1975 - ANSWER ME (RSO)
(British Music Press, 1975 - source unknown)
Crack a magnum of champagne, Madam! As slushy and showbizy as this single is, it's a gem. The hottest commercial competition this week. With a voice fresh and clear cut, Barbara is already a favoured newcomer. To follow her fine interpretations of The Beatles' numbers in the hit show 'John Paul George Ringo And Bert', she's covered Frankie Laine's 1963 hit. An inspired choice. Junior Campbell's sure touch production has the single nudging along under the melody and the jaunty back-up vocals are perfectly mixed between strings and bass. A triumph of style. Deserves to be a tremendous hit.
1976 - PEOPLE GET READY (RSO)
(British Music Press, 1976 - source unknown)
She can pick 'em : after that delightful treatment of 'Answer Me' she borrows a toon from Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, who had a hit with it in '65. Which is OK, 'cos Curtis probably borrowed it from Gospel music anyway. Another tasteful job by Babs, but personally I'll stick with the Imps.
1976 - PEOPLE GET READY (RSO)
(British Music Press, 1976 - source unknown)
It's beautifully produced by Junior Campbell. And Barbara's distinctive voice - which on the 'A' side 'People Get Ready' is super-light, just tilting along the melody, and on the 'B' side (her own song 'Give Me Space') digs deep into the emotion of the song - is developing a warm, rich maturity. I just have the feeling that 'People Get Ready' is no 'Answer Me'. Covers are okay if the chosen song is more than good, but maybe this will chart climb on the strength of the last hit.
1977 - ANOTHER SUITCASE IN ANOTHER HALL (MCA)
(New Musical Express, 12th February 1977)
One of the few completely unembarrassing episodes from 'Evita', Ms Dickson's number in the role of Juan Peron's ousted mistress is richly sung to a sedate arrangement. She has a slightly self-conscious, hesitant presence that goes well with this song; it will be interesting to see where she does go from here, as the song says.
1977 - ANOTHER SUITCASE IN ANOTHER HALL (MCA)
(Melody Maker, 12th February 1977)
Divorced from the pretentious context of the 'opera' "Evita", this song - like "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" - is far more palatable... What the lady in this song - one of Juan Peron's teenage mistresses - is going to do in another hall is anybody's guess. She was ousted by Eva, who only knew the halls of her husband's palatial mansions.
Heard as nothing but a love song, however, this song is poignant and lovely. How lucky Lloyd Webber and Rice are to have Julie Covington and now Dickson, to add the flesh and bones to songs which might otherwise be wrecks of soppy melodrama. A smash hit.
1977 - ANOTHER SUITCASE IN ANOTHER HALL (MCA)
(Record Mirror, 12th February 1977)
The best thing to come out of 'Evita'. Don't cry for young Barbara, she's got a big one on her hands.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Dalkeith Advertiser, 5th May 1977)
It must have been a great disappointment to Barbara Dickson that her last single "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" taken from the musical "Evita", wasn't a bigger hit. In fact I thought it was a far superior number to "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" which took Julie Covington to number one in the charts for several weeks.
All in all, I don't think that the full extent of Miss Dickson's talent has ever been appreciated by the general public.
The Dunfermline lass has been on the music scene for many years now and, although she is receiving at last a certain measure of fame, she still doesn't get the following she deserves. Here's hoping that her latest effort "Lovers Serenade" will change all that and put her to the top.
The song has a hard, punch beat contrasted to a light, tingling cymbal, which opens this number. The lovely thing about Barbara Dickson's voice is that as well as being powerful her diction is beyond compare and not a word is missed by the listener.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 6th May 1977)
Not really a follow-up to "Another Suitcase" (as that was an "Evita" track) but a goosepimple-raising soft soul flyer.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Worcester Evening News, 6th May 1977)
Chunky, laid back stuff from one of our better young ladies. She's picked up a lot of fans along the way and this should sneak into the parade.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(East Kilbride News, 6th May 1977)
A hard, punchy beat contrasted to a light, tingling symbal open this excellent number from the lass from unfermline. And with the introduction of the vocal from Barbara - full and mighty - the single really takes hold. It is lovely and it is memorable. Destined for the top.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Wokingham Times, 12th May 1977)
Barbara has finally made it to the top and judging by the quality of her latest recording she really means to stay there. She captured my heart with her recent smash hit, 'Another Suitcase', and continues to woo me with 'Lover's Serenade' which is every bit as good. Her beautifully cool voice sounding seductive and sometimes even doleful. The flip side entitled 'High Tide' is also worth a listen and reminds me of her role on the LP version of "Evita" which is well worth a spin if you get the chance.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Harborough Mail, 12th May 1977)
She has the kind of voice that immediately sends goose pimples up male spines. This isn't a follow-up in the strictest sense to "Another Suitcase", as that was a one-off from the "Evita" album. But it is a lightly flying soft-soul song from her current album. Lovely.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Swindon Evening Advertiser, 12th May 1977)
The lady knows how to use her voice and make this country/rockish balladish thing come alive.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(Kilmarnock Standard, 13th May 1977)
Her Evita hit was great, this is priceless... moving along at a lively pace with jangling piano, soaring strings and meaty guitar. She'll have you smilin' as you hum along.
1977 - LOVER'S SERENADE (RSO)
(North Cheshire Herald, 3rd June 1977)
One of my favourite female vocalists, Barbara has a charming charisma which she beautifully showcases on this bubbling offering. Her volatile inflections top off a lightly palpitating instrumentation. It's a splendid single which tastefully exudes an attractive geniality perfectly befitting the amorous character of the song. It perceptively radiates the all-engrossing aura of contentment that comes to everybody when they have discovered their right partner. A huge hit, in my opinion.
1979 - COME BACK WITH THE SAME LOOK IN YOUR EYES (Epic) (British Music Press, 1979 - source unknown)
Ideal for those scenes in films when the boy and girl run to meet each other in the middle of a daisy-covered cow pasture.
Great lyrics sung to a base of strings, drums and a superb sax solo mid-way and on the fade. Take a pat on the bonce Babsy baby, this deserves to rocket you to the top.
1979 - CARAVANS (Epic)
(British Music Press, 1979 - source unknown)
It's nice to see Barbara Dickson back in the charts with the theme song from the film 'Caravans'. Ironic, too, because it's by no means the best song she's recorded in recent years.
I particularly liked her last single, a rousing version of Gerry Rafferty's 'City To City', but the record-buying public and - more to the point - the radio DJs wern't so impressed, so...no hit.
Of course, the release of the movie 'Caravans', starring Anthony Quinn, has helped her current release. And the fact that the theme song was written by Mike "Bright Eyes" Batt hasn't hindered, either.
1980 - JANUARY, FEBRUARY (Epic)
(New Musical Express, 1980)
If Cliff's 'We Don't Talk Anymore' is the Todd Rundgren single of 1979, then this is Todd's single of 1980. Producer Alan Tarney has his ears beautifully plugged into every trick and device of texture and melody that the Runt has ever employed and then a bit more. Must be a hit.
1980 - IN THE NIGHT (Epic)
(British Music Press, 1980 - source unknown)
For some reason I've got a mono copy. I hope they're not all like this. Barbara has a lovely clear voice and superb diction. I like this a lot better than 'January, February' but it's a bit long. Needs trimming.
