The Choice is Yours
Sweet Linda Divine. 1970.
I'm writing about this record for many reasons. Firstly - this is what The Black Sheep sampled for "The Choice is Yours," one of the best jump up and down hip hop jams. Check this out if you get what I'm putting down:
Second, the album is produced by none other than the journey-renaissance man of 6os and 70s rock and soul - Al Kooper. If you're down with Blood, Sweat, and Tears, you're familiar. If you're down with Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," Kooper somehow snuck into the session for that song and laid down the organ line with no real organ chops. Apparently Bob liked what he was hearing?
Thirdly, the bio of the lead singer "Sweet" Linda "Divine" Tillery, is crazy. I almost bought another record of hers at a Value Village, when I saw it, until I took a closer look. I don't know any other woman that was recording love songs for women in the 70s. She was a pioneer.
But this album, Sweet Linda Divine, is full of funky, tight drum breakdowns and soul grooves. The production's great. Linda's energy and delivery is magnetic. On top of "I'll Say it Again," the Black Sheep sampled track, she covers Cat Stevens, The Beatles, and sings "Cigarettes and Coffee" (Otis!).
Finally, I love this record because it's a gem and I grabbed it for 2 bucks at my favourite thrift store, the Kerr Street Salvation Army in Oakville. What up, diggers?
