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#106 Pop
You may remember Carla for her 1967 chart topping duet (#2 R&B, #26 Pop) with Otis Redding, “Tramp,” but she was also William Bell’s third duet partner.
“I Can’t Stop,” composed by Carla and William Bell, is another track from the 1968 William Bell “Duets” LP.
In 1969, the song also appeared on another Stax album of duets that included all of the Stax Artists. The LP, “Boy Meets Girl,” did not do very well on the charts.
I came to know the songs when the LP was re-released by Stax in 2009 as “Classic Soul Duets: Boy Meets Girl.”
If you haven’t heard the set I highly recommend it: real soul music at its best!
Musically Yours,
Filed under: Dynamic Duos (Duets), I Can't Stop, Pop/Soul, R&B/Soul, Sixties, Stax of Soul, Stax/Volt, William Bell & Carl Thomas, William Bell & Carla Thomas - Composers
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William Bell, like Motown’s Marvin Gaye, had more than one duet partner while at Stax: Judy Clay was his first. But after she went back to Atlantic Records there were other partners.
The LP pictured above, “William Bell Duets,” was released in 1968 and included “Strung Out” along with all of the duet projects Bell had recorded in the Sixties with female artists at Stax.
The Staple Singers family group had been with five labels before signing with Stax Records in 1968. The group was made of three sisters (Mavis, Cleotha and Yvonne), their brother Pervis, and the father of them all — Roebuck “Pops” Staples. The group had great success with Stax on hits led by sister Mavis with her powerful, soulful voice.
Two Mavis and William duets from the LP were released as a single in 1969. “Love’s Sweet Sensation” was backed with “Strung Out.” Neither were hits, but I wanted to share with you this sweet soul ballad.
Filed under: Dynamic Duos (Duets), Pop/Soul, R&B/Duets, R&B/Soul, Sixties, Stax of Soul, Stax/Volt, Strung Out, William Bell & Mavis Staples
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#17 R&B USA, #75 Pop USA, #8 UK
This is one of the classic oldies that I had completely forgotten about until I heard it playing on Sirius Satellite Radio “Soul Town” a few years ago. As soon as I heard it I was taken back to another era: I recalled every lyric and the carefree feeling of being a teenager, trying to be grown and in puppy love sharing your phone number with that special boy. 
I have listened to it many times since I heard it playing in the car during my morning commute that day, and I wanted to share it with you here, so that you will all be reminded that Motown’s Marvin & Tammi didn’t have a complete lock on the soulful pop love ballad genre in the Sixties!
Bell and Booker T. Jones wrote this song for Otis Redding: unfortunately he passed on before the scheduled recording session.
William Bell had a respectable solo artist and writing career at Stax, but Judy Clay basically is remembered for this duet with Bell and the followup “My Baby Specializes.”
Judy Clay started her musical career with the gospel oriented Drinkard Singers that later became know as the secular Sweet Inspirations.
Before dueting with Bell, Clay recorded duets with writer/singer Billy Vera, whom she also dueted with again after leaving Stax for Atlantic records.
Read more about Miss Clay at Spectropop Presents Judy Clay Specializes by Mick Patrick.
Musically Yours,
Filed under: Dynamic Duos (Duets), Pop/Soul, Private Number, R&B/Soul, Sixties, Stax of Soul, Stax/Volt, William Bell & Booker T. Jones, William Bell & Judy Clay
