Breathtaking Side from Roddie Joy

• Listen to this song on youtube: Come Back Baby
• Listen to these 45s in a Spotify playlist here  with other 45s from the blog (though note, spotify doesn’t have all / many of the songs featured on the site so some playlists may be incomplete or feature slightly different versions than the original 45s I’m referring to here.
• This song is available on Musical Episode #016: Singles Mixer v. 5

I picked up today’s record on my most recent trip to the Bay Area and before I get into the post I want to shout out a few folks who made my time out there particularly excellent: Bobby, Tracy and Fernando who put together the Where It’s At! night at Legionnaire Saloon in Oakland on the first Saturday of the month.  If you’re ever in Oakland swing by for amazing records and real nice folks, very thankful to have had the chance to spin there and hang out with all those great people.  Also, be sure to check out Tracy & Fernando’s shop Vamp.

One of my other favorite places to stop in SF is Rooky Ricardo’s Records.  I spent a good few hours looking through records and chatting with owner Dick Vivian, a man or incredible knowledge, boundless passion for music and remarkable charm.  After lots of discussion about underrated female vocalists, Bert Berns productions, the knockoff Hit label and more he pulled a record and said “if you don’t like this record we’re no longer friends.”

Now, dear readers, we are in the same position.  This record is so deeply moving I let out an audible sigh the first time the chorus hit.  Though the production may feel reserved the emotional weight of this record is staggering.  The opening with drums and quiet organ and Roddie stretching out, prepping to plead her case just buries me before the song even starts- the equivalent of talking to yourself in the mirror over and over when you have something difficult to tell someone.  It’s also fitting that she’s only accompanied by the organist who delivers an immensely evocative solo later in the song, both of them needed that little extra warm up.

Roddie Joy cut two other records with Red Bird before moving to Cameo / Parkway where she put out 4 more singles all with Lewis and Wiener producing but never failed to break into the spotlight and presumably when Cameo closed up shop in the late 60’s that was the end of Roddie’s time in the record business.

I hope you enjoy today’s 45 as much as I did because responding to a record like that is rare and I hope you’re able to feel the beauty in Roddie’s voice so we can remain friends.

-George / Snack Attack

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