Dara Sedaka is part of pop royalty, and though this album is decades old, it still packs a punch.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Dara Sedaka
ALBUM: I’m Your Girl Friend
LABEL: Polydor, Canyon International (Japan)
SERIAL: 2480 693, C28Y0022
YEAR: 1982
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Dara Sedaka – vocals * Steve Lukather, Jay Graydon, Mike Landau – guitars * David Foster – keyboards, producer * Dennis Belfield – bass * Steve Porcaro, Kitaro – keyboards * Mike Baird, Jeff Porcaro – drums * Richard Page, Bryan Adams, Bill Champlin, Steve George, Clif Newton – backing vocals * Paul Lani – percussion * Jerry Hey, Gary Grant – horns * Gary Herbig – sax
TRACK LISTING: 01 Huggin’ * 02 Just Say I Love You * 03 The Real Me * 04 Keep Me In Love With You * 05 Goodbye * 06 I’m Your Girl Friend * 07 Someday * 08 Try To See It My Way * 09 Angel Queen
Background
Dara Sedaka is part of pop royalty, and though this album is decades old, it still packs a punch. Daughter of 60’s and 70’s pop-god Neil Sedaka, Dara had sung regularly with her dad whilst still in her teens, but this album took her up another notch. It was the Japanese that took an active interest in Dara’s work, and made this a popular release in the land of the rising sun. Topped by a stellar L.A session line-up, this is an excellent album that is well overdue a write-up here at Glory Daze.
The Songs
‘I’m Your Girl Friend’ is a mix of bouncy pop-oriented tracks, along with sweet ballads, while Dara’s vocal is as professional as you can get it. She was only 19 when this album was released, and you can tell Miss Sedaka was adept in the studio as well as on stage. As mentioned, big names abound here; the ‘big three’ of the session guitarists are represented here, Lukather, Graydon and Landau, and while the songs don’t allow the trio to truly rock out, their presence is well and truly felt.
The opening ‘Huggin’ is gorgeous stuff, subtle guitar bursts amid that west coast piano sound set in stone by keyboardist and producer David Foster. ‘Just Say I Love You’ is the sort of stuff made popular by Michael McDonald, true as blue west coast. The beat goes on for ‘The Real Me’, a high-stepping pop rocker with a fun element. The first pure ballad ‘Keep Me In Love With You’ is sugar-sweet candy, on a par with many great radio-oriented songs from that era.
‘Goodbye’ is the next track, partnering the previous track as a ballad, Dara’s vocal moving into a jazz style, while the sax from Gary Herbig is excellent. The title track is next, this one is fiery, Lukather knocking your socks off with some brazen guitar-work, especially the solo. ‘Someday’ is rather fetching pop/rock, akin to Amy Grant on her best moments.
‘Try And See It My Way’ (a Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance co-write) moves out of the pop pigeon-hole and into the pure AOR domain, while the final track ‘Angel Queen’ (the longest track at 6 minutes plus) has the style of a soundtrack piece fit for cinema. This one was co-written by Japanese synth master Kitaro, and you can hear his soaring keyboard work toward the end.
In Summary
This was Dara Sedaka’s only album during the 80’s. Such a shame really as I’m sure she had so much material to offer. She returned fourteen years later with a new set ‘What’s New’, which was mainly a jazz vocal offering recorded again for the Japanese Market. However, this 1982 album gets great feedback from those in the west coast community, and well deserved in my opinion. Seek it out.
Dara Sedaka on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
