Ruth Copeland


Band members                             Related acts

-  Ruth Copeland -- vocals 

 

  supporting musicians (1971)

- Bob Babbitt -- 

- Tommy Bell - 

- Tommy Camillo -- 

- George Clinton -- 

- Dennis Coffey -- lead guitar

- Tiki Fulwood -- drums, percussion

- Eddie Hazel -- guitar 

- Ray Monnett -- 

- Billy Nelson -- bass

- Tom Neme -- 

- Tau Ross -- rhythm guitar

- Andrew Smith -- 

- Bernie Worrell -- keyboards 

 

  supporting musicians (1976)

- Michael Becker -- horns

- Randy Becker -- horns 

- Francis Centeno -- bass 

- William Houcher -- backing vocals 

- Steve Jordan -- drums 

- Robin Kenyatta -- sax, flute

- Bob Kulick -- guitar 

- Jimmy Maelen -- percussion 

- Jesse Rae -- backing vocals 

- Ralph Schuckett -- keyboards 

- Eric Thorngren -- guitar

- John Turi -- keyboards 

- Dick Wagner - guitar 

 

 

 

 

- New Play (Ruth Copeland)

 

 


 

Genre: rock

Rating: ** (2 stars)

Title:  Self Portrait

Company: Invictus

Catalog: APL1-1236

Year: 1971

Country/State: Consett, Durham UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: includes insert lyric booklet

Available: SOLD

Catalog ID:  SOLD 2422

Price: SOLD $40.00

 

I first became aware of Ruth Copeland as a result of discovering her early 1970s collaborations with George Clinton.  The fact she didn't have a what I considered to be a great voice was offset by her apparent spunk and other attributes.   Besides, I was always curious how a woman from Consett, Durham UK ended up in Detroit, working with the likes of George Clinton and Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland.

 

The late-1960s found Copeland attending school as an art major.  Following the unexpected death of her mother she dropped out of school, moving to London where she began singing with a number of bands, including Ed and the Intruders.  Copeland immediately began attracting an audience, but decided to move to the States where she had an older sister.  Making her home in Detroit she met and married former Motown producer/songwriter Jeffrey Bowen.  When Bowen left Motown and signed with Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland's newly formed Invictus Records his new wife became one of the first acts signed to the upstart label.   

 

Copeland's first effort for Invictus was part of the short-lived studio group The New Play (Copeland, Ron Dunbar and Eddie Wayne).  The group survived long enough to release a one shot single.  Credited to 'The New Play featuring Ruth Copeland', 'The Music Box' served as the label's second single, disappearing almost instantly.  

 

- 1969's 'The Music Box' b/w 'A Gift Of Me" (Invictus catalog number Is 9072)

 

With Copeland having helped out on George Clinton and Parliament's Invictus debut "Osmium", Clinton and company repaid the favor providing extensive support on Copeland's 1971 debut "Self Portrait".  Unfortunately Copeland's simply hideous cover art served to give you notice that this one was going to problematic ...  You had to wonder if that was really the way she saw herself, let alone why Invictus' marketing department would allow such a cover when Copeland was quite attractive.  Side one certainly made you wonder why Invictus signed Copeland.  Original material like 'Prologue', 'Child of the North' and 'The Silent Boatmen' (previously recorded by Clinton and Parliament) were overblown and nauseatingly pompous.  Full of pseudo-intellectual crap and overblown arrangements, this stuff was challenging and there's a good chance a hack like Richard Harris would have rejected it.  Even wilder (and weirder) was the side two closer.  Adapted from 'Madame Butterfly', 'Un Bel Di (One Fine Day)' started out like a traditional opera, before morphing into a fuzz guitar-propelled rocker with Copeland singing in Italian.   No, I'm not making this up.  Giving credit where due, a couple of tracks were actually listenable.  Propelled by Eddie Hazel's fuzz guitar 'Your Love Been So Good To Me' was a nice (if atypical) rocker and the funky and effects filled 'I Got a Thing for You Daddy' was pretty wild.  Elsewhere listening to the album I've always laughed at critics who've compared Copeland to Janis Joplin.  At least to my ears on material like 'Thanks for the Birthday Card' and 'No Commitment' Copeland sounded more like Olivia Newton John than Joplin.  In fact the only comparison I've found between the two is that both had a tendency to over sing, giving much of the material a screechy feel.  

 

"Self Portrait" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Prologue   (Ruth Copeland) - 

Pretty instrumental introduction showcasing some nice acoustic guitar ...

2.) Child of the North   (Ruth Copeland) - 5:40     rating: *** stars

'Child of the North' had one of the prettiest bass lines I've ever heard.  Unfortunately  Copeland's spoken word narrative was seemingly endless, self-indulgent, and so so boring.   I wonder if it sounded any better had you been young and stoned back in 1971 ...   Nah, I'm pretty sure it was self-indulgent and boring back then.

3.) Thanks for the Birthday Card   (Ruth Copeland) - 4:29   rating: *** stars

Pretty ballad with some nice Eddie Hazel fuzz guitar popping up throughout the tune, though Copeland's "little girl" voice didn't do a great deal for me

4.) Your Love Been So Good To Me   (Ruth Copeland - Lucius Ross - George Clinton) - 3:16   rating: **** stars

Geez, imagine a cross between Heart's Nancy Wilson and Jimi Hendrix and you'll get a feel for what the blazing rocker 'Your Love Been So Good To Me' sounded like.   One of the album's standout performances.

5.) The Music Box   (Ruth Copeland - Eddie Wayne - Ronald Dunbar) - 3:40  rating: ** stars

Complete with Detroit's St. Peters Children's Choir, 'The Music Box' sounded quite different from the rest of the album.   Imagine something out of Melanie or Mary Hopkin's catalogs.  Copeland had actually written and recorded the tune back in 1969 while a member of the group New Play.   Personally I found the song seriously cloying.  The crying jag was enough for me to dock it an extra star.

6.) The Silent Boatman   (Ruth Copeland) - 5:50    rating: **** stars

Written by Copeland, 'The Silent Boatman' was  a strange, slightly ominous ballad.  Backed by most of Parliament the tune was powered by Copeland's surprisingly powerful voice and what sounded like Bernie Worrell on a church organ recording something for a throwaway horror flick soundtrack.  That low-tech feel was certainly part of the song's appeal, as was the surprisingly addictive melody.  Interestingly George Clinton and Parliament had previously recorded tune on their "Osmium" album.  Assuming it was recorded after Parliament's version, Copeland's take sounded remarkably like the Parliament version.  

 

(side 2)

1.) To William In the Night   (Ruth Copeland - G Alexander) - 2:50    rating: ** stars

The psychedelic-tinged opening was plain strange ...  and then the song abruptly morphed into what sounded like a Diana Ross and the Supremes outtake.   Seriously, Copeland sounded like Ross purring some of the dumbest lyrics you've ever heard.   

2.) No Commitment   (Ruth Copeland) - 3:19    rating: *** stars

'No Commitment' was an acoustic ballad that actually served to showcase how good Copeland's voice could be when she just played it straight,  Yeah, it was hyper-sensitive (complete with harp), but I've always heard a bit of a Dusty Springfield vibe on this one ...

3) I Got a Thing for You Daddy   (Ruth Copeland - Eddie Hazel - George Clinton) - 3:42   rating: ** stars

Hearing it straight was a challenge with the opening segment bouncing from channel to channel.  Stoned it must have been something else.  Unfortunately, Copeland's shrill, piercing howl was about as funky as soggy cereal.   Unnecessary three minutes that you will never get back.  No idea why, but the tune was released as a German single:

 

 

 

 

- 1970's 'I Got A Thing For You Daddy' b/w 'Music Box' (Invictus catalog number 5c 006-92 307)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.) A Gift To Me   (Ruth Copeland - Eddie Wayne - Ronald Dunbar) - 1:52   rating: ** stars

The acapella ballad 'A Gift To Me' was another New Play tune, having previously appeared as the 'B' side to the ''The Music Box'' single.  Painful.

5.) Un Bel Di (One Fine Day)   (adapted from Madame Butterfly) - 5:50   rating: ** stars

How did an Andre Lloyd Weber album get on my turntable ?   Hum, anything adapted from Madame Butterfly was suspect in my book.  Admittedly hearing Copeland singing in Italian, surrounded by a heavily orchestrated rocked-up operatic melody was a surprise.  Not necessarily a good thing.  

 

 


Genre: rock

Rating: ** (2 stars)

Title:  Take Me To Baltimore

Company: RCA Victor

Catalog: APL1-1236

Year: 1976

Country/State: Consett, Durham UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: original inner sleeve with lyrics

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 26

Price: $15.00

 

1976 saw Copeland reappear with her first studio set in five years.  Produced by Ralph Moss, my first impression of "Take Me To Baltimore" was less than overwhelming.  While Copeland's bluesy voice remained in fairly good form, the lead off selection 'Win or Lose' and 'Here You Come Again' all but smothered her with bland melodies and hackneyed over-orchestration.  Luckily, if you give the LP a couple of spins it revealed a couple of minor treasures.  Co-penned with Howard Harris, 'Oh Baby' was a nice ballad, while 'Clichés' was a decent slice of lite funk and the title track offered up a nice up-tempo rocker.  Nothing fantastic, but worth hearing if available at a reasonable price.  Elsewhere the set was notable for Daryl Hall's unexpected participation.  Hall was credited with co-writing 'Heaven' and ''Milky Way Man'' and also provided backing vocals on the two tracks - you could just hear him in the mix.  Needless to say, the LP vanished without a trace, as did Copeland.

  

"Take Me To Baltimore" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Win or Lose   (Jesse Rae) - 

- 1976's 'Win Or Lose' b/w 'WIn or Lose' (RCA Victor catalog number JH-10960)

2.) Milky Way Man   (Ruth Copeland - Daryl Hall) - 

3.) Oh Baby   (Ruth Copeland - Howard Harris) -  

4.) Here You Come Again   (Ruth Copeland - Eric Thorngren - John Turi - William Houcher) - 

5.) Clichés   (Ruth Copeland - Eric Thorngren) - 

 

(side 2)

1.) Heaven  (Ruth Copeland - Daryl Hall) - 

- 1976's 'Heaven' b/w 'Take Me To Baltimore' (RCA Victor catalog number PB 10893)

2.) Take Me To Baltimore  (Ruth Copeland - Dick Wagner) - 

3.) Some Hearts Need To Sing the Blues   (Ruth Copeland - John Turi) - 

4.) If You Don't Want My Love   (Ruth Copeland - Eric Thorngren - John Turi) - 

5.) Senses   (Ruth Copeland - Eric Thorngren) - 

 

 

 

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