The Prime of Shorty Long

The Prime of Shorty Long is a 1969 studio album by American rhythm and blues singer Shorty Long, released on Motown subsidiaries Soul Records and Tamla Motown shortly after his death. The release was compiled of songs that Long had intended for his follow-up album and was credited to him as producer.[1][2]

The Prime of Shorty Long
Long seated and looking toward the camera, smiling
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1969 (1969-11)
GenreRhythm and blues
Length33:11
LanguageEnglish
LabelSoul
ProducerShorty Long
Shorty Long chronology
Here Comes the Judge
(1968)
The Prime of Shorty Long
(1969)

Reception

edit

Editors at AllMusic Guide scored this album 4.5 five stars with critic Andrew Hamilton alleging that "bad choices for single releases killed any chance this LP had" in spite of the quality of Long's singing.[3] In his 2012 book on Procol Harum, Henry Scott-Irvine highlights Long's cover of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" as a stand-out soul rendition of the tune.[4]

Track listing

edit
  1. "I Had a Dream" (Shorty Long and Sylvia Moy) – 3:21
  2. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (Gary Brooker and Keith Reed) – 2:52
  3. "Memories Are Made of This" (Richard Dehr, Terry Gilkyson, and Frank Miller) – 2:57
  4. "I'm Walkin'" (Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino) – 2:18
  5. "I Cross My Heart" (Ivory Joe Hunter) – 3:20
  6. "Lillie of the Valley" (Long and Moy) – 2:47
  7. "Blue Monday" (Bartholomew and Domino) – 2:35
  8. "Baby Come Home to Me" (Clarence Paul, Luvel Broadnax, and Roosevelt Smith) – 2:24
  9. "I Wish You Were Here" (Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson) – 2:38
  10. "When You Are Available" (Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover, Long, and Marvin Gaye) – 2:32
  11. "Give Me Some Air" (Long) – 2:42
  12. "Deacon Work" (Lawrence Brown, George Gordy, and Allen Story) – 2:45

Personnel

edit
  • Shorty Long – vocals, production
  • J. Dempknock – photography
  • Ragni L. Griffin – liner notes
  • Curtis McNair – design
  • Paul Riser – arrangement on all tracks except "Baby Come Home to Me"
  • Robert White – arrangement on "Baby Come Home to Me"

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Betts, Graham (June 2, 2014). "Shorty Long". Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. ISBN 9781311441546.
  2. ^ Dahl, Bill (February 28, 2011). Motown: The Golden Years: More Than 100 Rare Photographs. Penguin Publishing Group. ISBN 9781440225574.
  3. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "Shorty Long – The Prime of Shorty Long". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  4. ^ Scott-Irvine, Henry (November 20, 2012). Procol Harum: The Ghosts of a Whiter Shade of Pale. Omnibus. ISBN 9780857128027.
edit