Genre: soul
Rating: 4 stars ****
Title: Comin' Down On You
Company: Today
Catalog: TLP-1007
Year: 1972
Country/State: Norfolk, Virginia
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: still in shrink wrap
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5392
Price: $50.00
For a singer with a surprisingly extensive recording catalog, including releases on five major labels, Debbie Taylor's all but unknown in the US though she seems to have a cult following in the UK. That's sad since she had a nice bluesy voice and cut some dandy late-1960s thru mid-1970s soul sides. In spite of an unfortunate title, her sole LP, 1972's "Comin' Down On You" is well worth tracking down and is even better given you can still buy it for a reasonable price.
Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia singer Debbie Taylor seems to have started her career as a backup singer recording for a number of local acts including Raw Soul. Her solo recording career started in 1968 with a pair of singles for Decca Records:
- 1968's 'I Get The Blues' b/w 'The Last Laugh Is On The Blues' (Decca Records catalog number 32090)
- 1968's 'Check Yourself' b/w 'Wait Until I'm Gone' (Decca Records catalog number 32259)
Neither release did much commercially and the following year she was one of the first acts signed to the New York-based GWP label. Working with producer George Kerr over the next year she released a string of four singles:
- 1969's 'Never Gonna Let Him Know' b/w 'Let's Prove Them Wrong' (GWP Records catalog number GWP 501)
- 1969's 'How Long Can This Last' b/w 'Don't Let It End' (GWP Records catalog number GWP 510)
- 1969's 'Mama, Look Sharp' b/w 'No Brag Just Fact' (GWP Records catalog number GWP 512) (with The Hesitations)
- 1970's 'Don't Nobody Mess with My Baby' b/w 'Stop' (GWP Grapevine catalog number 202)
Once again commercial success eluded her, but 1972 found Bo Frazier and songwriter/producer David Jordan sign her to Terry Philip's Perception Records affiliated Today label where she was finally given a chance to record an album. Co-produced by Jordan and Patrick Adams (who enjoyed considerable recognition for his work with Black Ivory), in spite of the unfortunate title, "Comin' Down On You" was one of those criminally overlooked soul classics. The combination of Taylor's wonderful voice and some first-rate material (much of it written by Jordan and Adams) made for an album that should have burned up the charts. Taylor showed herself capable of handling everything from smoldering ballads ('Touchin' You') to surprisingly rock-ish material ('Too Sad To Tell'). Simply chock full of strong performances, virtually every one of the nine tracks was worth hearing. Highlights included the blazing ' No If's Ands, Or Buts', 'Romance Without Finance', the crushing ballad 'Leaving Him Tomorrow', and the bluesy 'Eye Doctor'. Given my uneducated insight the LP's commercial failure would seem to rest on three factors: 1.) lack of promotion by Today, 2.) picking one of the more predictable songs as the single ( 'No Deposit, No Return' b/w 'Too Sad To Tell' (Today records catalog number T-1510 A/B)), and 3.) poor market timing - had this album been released a year or two earlier it would have instantly captured soul's multi-cultural audience. By 1972 that audience had already begun to fracture. Shame since the album's a true pleasure from start to finish.
"Comin' Down On You" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) No If's Ands, Or Buts (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:50
2.) Touchin' You (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 3:20
3.) Too Sad To Tell (Maurice Irby Jr. - T. Philips) - 2:25
4.) Second To None (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 3:40
5.) Romance Without Finance (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:40
(side 2)
1.) Leaving Him Tomorrow (T. Kaye - E. Wagman) - 4:10
3.) No Deposit No Return (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:40
4.) Eye Doctor (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 4:10
4.) Jeremiah (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 4:00
The Today LP did little commercially and the following year Taylor appeared with a single on Polydor:
- 1973's 'I Have Learned To Do without You' b/w 'Cheaper In the Long Run' (Polydor Records catalog number PD14129)
Two years later saw the release of what appears to be her final 45:
- 1975's 'Just Don't Pay' b/w 'I Don't Wanna Leave You' (Arista Records catalog number AS-0144)
In 1998 her Today LP was repackaged by the British Sequel label.
1998's "Still Comin' Down On You" (Sequel Records catalog number )
"Still Comin' Down On You" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) No If's Ands, Or Buts (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:50
2.) Touchin' You (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 3:20
3.) Too Sad To Tell (Maurice Irby Jr. - T. Philips) - 2:25
4.) Second To None (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 3:40
5.) Romance Without Finance (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:40
(side 2)
1.) Leaving Him Tomorrow (T. Kaye - E. Wagman) - 4:10
3.) No Deposit No Return (David Jordan - Patrick Adams) - 2:40
4.) Eye Doctor (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 4:10
4.) Jeremiah (Maurice Irby Jr.) - 4:00
And that appears to be it for Taylor's recording catalog. She seems to have literally disappeared from view though at least a couple of references have confused her with another Debbie Taylor (now known as Debbie Taylor-Walker) who toured and performed with The Stanley Baird Group and recorded a solo LP entitled "The Look of Love".