The First Lady of Immediate

The First Lady of Immediate
Studio album by P. P. Arnold
Released	1968
Recorded	1967–1968
Genre	Soul [1] R&B [2]
Label	Immediate
Producer	Steve Marriott Ronnie Lane Mike Hurst Mick Jagger
P. P. Arnold chronology
The First Lady of Immediate (1968) Kafunta (1968)

The First Lady of Immediate is the debut album by American soul singer P. P. Arnold, released in 1968 on the Immediate Records label.

History

By the time the album was released, P. P. Arnold, then known as Pat Arnold, left the Ikettes after beginning a friendship with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, and signed to Immediate Records, a record label owned by the Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Oldham. ^[1] She re-recorded a version of a song written by Cat Stevens, "The First Cut Is the Deepest". ^{[3] [4]} It peaked at No. 18 on the UK chart. ^[5] "The Time Has Come" peaked at No. 47 on the UK chart, while "(If You Think You're) Groovy" peaked at No. 41.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[6]

Dave Thompson of AllMusic stated "Despite such jumbled origins, the album holds together well. "Groovy," in particular, is a no-nonsense R&B pressure cooker, leaving one to wonder why the Small Faces (who provide instrumental duties on the track) never got around to releasing a version of their own. Spector/Mann/Weill's "Born to Be Together," meanwhile, is an absolute Oldham classic, bedecking Arnold's soulful voice with a full-blooded production that leaves the original sounding like a jellyfish." ^[2]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"(If You Think You're) Groovy"
2.	"Something Beautiful Happened"
3.	"Born to Be Together"
4.	"Am I Still Dreaming"
5.	"Though It Hurts Me Badly"
6.	"The First Cut Is the Deepest"

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Everything Is Gonna Be Alright"
2.	"Treat Me Like a Lady"
3.	"Would You Believe"
4.	"Life Is But Nothing"
5.	"Speak to Me"
6.	"The Time Has Come"

Credits

• Cover, Design – Derek Burton
• Photography By – Gered Mankowitz

Charts

Title	Year	Peak chart positions
		UK [7]
"The First Cut Is the Deepest"	1967	18
"The Time Has Come"		47
"(If You Think You're) Groovy"	1968	41

References

1. 33 1/3 Revolutions per Minute: A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Rowman & Littlefield. 15 July 2022. ISBN   978-1-4930-6460-1.
2. "The First Lady of Immediate - P.P. Arnold | Album | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
3. Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll. Duke University Press. 9 October 2020. ISBN   978-1-4780-1277-1.
4. All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. 2002. ISBN   978-0-87930-653-3.
5. Hearts of Darkness: James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens and the Unlikely Rise of the Singer-Songwriter. Rowman & Littlefield. February 2012. ISBN   978-1-4584-7140-6.
6. Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN   0-7535-0242-9, p. 2117.
7. "P. P. Arnold - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.

External links

• The First Lady of Immediate at Discogs (list of releases)