Pick of the Litter | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 1975 | |||
Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 33:49 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Thom Bell | |||
The Spinners chronology | ||||
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The Spinners studio albums chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A− [2] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ( ) [3] |
Pick of the Litter is the sixth studio album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in August 1975 on the Atlantic label. The album was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Pick of the Litter is generally considered the last of the quartet of classic Bell-produced studio albums the Spinners released between 1973 and 1975, and to mark the end of the most creative phase of the group’s career – while future releases would have memorable moments, contemporary critical opinion is that none of the group’s later material matches the enduring quality and top-notch consistency of these four albums.
Pick of the Litter became the Spinners’ highest placing album on the Billboard 200, reaching number eight; however it was the group’s first Atlantic album to miss the top of the R&B albums chart, peaking at number two. The album includes the distinctive "Games People Play", one of the group’s signature songs, which became their fifth single to top the R&B chart and a top 5 hit on the Billboard singles chart. The second single "Love or Leave" also made the R&B top 10.
Although not credited on the album sleeve, "Just as Long as We Have Love" includes vocal contributions from Dionne Warwick.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Honest I Do" | Sherman Marshall, Philip Pugh, Thom Bell | 4:00 |
2. | "I Don't Want to Lose You" | Linda Creed, Thom Bell | 3:42 |
3. | "Love or Leave" | Charles Simmons, Bruce Hawes, Joseph B. Jefferson | 4:59 |
4. | "Sweet Love of Mine" | Vinnie Barrett, Bobby Eli | 4:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
5. | "All That Glitters Ain't Gold" | Philip Terry, Theodore Life, Talmadge Conway | 3:47 |
6. | "You Made a Promise to Me" | Charles Simmons, Bruce Hawes, Joseph B. Jefferson | 3:56 |
7. | "Games People Play" | Joseph B. Jefferson, Bruce Hawes, Charles Simmons | 4:41 |
8. | "Just as Long as We Have Love" | Vinnie Barrett, Bruce Hawes | 4:06 |
Chart (1975) | Peak [4] |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top LPs | 8 |
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs | 2 |
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [4] | US R&B [4] | US A/C [4] | ||
1975 | "Games People Play" | 5 | 1 | 2 |
"Love or Leave" | 36 | 8 | — | |
The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues vocal group that formed in Ferndale, Michigan, in 1954. They enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with producer Thom Bell. The group continues to tour, without any original members, after Henry Fambrough retired in 2023.
A Brand New Me is the sixth studio album by English singer Dusty Springfield, released in 1970.
Spinners is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, produced by Thom Bell and released in April 1973 on the Atlantic label. The album was the group's first for Atlantic after leaving Motown.
The Stylistics is the debut album by American R&B group the Stylistics, released in November 1971 on the Avco record label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. The album has been called "a sweet soul landmark."
"Then Came You" is a 1974 song recorded by American soul singer Dionne Warwick and American R&B group The Spinners. It was credited to Dionne Warwicke and the Spinners. The track was written by Sherman Marshall and Phillip T. Pugh, and produced by Thom Bell.
Dionne is a studio album by American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Arista Records in May 1979 in the United States. Recorded during the winter of 1978–79, the album marked Warwick's debut with the label. Production on Dionne was helmed by Barry Manilow, who was paired with Warwick by Arista founder Clive Davis. Her highest-charting album since Soulful (1969), Dionne peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 album chart and went platinum in the US.
"I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners. It was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell.
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" is a 1972 song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners. It was co-written by Melvin and Mervin Steals, two songwriter brothers working for Atlantic, who were sometimes credited as "Mystro and Lyric." It was produced by Thom Bell, recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios and the house band MFSB provided the backing. Bobby Smith sings lead through most of the song, while Philippé Wynne handles vocal duties on the outro.
"One of a Kind (Love Affair)" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as "Detroit Spinners" in the UK). It was written by Joseph B. Jefferson and produced by Thom Bell.
Flying High Together is an album by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label, released in 1972. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson, who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as vice president of Motown. The album charted at #46 on the Billboard Pop Album chart, and featured two singles: the appropriately named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now", which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart, charting at #46, and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart, charting at #9, and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry", which charted at #45 Pop, and #21 R&B.
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New and Improved is the fifth album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in December 1974 on the Atlantic label. Like the Spinners' two previous Atlantic albums, New and Improved was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Happiness Is Being with the Spinners is the seventh studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, released in July 1976 on the Atlantic label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle.
Round 2 is the second studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in October 1972 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Rockin' Roll Baby is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in November 1973 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studio North in Philadelphia. This was the group's last album produced by Bell.
Mathis Is... is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on February 21, 1977, by Columbia Records and reunited the singer with producer Thom Bell for the first time since their collaboration on I'm Coming Home in 1973. As with that project, Mathis Is... focuses primarily on new songs, the one exception being a cover of "Sweet Love of Mine" from the 1975 Pick of the Litter album by The Spinners.
Then Came You is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. Sharing its title with the number one hit song Warwick performed a year before with The Spinners, the album was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975 in the United States. The album peaked at number 167 on the US Billboard 200.
Track of the Cat is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975 in the United States. Her second album to be released that year, it peaked at number 137 on the US Top LPs & Tape chart.
From Here to Eternally is a 1979 studio album from American Philly soul vocal group the Spinners, released on Atlantic Records. This album represents their last collaboration with producer Thom Bell and marks a decline in the critical and commercial success of the group.