Genre: soul
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads
Company: Volt
Catalog: VOS-6005
Year: 1969
Country/State: Memphis, Tennessee
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: minor ring wear
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5576
Price: $40.00
With fighting in Vietnam rapidly escalating, 1966 saw Mad Lads singers William Brown and Johnny Garry Williams drafted. During their absence Stax kept the group afloat with the addition of Quincy Clifton Billops Jr. and RSam Nelson), but limited recordings to a handful of singles until Brown and Williams had completed their military service in 1968. Ironically, claiming he was too demanding and bossy, the other two members of the group Julius Green and Robert Philips initially vetoed Williams' return to the lineup, though they were ultimately overridden by fellow member Brown and Stax management.
The reunited group promptly returned to the studio releasing a pair of singles over the next year:
- 196'8's 'So Nice' b/w 'Make Room' (Volt catalog number VOA 4003)
-
1968's 'Love Is Here Today And Gone
Tomorrow' b/w 'Make This Young Woman Mine' (Volt catalog number VOA 4009)
Produced by Al Jackson, 1969's "The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads" featured a mixture of previously released singles and new studio material. In addition to being one of the few vocal groups signed to Stax the twelve tracks were heavily weighted towards old school ballads that reflected the quartet's doo wop roots (check out 'These Old Memories'). That alone was enough to underscored just how different The Mad Lads were from the majority of the Stax roster. Far more urbane than your typical Stax release, ballads like 'So Nice', 'Make Room (In Your Heart)' and 'Cry Baby' showcased Williams fantastic lead tenor with the others turning in to-kill-for harmonies. The downside was that side one of the album sounded quite old fashioned and the heavy emphasis on ballads gave it a sounds-the-same feeling. Curiously side two was far more varied. Because they were atypical the up tempo numbers were a welcomed change of pace and provided the LP highlights. 'It's Loving Time' was great, their breezy update of Curtis Mayfield's 'Monkey Time '69' was a blast, while the urgent 'Love Is Here Today And Gone Tomorrow' sounded like something Marvin Gaye might have recorded. While it was another ballad 'I've Never Found A Girl' sported a more modern sound and was one of the stronger songs on the album. Volt also tapped the album for the single, thought why Stax would pick one of the worst songs on the album as a single is beyond understanding. The only thing that comes to mind is the company's marketing departments wanted the most MOR track in the forlorn hope it might appeal to white audiences ... it didn't work.
- 1969's 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' b/w 'No Strings Attached' (Volt
catalog number VOA 4016) # 84 pop # 24 R&B
"The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) So Nice (M. Thomas - Bettye Crutcher) - 2:40
2.) Make Room (In Your Heart) (John Gary Williams - A. Hones - Bettye Crutcher) - 2:49
3.) Cry Baby (B. Russell - N. Meade) - 3:43
4.) I Just Can't Forget (Booker T. Jones - Deannie Parker) - 2:30
5.) These Old Memories (Homer Banks - A. Jones) - 2:45
6.) By The Time I Get To Phoenix (Jimmy Webb) - 2:49
(side 2)
1.) No Strings Attached (E. Axton - Deannie Parker) - 2:30
2.) It's Loving Time (Booker T. Jones - John Gary Williams) - 2:21
3.) Love Is Here Today And Gone Tomorrow (A. Jones - Bettye Crutcher) - 2:45
4.) Make This Young Lady Mine (Booker T. Jones - John Gary Williams) - 2:23
5.) I've Never Found A Girl (Booker T. Jones - Eddie Floyd - A. Isbell) - 3:09
6.) Monkey Time '69 (Curtis Mayfield) - 3:29
