This very special Singles Club 7-inch pairs two 1965 gems from Ace’s essential Dan Penn collection “The Fame Recordings” (CDCHD 1353). Long the subject of rumour and speculation amongst soul aficionados, the songsmith’s own interpretations of the material he wrote at Fame, with collaborators such as Donnie Fritts, Marlin Greene and Spooner Oldham, are finally revealed to be every bit the equal of the covers that made those same songs anthems amongst the southern soul cognoscenti.
The topside, ‘Keep On Talking’, is aimed squarely at the dancefloor, boasting a similar groove to the popular version by James Barnett, which was released on Fame in late 1965 – and which followed the Dan’s original version almost to the very phrase. The magic of the FAME studio is readily apparent from the sound of the accompaniment here and Dan’s emotive vocals – “keep on crowing!” – seal the deal.
Dan’s treatment of the powerful ‘Uptight Good Woman’ is as down, dirty and soulful as he got at Fame. It’s the same basic arrangement familiar from the Spencer Wiggins single on Goldwax, but Dan’s pipes on this cut plead and beg in their own inimitable way. The Joe Tex-styled recitation alone is worth the price of admission.
By Alec Palao
