This is a fun if inconsequential ‘89 salute to early rock ‘n’ roll staples that has gone overlooked for so long, no one’s even bothered to rip a quality copy of the thing onto YouTube.
Best you can find are bits and pieces:
* Solidly reproduced samplings from Elton John (raving up Fats Domino’s ‘I’m Ready’) and the Manhattan Transfer (recasting the doo-wop obscurity ‘I Wanna Be Your Girl’);
* Poorly captured audio of Chaka Khan flouncing through Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ and the Pointer Sisters making similarly playful on the Bobettes’s ‘Mr. Lee’;
* Gimmicky throwback videos spotlighting Rick James (‘This Magic Moment’ > ‘Dance with Me’), El DeBarge (‘Goodnight My Love’) and Randy Travis (adding resonance to the Brook Benton stroll ‘It’s Just a Matter of Time’).
What’s missing entirely, as far as my scouring has unearthed, is any trace of the Etta James classic ‘Roll with Me Henry’ bounced up by Christine McVie, the subject of my seemingly never-ending discographical deep dive.
Technically it’s performed by McVie ‘& Friends’ — and almost could have been credited to Fleetwood Mac properly, since it includes everyone but Stevie Nicks from the lineup that emerged in the wake of Lindsey Buckingham’s departure after Tango in the Night in ‘87. Certainly Billy Burnette, as the counterpoint voice of Henry, merits top-line billing; Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Rick Vito also contributed to this remake, along with project producer Richard Perry and his associate Steve Lindsey.
Is it worth hunting down? Depends on how much you care about such sounds or what kind of completist you wish to be. McVie & Co.’s moment is a fine slice of old-school boogie-woogie (see my story for clips), and I don’t regret the $5 I spent on Discogs for a still-sealed promo copy. But I had a compelling reason to buy.
Your mileage, like your taste, may vary.