Genre: soul
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: You're What's Missing In My Life
Company: Motown
Catalog: M6-880S1
Year: 1977
Country/State: Jackson, Mississippi
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: small cut out notch along edge
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5195
Price: $20.00
I've been a G.C. Cameron fan since his 1960s/early-1970s heyday with The Spinners. When the rest of the group signed with Atlantic and went on to enjoy mega-fame working with Thom Bell and others, engaged to Berry Gordy's sister Gwen, Cameron remained with Motown where he found himself stuck with a low-keyed solo career before eventually jumping ship in the late-1970s.
1977's "You're What's Missing In My Life" was Cameron's third solo album for Motown and served as a collaboration with famed producer Brian Holland. Overlooking the hysterical cover art (brave man having shoved a pair of razor sharp knives next to the family jewels), the album nicely showcased Cameron's highly versatile voice (reportedly he had a five octave range) on a diverse set of outside material. As on earlier releases it was almost scary to hear him switch vocal personas; as an example 'You're What's Missing in My Life' bore an uncanny resemblance to Marvin Gaye. Unfortunately Cameron and Holland's song selection wasn't particularly impressive. Clearly meant to tap into popular tastes and sales trends, 'This Will Make You Dance' and 'Let's Run Away Together' found Cameron surrounded by distinctive disco arrangements. Major waste of his talents ... At the other end of the spectrum, in isolation heavily orchestrated ballads like 'Don't Tear Down What Took So Long To Build', 'Kiss Me When You Want To' and 'I'll Love You Forever' were all pretty, but there were simply too many of slow numbers with the end result being that the album collapsed into a mind-numbing sameness. In spite of those criticisms Cameron was too talented to turn in a total mess. Highlights included the up-tempo numbers 'You Need a Strong Dose of Love' and 'Nothing's Sweeter Than Love'. As with past releases, Motown's marketing arm didn't seem to have much interest in Cameron and the single 'You're What's Missing In My Life' b/w 'Kiss Me When You Want To' (Motown catalog number M 1412F) disappeared without a trace.
"You're
What's Missing In My Life" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) This Will Make You Dance (Harold Beatty - Brian Holland) -
2.) You're What's Missing in My Life (Harold Beatty - Brian Holland - Eddie Holland) -
3.) Don't Tear Down What Took So Long To Build (Harold Beatty - Brian Holland - Eddie Holland - L.T. Horn) -
4.) Kiss Me When You Want To (Richard Davis - Brian Holland - Eddie Holland) -
5.) You Need a Strong Dose of Love (Harold Beatty - Brian Holland - Eddie Holland) -
(side
2)
1.) Let's Run Away Together (Reggie Brown - Stanford Floyd
- Brian Holland, - Eddie Holland) -
2.) I'll Love You Forever (Richard Davis - Brian Holland - Eddie Holland) -
3.) I'll Be Your Servant (Brian Holland - Eddie Holland) -
4.) Nothing's Sweeter Than Love (Clyde Wilson) -
In case anyone was interested, Cameron has a nice website at: