Sanctuary Records Group – Trojan
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Mad About You – Bruce Ruffin Anthology - TJDD177
Don’t dismiss this one on the grounds of some of the later material and some of the more poppier songs. Bruce Ruffin has a great voice and this double CD showcases it excellently with a lot of material available on CD for the first time. Another interesting feature is that most of the cuts were penned by Bruce himself and I for one did not realise how prolific a songwriter he was. Also quite a bit of of world commentary, the kind of stuff theat came out, in the US, of the blaxploitation period – Colourless world, bitterness of life, make love, not war.
Dry up your eyes from the late 60’s , produced by Leslie Kong, is excellent indeed. Love lazy rhthm, sweet organ and superb vocals. Similarly Bitterness of love, where the vocals are stretched and strained, to fit the reggae rhythm.
There are various covers most of which do not work. One would have though that the Stairsteps with it’s sweet Chicago groove would fit effortlessly to Bruce Rufin. Yet it doesn’t.
Also the Creole period is better than my memory would have suggested. Nothing earth shattering but a certain funkiness to it.
Included as bonus tracks are verious versions, live cuts and an unknown master tape.
Bruce Ruffin: Bruce Ruffin (TJDDD177)
Format: Double CD album Released: May 24 2004 Availability: In stock: immediate despatch Price: £13.99
The CD is the first anthology to incorporate both Ruffin's Trojan and Creole hits. Tracing his career from the late sixties through to the early seventies, every major recording from the period is included, with many seeing issue for the first time ever on CD. Noted for his smooth tenor as much as his songwriting skills, Ruffin was a true great of Jamaican music and this long over-due collection goes a long way to proving that point.
Tracklisting
2-CD SET
DISC 1
Long About Know (1969 Version) - Listen
Dry Up Your Tears - Listen
I'm The One - Listen
Who's Gonna Be Your Man - Listen
Cecilia - Listen
The Bitterness Of Life - Listen
O-o-h Child - Listen
Candida - Listen
Are You Ready - Listen
Free The People - Listen
Now You See Me Now You Don't - Listen
Then Came The Heartbreak - Listen
We Can Never Go On This Way - Listen
Rain - Listen
One Big Happy Family - Listen
Heaven Child - Listen
Make Love, Not War - Listen
Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers - Listen
Song Of Peace - Listen
You Are The Best - Listen
You Can Make It - Listen
Mad About You - Listen
Save The people - Listen
Coming On Strong - Listen
Crazy People - Listen
Tickle Me - Listen
I Like Everything About You - Listen
DISC 2
I'm In the Thick Of It - Listen
Don't Walk In My Footsteps - Listen
I'm Depending On You - Listen
While There Is Life (There Is Hope) - Listen
Colourless World - Listen
A Little Today (A Little Tomorrow) - Listen
Little Boys And Little Girls - Listen
Candida (JA. Mix) - Listen
Rain (Live Version) - Listen
The Bitterness Of Live (Live Version) - Listen
Lord I'm Ready - Listen
One People - Listen
Now That I'm A Man - Listen
Love They Neighbours - Listen
Long About Now (1971 Version) - Listen
What's The Matter Now - Listen
What Can I Do - Listen
My Mind Is Leaving My Body/ Stop Living In A Dream World - Listen
Two Sides To Every Story - Listen
Country life - Listen
What About The Children - Listen
Uppity Up, Y'All - Listen
Isn't It Good To Know - Listen
It Don't Worth My While - Listen
John And Judith - Listen
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