LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

By the late '60s Dionne Warwick had become an international star and the virtual embodiment of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David songbook. A former background singer with gospel and R&B roots, she made her name with sophisticated Brill Building pop that appealed to both white and black audiences. She was the jewel of the Scepter Records roster. Very Dionne, released in 1970, was the last album Warwick recorded for the independent Scepter label before signing a deal with Warner Bros. Her new contract was the most lucrative ever awarded a female artist up to that time. Very Dionne is notable for its relative absence of Bacharach-David tunes. (Bacharach was becoming increasingly focused on his performing career.) Along with three of the duo's compositions, the album gathers a wide array of material. The Beatles' "Yesterday," Paul Williams' "We've Only Just Begun," and "I Got Love," from the Broadway musical Purlie, were all given elegant arrangements by Marty Paich. Other highlights include Little Anthony & The Imperials' "Going Out Of My Head" and Bacharach-David's "Check Out Time," one of the team's most cleverly constructed songs. Along with the entire original release of Very Dionne, four tracks from 1977's Only Love Can Break A Heart and three tracks from 1971's The Dionne Warwick Story: A Decade Of Gold are also included on this Rhino Handmade release. An additional 10 unreleased tracks include several live cuts and a duet version with B.J. Thomas of "They Don't Give Medals To Yesterday's Heroes." David Nathan's liner notes offer extensive back-story on the bonus material. Very Dionne is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 5,000 copies.
TRACK LISTING CHECK OUT TIME (4:06) YESTERDAY (2:36) WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN (3:07) HERE'S THAT RAINY DAY (3:35) THE GREEN GRASS STARTS TO GROW (3:00) THEY DON'T GIVE MEDALS TO YESTERDAY'S HEROES (2:55) WALK THE WAY YOU TALK (2:50) GOING OUT OF MY HEAD (3:08) I GOT LOVE (2:26) MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF - with B.J. Thomas (3:00) THEY DON'T GIVE MEDALS TO YESTERDAY'S HEROES - with B.J. Thomas (3:10) (THE) VERY FIRST PERSON I MET (IN CALIFORNIA) (2:55) WHO GETS THE GUY (3:18) IF I RULED THE WORLD (2:43) LET IT BE ME (2:44) ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART (2:53) YOU'VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY (Live) (2:40) DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE (Live) (3:10) THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE WITH YOU (Live) (3:49) GOING OUT OF MY HEAD (Live) (2:58) WALK ON BY (Live) (3:07) PAPER MACHE (Live) (3:00) I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER (Live) (2:58) MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF (Live) (3:34) THE LOOK OF LOVE (Live) (2:29) WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW (Live) (3:15)