Peters & Lee “We Can Make It”

I bought this record without hesitation based on the cover (having missed out on their music in my youth) which is a very weird set up portrait of the duo, dressed in earthy purple with cold grey accents, sitting in centuries-old museum chairs, holding hands. You can almost see through their pale skin, blue veins—as if never touched by the sun. If Jim Jarmusch hadn’t had this photo in mind when he made Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), he should have. It’s a crazy looking album cover, but I imagine all in good fun, based on their warm smiles. And, also, the liner notes—by producer of British TV talent show, Opportunity Knocks—Royston Mayoh—who confirms this. Says he was worried (for some reason) about working with a blind person (Peters), but apparently the singers, Lennie Peters and Dianne Lee, put everyone at ease and did a great show—which was followed by several more shows, and which led to record contract, a hit single, “Welcome Home,” and a hit 1973 album (this one), and several more records throughout the Seventies. I’ve also got to mention the aggressive pink and yellow font on the cover—that kind of lettering that is supposed to look like it’s jumping off the surface in 3-D. It could hold the world’s record for “loudness.” I looked them up—Dianne Lee is still with us, just 10 years older than me. Lennie Peters (who died from cancer at a young age) was not blind from birth—he lost sight in one eye in an auto accident as a child, and then the other eye at the age of 16 when hit by a thrown brick. That’s a full portion of bad breaks.

I love this record—it’s the kind of energetic pop music that sounds totally dated in the best way. I guess that’s another way to say nostalgic. It starts off with a good one, “All Change Places”—I don’t know who else did that song—so I’ll be content to keep it here. Twelve short songs written by other people, backed by excellent, uncredited studio musicians. “Take to the Mountains” is another standout—I guess a previous UK hit I never knew about. I tried looking up the catchy title song—but trying to find anything about it got tedious—so many songs by that title! This one has a spiritual element (and makes a particularly good duet—Dianne Peters’ vocal is strange and beautiful). I’m guessing all the other songs with that same title are about sex—and that’s why there’s so many!

Side Two is like a cover-song tour de force, starting with the classic, “Let It Be Me,” (Everly Brothers, and a ton of others), and another Everlys, “Cryin’ in the Rain.” Blue Mink’s jaunty “Good Morning Freedom,” then, followed by Buck Owens’ “Cryin’ Time,” for a country repast. Then my favorite on the record, the Addrisi Brothers’ “Never My Love,” which is maybe my favorite pop song ever—like I said, not long ago, I’m kind of obsessed with that song—can’t get over it. I collect versions of it. Here’s another one! Finally, their hit, “Welcome Home”—apparently originally a French song, like “Let It Be Me.” I’m not nutty about it, but I do love their version of “Never My Love,” which I’m listening to again. It’s funny—there are three songs just on this side that I’ve tried to learn to play, and sing, myself—I’d have done it, too, if I knew more than three chords on guitar.

7.5.24