Love Means ...
By Carla Thomas
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Track listing
Show track credits
- A1 Didn't We 3:04
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songwriter
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- A2 Are You Sure 3:16
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A3 What Is Love 3:15
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A4 Daughter, You're Still Your Daddy's Child 5:59
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songwriter
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horns
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horns
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horns
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Jeana Rokersongwriter
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- B1 Love Means You Never Have to Say You're Sorry 3:33
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songwriter
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- B2 You've Got a Cushion to Fall On 3:07
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piano
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electric bass
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producer
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- B3 Il Est Plus Doux Que 3:44
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piano
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electric bass
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producer
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songwriter
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- B4 Cherish 4:42
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Terry Kirkmansongwriter
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- B5 I Wake Up Wanting You 3:19
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songwriter
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songwriter
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- Total length: 33:59
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
2 Issues
2 Reviews
The wonderful Carla Thomas stays relevant heading into the 70's.
Great voice, beautiful woman...and this recording is all Carla.
The band offer solid, slick support and plenty of polish.
It still can get a little dirty, but the songs are devoid of real energy and quality.
It's Carla's voice that shines...she could have used better songs here, but the opener "Didn't We" was great.
Look, you could do a whole lot worse...Carla will bring you some soul if you need it...however this album almost gets into a bit of flashy stageshow almost...
It was evident on "Il Est Plus Doux Que", "What Is Love" was schmaltzy, but I rather liked the cover of "Cherish" here, really hearing the lyrics for the first time.
C
Great voice, beautiful woman...and this recording is all Carla.
The band offer solid, slick support and plenty of polish.
It still can get a little dirty, but the songs are devoid of real energy and quality.
It's Carla's voice that shines...she could have used better songs here, but the opener "Didn't We" was great.
Look, you could do a whole lot worse...Carla will bring you some soul if you need it...however this album almost gets into a bit of flashy stageshow almost...
It was evident on "Il Est Plus Doux Que", "What Is Love" was schmaltzy, but I rather liked the cover of "Cherish" here, really hearing the lyrics for the first time.
C
Published
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Carla Thomas' last album before putting her musical career on halt is also her least known. Ironically, it is Thomas' most pop-oriented.
In sync with the softer soul stylings of Motown and blue eyed soul queen Dusty Springfield 'Love Means...' forms a veritable sound collage of sweetly orchestrated uptown soul, sometimes shaped in the guise of juiced up standards: The LP opens with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "Didn't We", no less, and it sounds great.
The majestically arranged "Are You Sure" packs a political punch and was later covered by The Staple Singers, whereas the melancholy ballad "What Is Love" is one of Carla's most beautiful originals, co-written with her brother Marvell, who produced the entire album.
Most introspective of all are the sentimental "Daughter, You're Still Your Daddy's Child" and the closing "I Wake Up Wanting You", the latter obviously the LP's most chilling moment.
Less spectacular to me are the syruppy "Il Est Plus Doux Que" and a supper club rendition of The Association's "Cherish".
"Love Means You Never Have to Say You're Sorry" is the album's sole downhome, fingersnappin' strutter, but it's with the more glossy "You've Got a Cushion to Fall On" Carla had her last R&B chart hit.
In all a diffuse album, at times too poppy for my taste. Nonetheless, gems as "What Is Love" and especially the folksy "I Wake Up Wanting You" make this a very satisfying listen.
In sync with the softer soul stylings of Motown and blue eyed soul queen Dusty Springfield 'Love Means...' forms a veritable sound collage of sweetly orchestrated uptown soul, sometimes shaped in the guise of juiced up standards: The LP opens with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "Didn't We", no less, and it sounds great.
The majestically arranged "Are You Sure" packs a political punch and was later covered by The Staple Singers, whereas the melancholy ballad "What Is Love" is one of Carla's most beautiful originals, co-written with her brother Marvell, who produced the entire album.
Most introspective of all are the sentimental "Daughter, You're Still Your Daddy's Child" and the closing "I Wake Up Wanting You", the latter obviously the LP's most chilling moment.
Less spectacular to me are the syruppy "Il Est Plus Doux Que" and a supper club rendition of The Association's "Cherish".
"Love Means You Never Have to Say You're Sorry" is the album's sole downhome, fingersnappin' strutter, but it's with the more glossy "You've Got a Cushion to Fall On" Carla had her last R&B chart hit.
In all a diffuse album, at times too poppy for my taste. Nonetheless, gems as "What Is Love" and especially the folksy "I Wake Up Wanting You" make this a very satisfying listen.
Published
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Catalog
13 May 2023
1 Jan 2023
3 Sep 2022
7 Mar 2022
19 Nov 2021
12 Feb 2021
3 Oct 2020
8 Sep 2020
21 Jul 2019
23 Mar 2018
2 Jun 2016
26 Jan 2016
10 Jan 2016
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A1
Didn't We
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A2
Are You Sure
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A3
What Is Love
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A4
Daughter, You're Still Your Daddy's Child
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B1
Love Means You Never Have to Say You're Sorry
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B2
You've Got a Cushion to Fall On
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B3
Il Est Plus Doux Que
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B4
Cherish
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B5
I Wake Up Wanting You
7 Dec 2014
27 Jun 2014