Newborn Woman by Vicki Lawrence
Not one to be discouraged, Vicki tried her hand at disco in 1979 with her third LP "Newborn Woman." The album was issued on Windmill Records and produced by Al Capps who had previously produced Vicki as well as write "Mama's Gonna Make It All Better" in 1974. Unfortunately for fans of Vicki, the LP did not get much promotion since it was issued about a year after The Carol Burnett Show ended. I feel the effort was a valid one. The sessions produced a very good album that should have been pushed harder to the radio stations and dance clubs. I had no idea Vicki had even released an LP back in 1979, or I would have gone out of my way to find it! The good news is that the LP appears on ebay from time to time for those looking for it. I did see Vicki perform the song "Your Lies" from the Newborn Woman album on a TV show back in 1979. It may have been from "Paul Lynde Goes Mad" which Vicki taped in Utah at Osmond Studios with Marie Osmond and Charo as the other two guests on Paul's TV special.
None of Vicki's 3 LP's have been legitimately issued on CD as of 2005. The song "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" has been reissued on various compilation LPs in the 1970s and on CDs of hit '70's music in the 80s and 90s. BELL Records is now owned by ARISTA Records. Windmill Records was a small indie label in Los Angeles that is no longer in business. Vicki's first and second LP's were produced by Snuff Garrett who also produced Cher's early to mid 1970s LPs and at least one LP by singers Carol Chase, Liza Minnelli and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri. Snuff Garrett produced most of his recordings at United Western Studios, Studio "B" in Hollywood, California.
As Groovy Tuesday: Vicki Lawrence’s “Newborn Woman” once said:
I found a vinyl copy of Vicki Lawrence’s Newborn Woman a few months back at my local Half-Price Books. I knew Vicki had recorded before (“The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” was a #1 single back in 1973), but I had no idea that this record even existed. All it took was the year of release (1979) and one quick glance at the cover and I knew one thing was certain about this record:
Mama does disco!
I was not disappointed– and you won’t be either. I know you might be a little skeptical, but I beg you: at the very least, check out the album-opening “Don’t Stop The Music.” I must have listened to this glorious slice of late-’70s excess at least fifty times in the week after my discovery of the album.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Newborn Woman has never been released on CD. The Analog Kid Blog may be the only place in the world where you can now listen to Thelma Harper moan lustfully, and that makes the $150 I just shelled out to renew my domain more than worth it.
Tracklist
| 1. | Don't Stop The Music | 5:12 |
| 2. | It's Always Been You | 3:30 |
| 3. | Midnight Robbery | 3:36 |
| 4. | Never Gonna Let You Go | 3:08 |
| 5. | Star Love | 3:42 |
| 6. | Your Lies | 3:13 |
| 7. | Baby When You're Near Me | 3:12 |
| 8. | Just One Time | 4:07 |
| 9. | Newborn Woman | 4:44 |
Credits
Arranged By – Al Capps
Art Direction – Linda Kay Klouda-Lavezzo
Backing Vocals – Jim Haas, Jon Joyce, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Mitch Gordon, Stan Farber, Stephanie Spruill
Bass – James Hughart*, Mike Porcaro
Concertmaster – Gordon Marron
Design – Linda Kay Klouda-Lavezzo
Drums – Willie Ornelas
Engineer – Mark Piscetelli
Guitar – Larry Rolando, Norman Sallitt, Rick Littlefield
Keyboards – Mark Gibbons*, Steve Rucker
Horns – Quitman Dennis, Lew McCreary, Bill Peterson
License
All rights reserved.Tags
Vicki Lawrence is an American actress, comedian, and pop singer known for the many characters she originated on The Carol Burnett Show, where she appeared from 1967 to 1978, for the entire series run. One such character, "The Family" matriarch Mrs.Thelma Harper, later was the central character of the television situation comedy series Mama's Family on NBC and, later, in first-run syndication.