introduction too that nobody could get away with if you wanted to release it as a single these days.
Time Was – Canned Heat-It’s not acknowledged enough that these guys were first and foremost a smoking hot electric blues band.
To Love Somebody – Nina Simone-Written two years earlier by Barry Gibb (purportedly for Otis Redding), in two short years it was a pop standard. This version is the title track from Simone’s 1969 album. It’s a much more jazzy version with some great brass flourishes and a drum track that is much more up tempo than The Bee Gees slower more reflective recording. A perfect example of improving on a classic by bringing something unique to the table.
Tomorrow ,Tomorrow – Bee Gees-First single release after Robin left to go solo. A little too overblown, even for these guys. Barry does deliver a great lead vocal, though.
Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You – Bob Dylan-The crooning era of Dylan, in which he confounded and confused all the critics of the day. Sure, I prefer the balls to the wall live version from 1975’s Rolling Thunder Review, but like the opposite side of a coin, this version is just as shiny.
Tonight You Belong To Me – The Honeys-Brian Wilson put down the Reddi-Wip can long enough to produce this 45 for his wife’s band who along with her sister and cousin, formed this vocal trio. Internet info on this is sparse, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it was one of their last efforts. The sisters would re-emerge though in the early ‘70’s as Spring. With Wilson again allegedly producing, they released two amazing records. If you ever see them, nab them.
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby – Marvin Gaye-In a word, thrilling. The way the strings swirl round and round, how Marvin can go from piercing falsetto to powerful soul raspiness within the scope of each single phrase he delivers. Just thrilling.
Touch ‘Em With Love – Bobbie Gentry-Gentry was one of the most soulful, sexy voices to ever grace wax. This record has all the elements of at least three different genres of music. She belted those vocals out with authority and was incredibly good looking too. She left the biz for good in the mid seventies and never looked back.
Touch Me – The Doors-More from my fav Doors LP, “The Soft Parade”.
Tracy – The Cuff Links-Cheesy organ aside, this is an ok hunk of gum. Not what I would call the best representation of that type of music, even though it was one of bubble gum’s biggest hits.
Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) – Janis Joplin-The short lived “Kozmic Blues Band” was the first offering by Janis after splitting from Big Brother and The Holding Company. Reviews at the time were mixed. The voice is incredible, but the music seems a little forced.
Twenty-Five Miles – Edwin Starr-I always loved this, and never failed to crank the volume knob when the oldies station would play it. However, after reviewing almost all the soul singles of 1969 over the past month, gotta say there’s at least five or six 45’s I now like better.