Don Covay Hot Blood CD

Don Covay recorded with the Rainbows, the Soldier Boys, the Goodtimers, the Soul Clan, and solo as Pretty Boy, and his recording career experienced a mini revival via his first Mercury album, Superdude. Hot Blood was supposed to continue the roll and take Covay to even higher planes. He even managed to get his old friends the Isley Brothers to contribute some liner notes. Things look promising when "It's Better to Have (And Don't Need)" started picking up airplay on R&B stations; the gritty soul tune remains vibrant these days on numerous websites and still screams with passion. But a second (and Covay's final) Mercury single, "Rumble in the Jungle," a play on the name of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's celebrated boxing match, didn't live up to its title and hardly created a stir, let alone any rumblings. Then Mercury inexplicably dropped the ball, wasting tracks like "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste," "What's Good to You (Don't Have to Be Good for You)," the title track, and "Sexy Lady." ~ Andrew Hamilton

Don Covay recorded with the Rainbows, the Soldier Boys, the Goodtimers, the Soul Clan, and solo as Pretty Boy, and his recording career experienced a mini revival via his first Mercury album, Super Dude. Hot Blood was supposed to continue the roll and take Covay to even higher planes. He even managed to get his old friends the Isley Brothers to contribute some liner notes. Things look promising when "It's Better to Have (And Don't Need)" started picking up airplay on R&B stations; the gritty soul tune remains vibrant these days on numerous websites and still screams with passion. But a second (and Covay's final) Mercury single, "Rumble in the Jungle," a play on the name of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's celebrated boxing match, didn't live up to its title and hardly created a stir, let alone any rumblings. Then Mercury inexplicably dropped the ball, wasting tracks like "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste," "What's Good to You (Don't Have to Be Good for You)," the title track, and "Sexy Lady." [This version of the release contains bonus material.] ~ Andrew Hamilton

The sessions were produced by Don, and the band was again augmented by the renowned Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Spooner Oldham, David Hood, Barry Beckett, Jimmy Johnson). This is now reissued by SHOUT together with a bonus in the track Dungeon Number 3, originally the b-side of his 1973 hit single Overtime Man, but not included on either LP. As usual there is a strong gospel influence, and this is most evident in the driving, uptempo It's Better to Have, the opening track, which took Don not only into the US Hot 100 but also gave him his first UK top 30 hit since the classic Atlantic era of Mercy Mercy and See Saw, a decade earlier. RPM Records. 2005.

Director: Don Covay.

Personnel: Don Covay (vocals); Billy Cadieux (guitar); Rodney Beytham (keyboards).

Recording information: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.