If you rewind to the mid 70s Rita Coolidge is one artist you might remember. Pop, country or jazz, Coolidge manages to take off easily on all these genres. Listen to her smooth vocals on this album.

This album was a regular on my Philips turntable in my growing up days. Coolidge’s laid back voice and her take on the numerous ballads, can really seduce you. This album, her sixth, was the only album to reach the No. 6 spot in the US Billboard charts and No. 4 on the Canadian charts when compared to her 16 solo albums, not counting the ones she recorded with musician and husband Kris Kristofferson.

Released in 1977, the album had 10 songs, five songs on each side of the LP. Coolidge worked with the cream of musicians on this album, garnering three Billboard top twenty hits, namely Boz Scaggs with the We’re all alone (# 7), to the Temptations The Way you do the things you do (# 20), and the album's biggest hit which reached #2 (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher (#2), a remake of Jackie Wilson's # 1 R & B hit (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.

If we listen to Coolidge’s version we find it more mid-tempo, than Wilson’s slow jam. Coolidge and her sister Priscilla Jones had sung background on a version of the song for a prospective album by Jones' husband Booker T Jones. The song became a major hit for Coolidge and made her instantly famous.

The two times Grammy winner’s other tracks on this album are as beautiful as the ones we have spoken of. The David Whitten penned I don’t want to talk about it, that today has been covered by loads of artists, is one mega hit of a song and a must replay.

Flip over to Side B and we have the Bee Gees Words in the soul stirring voice of Coolidge who adds her spice to make it sound heartwarming. Moving ahead we have Sam Cooke’s Good Times, followed by Kris Kristofferson with Who‘s to Bless, Who’s to Blame. The album ends with a Neil Sedaka – Howard Greenfield composition The Hungry Years.

The album is a perfect lover’s delight, mushy lyrics and the slow melodies all make it for a perfect evening of easy listening.

Released in: March 1977

Genre: Pop

Label: A & M Records

Duration: 36.03

Rating: ****

- Reviewed By Verus Ferreira