- Maurice Coates -- vocals (1966-70)
- Eddie Jackson -- vocals (1966-70)
- Jerry Jones -- vocals (replaced James Rucker) (1966-70)
- Deborah Martin -- vocals (1970-)
- Pat Mercer -- vocals (1970-)
- Bernard Murphy -- vocals (1969-70)
- Brenda Payton (RIP 1992) -- lead vocals (1966-1992)

- James Rucker -- vocals (1966)

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Dry Your Eyes

Company: Dionn

Catalog: LPM 2000

Country/State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Year: 1967

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear; mono

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: 5547

Price: $40.00

Led by 18 year old namesake/vocalist Brenda Payton, Philadelphia's Brenda and the Tabulations (always loved the name), first came together in 1966. 

If you believe popular legend Payton and friend Maurice Coates were working as counselors at a Philadelphia summer camp when Dionn Records owner Gilda Woods heard them singing for some of the kids they were watching.  Woods asked if the pair had any original material.  They lied saying they did have some songs; hastily pulling together some material including the ballad 'Dry Your Eyes'.  Impressed by their material Woods brought the pair to the attention of producer Bob Finiz and Jamie/Guyden Records.  Finiz quickly recorded some material which was released as their debut single - 'Dry Your Eyes' b/w 'The Wash' (Dionn catalog number 500).  When the single began to attract radio play (it ultimately hit # 20 pop and # 8 R&B), Dionn recruited Eddie Jackson and James Rucker (quickly replaced by Jerry Jones) to round out the group, subsequently sending the quartet on the road.

Over the next year the group recorded a series of three follow-ups:

- 1966's 'Who's Lovin' You' b/w 'Stay Together Young Lovers' (Dionn catalog number 501) A side # 19 R&B; B side # 66 pop and # 44 R&B
- 1967's 'Just Once In A Lifetime' b/w 'Hey Boy' (Dionn catalog number 503) # 97 pop; # 41 R&B
- 1967's 'When You're Gone' b/w 'Hey Boy' (Dionn catalog number 504) # 58 pop; # 27 R&B

Given the groups ongoing sales successes the same year Dionn decided to release an album.  Released as the cleverly titled "Dry Your Eyes" the collection offered up a mixture of the four earlier singles (A and B sides) rounded out by four new selections.  Surprisingly, unlike most supporting LPs, this one proved pretty good.  Yeah there were some throwaway tracks.  Kicked along by a Caribbean flavor their cover of The Marvelettes 'Forever' didn't do much for me and the group's doo wop roots and penchant for bug soppy ballads left some of the material with a dated feel.  Still, helped by Payton's likeable voice, the mix of originals and popular hits wasn't perfect but had enough quality numbers to make it worth hearing.  Highlights included a toughened up 'Walk On By', a bluesy cover of the Gershwin chestnut 'Summertime' and an amazing cover of The Beach Boys' 'God Only Knows'.  Best of all was the funky dance number 'The Wash'.   Curiously, after all these years, I still find it hard to figure out what Coates, Jackson and Jones added to the mix.  With the exceptions of 'Stay Together Young Lovers' and 'The Wash' I've never even been able to hear them in the mix.  A minor seller, the album peaked at # 191 on the pop charts. 

"Dry Your Eyes" track listing:
(side1)

1.) Dry Your Eyes   (Brenda Payton - Maurice Coates) - 2:30
2.) Walk On By   (Burt Bacharach - Hal David) - 2:27
3.) God Only Knows   (Brian Wilson - Peter Asher) - 2:10
4.) Who's Lovin' You   (Smokey Robinson) - 3:10
5.) Summertime   (Gershwin) - 3:40

6.) Where Did Out Love Go   (Brian Holland - Lamont Dozier - Eddie Holland) - 2:05

(side 2)

1.) Just One In My Lifetime (Brenda Payton - Maurice Coates) - 2:40
2.) Forever (Brian Holland - Gorman - Eddie Holland) - 2:25
3.) Stay Together Young Lovers (Bell - Ellison) - 2:55
4.) Hey Boy (Brenda Payton - Maurice Coates) - 1:55
5.) Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me (Dixon - Keyes) - 3:10
6.) The Wash (Brenda Payton - Maurice Coates) - 2:10

Over the next two years the group released four non-LP singles for Dionn (the label went belly up in 1969):

- 1968's 'To The One I Love' b/w 'Baby You're So Right For Me' (Dionn catalog number 507) # 45 R&B
-1968's 'That's In The Past' b/w 'I Can't Get Over You' (Dionn catalog number 509)

- 1969's 'A Reason To Live' b/w 'Hey Boy' (Dionn catalog number 511)
- 1969's 'That's The Price You Have To Pay' b/w 'I Wish I Hadn't Dared' (Dionn catalog number 512) # 43 R&B

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Brenda and the Tabulations

Company: Top and Bottom

Catalog: LPS 1000

Country/State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Year: 1971

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: 5548

Price: $75.00

1969 found the group signed to the Philadelphia-based Top and Bottom label where over the next year they released a series of four 45s:

- 1969's 'The Touch of You' b/w 'Stop Sneaking Around' ( (Top and Bottom catalog number 401) # 50 pop; # 12 R&B

- 1970's 'And My Heart Sang (Tra La La)' b/w 'Lies, Lies, Lies' (Top and Bottom catalog number 403) # 64 pop; # 12 R&B
- 1970's 'Don't Make Me Over' b/w 'You've Changed' (Top and Bottom catalog number 404) # 70 pop; # 15 R&B
- 1971's ' Scuze Uz Y'all' b/w 'A Child No-One Wanted' (Top & Bottom catalog number 406) # 112 pop; # 42 R&B

blow up of the French picture sleeve

Some four years after the release of their first LP, Brenda Payton and company finally reappeared with their sophomore LP; 1971's cleverly-titled "Brenda and the Tabulations".   Co-produced by Gilda Woods and Van McCoy (along with writing partner Joe Cobb McCoy also responsible for much of  the material), the album almost served as a 'best of' package showcasing seven of the eight tracks off their previous four singles ('Stop Sneaking Around' was the missing in action song), along with two new studio efforts - 'California Soul' and 'Someday We'll Be Together '.  Musically the collection was divided between heavily orchestrated ballads and more up tempo material.  Ballads like 'Don't Make Me Over', 'The Touch of You' and 'Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me' served as a nice showcase for Payton's pleading voice, though McCoy's arrangements were occasionally a bit on the heavy side giving the album a somewhat dated sound.  At least to my ears, the big surprise and album highlights came in the form of the isolated up tempo numbers.  While it didn't have much going for it in the lyric department, 'Scuse Uz Y'all' sounded like a Philadelphia International precursor and was the only slice of funk they seem to have ever recorded.  Worth hearing for the wah wah guitars and hearing Payton yell out 'the devil made me do it'.   In addition to allowing Payton to show off the power of her voice 'Lies Lies Lies' showcased a fantastic Motown-styled melody that should have been a massive radio hit. With a great bass line and the social commentary lyric, 'A Child No One Wanted' sounded like a cross between late inning Motown and early Philadelphia International.  Far better than the better known first LP and surprisingly difficult to score ...

"Brenda and the Tabulations" track listing:
(side1)

1.) Don't Make Me Over - 3:55

2.) The Touch of You - 2:58

3.) Lies Lies Lies   (Van McCoy - Joe Cobb) - 2:40

4.) California Soul - 2:39

5.) Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me - 3:08

(side 2)

1.) A Child No One Wanted  3:35

2.) Scuse Uz Y'all 0 2:46

3.) You've Changed - 2:50

4.) Someday We'll Be Together - 3:15

5.) And My Heart Sang (Tra La La)   (Van McCoy - Joe Cobb) - 3:12

The group's sojourn with Top and Bottom was fairly brief, though they managed to churn out three more non-LP singles (including their biggest seller) before parting ways with the label:

- 1971's 'Right On The Tip Of My Tongue' b/w 'Always And Forever' (Tom and Bottom catalog number 407) # 23 pop; # 10 R&B
- 1971's 'A Part Of You' b/w 'Where There's A Will (There's A Want)' (Top and Bottom catalog number 408) # 94 pop; #14 R&B
- 1971's 'Why Didn't I Think Of That' b/w 'A Love You Can Depend On' Top & Bottom catalog number 411) # 17 pop; # 34 R&B

Their partnership with Top and Bottom at an end, the group was restructured as a female trio showcasing Brenda Payton, Deborah Martin, and Pat Mercer.  The revamped lineup subsequently signed with Epic Records.  As a major label, Epic should have been able to pump massive resources into the group's career.  Didn't happen. Over the next three years they released a string of five singles, though only one charted.

- 1972's  'Little Bit Of Love' b/w 'Let Me Be Happy' (Epic catalog number 10898)
- 1973's 'One Girl Too Late' b/w 'The Magic Of Your Love' Epic catalog number 10954) # 48 R&B
- 1973's 'Key To My Heart' b/w 'Love Is Just A Carnival' (Epic catalog number 11000)
- 1973's 'Walk On In' b/w 'I'm In Love' Epic catalog number 11059)
- 1975's 'Little Bit Of Love' b/w 'Let Me Be Happy' (Epic catalog number 500081)

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  I Keep Coming Back For More

Company: Chocolate City

Catalog: CCLP 2002

Country/State: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Year: 1977

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: --

Available: SOLD

GEMM Catalog ID: SOLD

Price: SOLD

1976 found Brenda Payton and company signed to the disco and funk oriented Chocolate City label.  Their initial release for the company was the single:

- 'Home To Myself' b/w 'Leave Me Alone' (Chocolate City catalog number CC-004)

That was followed by:

- 1977's '(I'm A) Superstar' b/w 'Take It Or Leave It' (Chocolate City catalog number CC-009), which was also released in a 12" version:

- 1977's '(I'm A) Superstar' b/w 'Everybody's Fool' (Chocolate City catalog number CD-20006)

Little known outside of collector circles and disco fanatics, there's actually a third Brenda and the Tabulations LP - 1977's "I Keep Coming Back for More".  Co-produced by John Davis, Bobby Eli, Norman Harris, and Gilda C. Woods, the album found the Brenda Payton and company trying to modify their old school sound to appeal to more contemporary audience - hence material like 'Let's Go All The Way (Down)', 'Everybody's Fool' and 'Superstar' offered up a fairly straight forward disco sound.  I've never been a massive disco fan so about the most positive thing I can say is that the album wasn't a complete wipeout.  Besides you certainly couldn't blame Payton for trying to pay her bills even if it meant giving up a little bit of artistic integrity.  Moreover most of the songs weren't all that bad.  Chocolate City also tapped the album for a third single:

- 1977's 'Let's Go All The Way (Down) ' b/w 'I Keep Coming Back For More' (Chocolate City catalog number CC-012)

(side 1)
1.) Superstar   (John Davis) - 5:09
2.) Take It Or Leave It    (Evie Sands - B. Weisman - R. Germinaro) - 3:40
3.) Everybody's Fool   (E. Rabin - A. Willis - D. Lasley) - 6:01

(side 2)
1.) Home To Myself    (Melissa Manchester - Carole Bayer Sager) - 4:56
2.) Let's Go All The Way (Down)   (Bobby Eli - Vinnie Barrett) - 3:43
3.) Leave Me Alone   (Bobby Eli - Vinnie Barrett)  - 4:49
4.) I Keep Coming Back For More   (Norman Harris - George Guess - Ron Tyson) - 4:31

As far as I know there's only one other release and I've never seen or heard a copy:

- 1987's 'Don't Give Up On The Love' b/w 'In The Night' (A Major Rec. Co. catalog number 36501)

Sadly only 46 Payton died in June 1992.

The other group mainstay Coates also dropped out of music and at one point in time was working as a security guard.