He Called Me Baby

He Called Me Baby was originally entitled She Called Me Baby, a country song written by Harlan Howard. Until about ten years ago I had only ever heard the Patsy Cline version.

I was travelling home from Edinburgh, late one night during a hectic data base lock and had turned the radio to Radio 2 for some reason,  just in time to hear Bob Harris play the Candi Staton version which bowled me over and which I still believe is the definitive version. However this, slower more laid back version recorded by Ella Washington, later Pastor Ella Washington Cobb,  for the Nashville label Sound Stage 7 label is nearly as good and a great piece of Southern Soul which retains a Country feel to it.

Ella Washington - He Called Me Baby 

One More Hurt

I can't think of a more uplifting way to ease into a new working week than to the dulcet tones of Candi Staton.

I picked this up in Belfast last week while digging about Head and I have to say that there is a lot of over priced vinyl in there at the moment, quite a few bargains as well, a load of Mr Scruff twelves at 2 quid a pop.

Back to the track, not a typical northern tune, more of a crossover thing but an absolute peach by anybody's standards. Recorded during Candi's now famous sessions at the Fame studios in 1970 and released on Kent  as a taster of the "Evidence:The Complete Fame Records Masters" which will be more than worth the price tag. This track is brilliant, I think that Candi Staton is one of the most underrated female soul singers and I believe that the reason for that may be the success of You've Got The Love in the early 90s , people either associate her with that or Young Hearts Run Free. If you don't already have it you should seek out the Candi Staton album released on Honest Jon's a few years back or the new collection mentioned above to hear Candi at her best. I defy anybody to listen to He called Me Baby without getting goose bumps.


Candi Staton - One More Hurt

Something To Warm Us Up

With all the snow around and sub zero temperatures , I prescribe sitting down with the Candi Staton Honest Jons compilation and a mug of hot Ribena.

Candi Staton - In The Ghetto

Candi Staton

For those of you who think that all there was to Candi Staton was Young Hearts Run Free or as the featured singer on a rather good house track by The Source, I implore you to check out this album. If you like classic tracks performed by an excellent band and sung with real passion then this album is for you.

The album is a collection of Staton's recordings on Rick Hall's Fame label, out of Muscle Shoals Alabama, from 1969 - 1973. This covers the release of her first 2 albums. If there is a better example of Southern Soul then I would like to hear it. The matrial on this album had been unavailable for nearly thirty years until Damon Albarn's Honest Jon's label decided to release this compilation in 2003, something I will be forever more grateful to him for than anything else he has done.

Since the release of this album, Candi Staton has released 2 further albums of new material and the voice is nearly as impressive as it is on tracks originally recorded nearly 40 years previously. She came to Glasgow in February this year and unfortunatley I couldn't go due to baby L being born a month earlier and asking for 2 passes on the same week may have been seen as kicking the arse out of it from some quarters.

Candi Staton - He Called Me Baby

Candi Staton - Stand By Your Man