My interest with Lulu was peaked with the 2017 Edsel reissue that includes both her 1973 self-titled record and ‘Heaven And Earth And The Stars’ released three years later featuring the late David Bowie and Mick Ronson.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Lulu
ALBUM: Heaven And Earth And The Stars
LABEL: Chelsea
SERIAL: CHL 518
YEAR: 1976
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Scotland
LINEUP: Lulu – vocals
Additional Musicians: David Bowie – vocals * Mick Ronson – guitars * Trevor Bolder – bass * Mike Garson – piano * Aynsley Dunbar – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Heaven And Earth And The Stars * 02 Boy Meets Girl * 03 Mama’s Little Corner Of The World * 04 The Man With The Golden Gun (Main Title) * 05 Baby I Don’t Care * 06 Take Your Mama For A Ride (Pt 1) * 07 Honey You Can’t Take It Back * 08 The Man Who Sold The World * 09 Watch That Man * 10 Old Fashioned Girl * 11 Take Your Momma For A Ride (Pt 2)
WEBLINKS: Site Link | Lulu FB Page
Background
I’ve known of Lulu for as long as I can remember. But away from the pop perfect single ‘To Sir With Love’ from the 1967 film of the same name and her 1981 yacht rock meets Olivia Newton-John 45 ‘I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)’, I have never heard any of her albums, despite seeing used and still sealed cut-out copies in dollar discount bins for decades.
While the personable Scottish singer has enjoyed extensive popularity as an actress and TV personality in the UK, in America she never really caught on. My interest was peaked only recently with the new 2017 Edsel reissue that includes both her 1973 self-titled record and ‘Heaven And Earth And The Stars’ released three years later and featured the late David Bowie and Mick Ronson‘s participation.
The Songs
From what I understand this album, her last for the Chelsea imprint was stitched together from previous singles and ‘enhanced’ with new material. With the exception of the lacklustre title track were penned by California pop songsmith Kenny Nolan, best known for his 1976 solo AM chart-topper ‘I Like Dreamin’. While I like The Nolan’s 70’s output, some of this stuff is well beyond my tolerance level.
This includes the bouncy, discofied sugar sweet pop of ‘Boy Meets Girl’ and ‘Mama’s Little Corner Of The World’ which is as dire as it sounds. Both tunes could easily put the healthiest listener in a diabetic induced coma although thank the gods, things take a 180 degree turn for the better with John Barry’s superlative jewel ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’.
As a major James Bond and Barry soundtrack fanboy, Lulu’s powerful performance is spot-on and justifies having shelled-out for this reissue which really doesn’t pick up until we get to the two Bowie tracks that are far better than I hoped.
Apparently Lulu and The Thin White Duke had a ‘thing’ for a short time and both ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ which includes Bowie on sax and shared vocals as well as the excellent ‘Watch That Man’ with solid fretwork from the much-missed Mick Ronson were recorded during the ‘Pin-Up’ sessions.
Both sound trashier and far more relevant and modern than anything else on the LP or from what I’ve heard from Lulu in general and it’s too bad they didn’t do an entire album together. An opportunity missed.
In Summary
A glance at Lulu’s website shows she is still recording and filling soft-seaters throughout the UK and although her better years are clearly behind her, she’s left quite a legacy. Even with a spotty back catalog of music which despite containing three career highlights includes ‘Heaven And Earth And The Stars’.
Lulu on Video
The Man With The Golden Gun
Watch That Man
