Clyde McPhatter - Rock And Cry

Side 1

1. Seven Days

2. Treasure Of Love

3. Thirty Days

4. Without Love (There Is Nothing)

5. Rock And Cry

6. You'll Be There

7. Just To Hold My Hand

8. Long Lonely Nights

Side 2

1. No Love Like Her Love

2. Come What May

3. Deep Sea Ball

4. A Lover's Question

5. I Can't Stand Up Alone

6. Lovey Dovey

7. Since You've Been Gone

8. You Went Back On Your Word

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Rock And Cry (Mega)

We continue the Clyde McPhatter story with this 1984 Charly compilation of his solo sides for Atlantic. A Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters single ("Hot Ziggity" / "Everybody's Laughing") was released by Atlantic under Clyde's name only in August 1955. On August 25th 1955 Clyde recorded his first real solo single, "Seven Days" / I'm Not Worthy Of You", which was released in January 1956.

As you can hear on the audio player below, Atlantic abandoned the R&B arrangements of Clyde's work with The Drifters. From now on his records would feature brassy pop arrangements complete with vocal chorus. This is an approach Atlantic used with many of its R&B artists in the second half of the 1950s. 

"Seven Days" just failed to enter the pop top 40, but subsequent McPhatter releases were more successful. In June 1956 "Treasure Of Love" reached number 16 in the pop charts. "Without Love" reached number 19 in February 1957 and "Just To Hold My Hand" reached number 26 in July of that year. Clyde's most successful single for Atlantic, "A Lover's Question" reached number 6 in October 1958, spending a total of 20 weeks in the top 40. However the rest of Clyde's releases on Atlantic failed to match the performance of "A Lover's Question" with only "Since You've Been Gone" entering the top 40, peaking at number 38 in August 1959.

In 1959 Clyde left Atlantic for MGM but none of his releases on that label charted. In 1960 he signed up with Mercury and had a major hit with "Lover Please" which reached number 7 in the pop charts in the spring of 1962. This proved to be his last chart hit and he left Mercury in 1965 just as his career entered a decline. His remaining years were blighted by alcohol problems and make for rather sad reading - "Drifting Away: The Tragedy Of Clyde McPhatter" is a poignant chapter in Tony Allan's book "Save The Last Dance For Me: The Musical Legacy Of The Drifters".

In the last four posts on this blog we have seen what a major talent Clyde McPhatter was. He brought the intensity of gospel singing into rhythm and blues and thus helped pave the way for the coming of soul music. His shift to a more mainstream style brought pop chart success, but only for a few years. However he was the third biggest selling R&B artist of the 1950s with only Fats Domino and The Platters outselling him.

Clyde McPhatter's solo releases on Atlantic (thanks to Joan K for the label scans):

Seven Days / I'm Not Worthy Of You (Atlantic 1081) recorded August 25th, 1955, released January 1956.

Treasure Of Love / When You're Sincere (Atlantic 1092) recorded March 4th, 1956, released April 1956

Thirty Days / I'm Lonely Tonight (Atlantic 1106) recorded July 26th, 1956, released September 1956

Without Love (There Is Nothing) / I Make Believe (Atlantic 1117), Without Love recorded October 10th, 1956, I Make Believe recorded March 4th, 1956. Released December 1956

Just To Hold My Hand / No Matter What (Atlantic 1133), recorded February 13th, 1957, released April 1957

Long, Lonely Nights / Heartaches (Atlantic 1149), Long, Lonely Nights recorded June 30th, 1957, Heartaches recorded October 10th, 1956. Released July 1957

Rock And Cry / You'll Be There (Atlantic 1158), Rock And Cry recorded October 10th 1956, You'll Be There recorded February 13th, 1957. Released September 1957

No Love Like Her Love / That's Enough For Me (Atlantic 1170), recorded September 4th, 1957, released January 1958

Come What May / Let Me Know (Atlantic 1185), recorded February 26th, 1958, released May 1958

A Lover's Question / I Can't Stand Up Alone (Atlantic 1199), recorded August 7th, 1958, released September, 1958

Lovey Dovey / My Island Of Dreams (Atlantic 2018), Lovey Dovey recorded August 7th, 1958, My Island Of Dreams recorded October 10th, 1956. Released February 1959

Try, Try, Baby / Since You've Been Gone (Atlantic 2028), Try, Try, Baby was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters on March 14th, 1954 but credited to Clyde McPhatter only. Since You've Been Gone was recorded on 27th February, 1959. Record released June 1959

There You Go / You Went Back On Your Word (Atlantic 2038), There You Go was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters on March 14th, 1954 but credited to Clyde McPhatter only. You Went Back On Your Word was recorded on 27th February, 1959. Record released September 1959

Don't Dog Me / Just Give Me a Ring (Atlantic 2049), Don't Dog Me was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters on November 12th, 1953 but credited to Clyde McPhatter only. Just Give Me A Ring was recorded on February 26th, 1958. Record released January 1960

Let The Boogie Woogie Roll / Deep Sea Ball (Atlantic 2060), Let The Boogie Woogie Roll was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters on August 9th, 1953 but credited to Clyde McPhatter only. Deep Sea Ball was recorded on February 26th, 1958. Record released April 1960

If I Didn't Love You Like I Do / Go! Yes Go! (Atlantic 2082), If I Didn't Love You Like I Do was recorded by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters on March 14th, 1954 but credited to Clyde McPhatter only. Go! Yes Go! was recorded on March 4th, 1956. Record released November 1960