Monday, October 27, 2014

#14 Am I The Same Girl -- Swing Out Sister (1992)



This one has an interesting history. It was first recorded in 1968 by R&B singer Barbara Acklin, but became a big hit as the instrumental “Soulful Strut” (credited to Young-Holt Unlimited) when a revised version was released later that year with Acklin’s vocals removed. Both Acklin and Dusty Springfield released the vocal version of the song in 1969, neither with much chart success.

Swing Out Sister finally rescued the song in its full glory from obscurity in 1992. The Acklin and Springfield versions aren’t bad, but Corinne Drewery and crew really make it their own.

Incidentally, one of the best CD bargains I ever picked up was in the mid-1990s in Clearwater FL (down mainly for spring training, naturally), where I found a Swing Out Sister “In-Store Play Sampler” for a mere $1.99. I don’t think I gained a lot of cred from the clerk with my purchase, but the 7 tracks proved that SOS did some great stuff beyond their few hit singles.

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