Written, arranged, produced and sung by Don Covay, the 8-track LP was titled Funky YoYo, probably in the hope of inspiring a new dance craze, and while promotion copies reached distributors, the LP was reputedly never shipped out to stores. The songs are the usual Covay mixture of gospelly ballads and energetic beaters, and the raw soul content harks back to the style of the original Atlantic sessions, though the production is sometimes quite basic - in fact, true to the roots of soul!

We are also pleased to include as a bonus the five tracks from Don's Janus LP, adding to those previously included on the CD "Superdude" RPMSH 292, to complete that reissue.

Record Collector - 3 stars "warrants repeated listening"

Three Time Loser / An Ugly Woman (Is Twice As Sweet) / Love Is Sweeter On The Other Side / You Can't Get Something For Nothin' / Your Love Has Got To Me / I Don't Think I Can Make It / Yo Yo (Part 1 ) / Yo Yo (Part 2 )

Bonus Tracks:
Standing In The Grits Line / In The Sweet By & By / Ain't Nothing A Young Girl Can Do / If There's A Will There's A Way / What's In The Headlines
 

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.

It's Better To Have (And Don't Need) / A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste / Sexy Lady / We Can't Make It No More / Rumble In The Jungle / What's Good To You (Don't Have To Be Good For You) / I Been Here All The Time / Hot Blood / Enjoy What You Have / Gangster Strut (instrumental)

Bonus

Dungeon No.3 / Standing In The Grits Line / In The Sweet Bye & Bye / Ain't Nothing A Young Girl Can Do / If There's A Will There's A Way / What's In The Headlines

 

First up on Shout is the 1973 LP, "Super Dude 1", reissued in its entirety, with as a bonus for the collectors the first tracks from the Janus LP (second Mercury LP plus the rest of the Janus material will follow on Shout soon).

"Super Dude 1" was a landmark for Don Covay, released as a concept-album and gaining both critical approval and healthy sales. Some tracks were recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama, with the punchy "Overtime Man" being typical southern funk, while "Leave Him" and "I Was Checkin' Out" are notable gems of deep soul balladry, and Don adds his own inimitable stamp to Chuck Berry's classic Memphis. The bonus tracks from Janus LP 'Different Strokes for Different Folks' likewise include a strong mix of ballads and funk.

All the recordings have been unavailable for many years, and all are keenly-sought collectors' items, (with many enquiries on the Southern Soul lists) which fit splendidly into the profile and catalogue of Shout Records. These re-issues will be produced by Clive Richardson, whose career in music journalism began back in 1964 as president of the UK fan club for-.... Don Covay!!

Overtime Man / Leave Him Pts 1 & 2 / I Stayed Away Too Long / I Was Checking Out / Hold You To Your Promise / Memphis / Pinch Hitters / Somebody's Been Enjoying My Home / Bad Mouthing / Money / Don't Step On A Man When He's Down

Bonus tracks

Sweet Thang / Daddy Please Don't Go Out Tonight / Why Did You Put Your Shoes Under My Bed / Stop By / Bad Luck / Hitching A Ride