Jackie DeShannon: Your Baby Is A Lady (Atlantic SD 7303)

JACKIE DeSHANNON is one of the greats. Writing memorable hits for Brenda Lee and the Fleetwoods ('Dum Dum', 'Heart in Hand', 'The Great Impostor'), then writing and singing brilliant numbers like 'You Won't Forget Me' and 'When You Walk in the Room', her track record is monumental. She sang pure girl-group ('Should I Cry') pure folk ('Little Yellow Roses'), or re-rocked Buddy Holly ('Oh Boy'). 'When You Walk' and her searing performance of 'Needles and Pins' influenced the Searchers, the Byrds (for whom she also wrote the sparkling 'Don't Doubt Yourself Babe') and folk-rock in general. Besides the Searchers, her songs were covered by numerous British Invasion groups, the Paramounts (Procol Harum's predecessors) and Marianne Faithfull's dazzling 'Come and Stay With Me' among them. After an MOR phase initiated by 'What the World Needs Now Is Love', she captivated millions all over again with the self-penned 'Put a Little Love in Your Heart' in 1969.