Randy Crawford “Miss Randy Crawford”

I know it’s dumb, but just because my name is “Randy” I will buy records by anyone with that name. Well, it wouldn’t be the same if my name was Elvis. This scheme has uncovered some fascinating musical gems (Randy Lee, Randy California, Randy VanWarmer, Randy Pie) so I persist. Exciting to find a woman who fits the bill, and spells it with a “y,” not an “i”—as is more common when women use that name, for some reason! Also, interesting, I had a coworker, once, named Randy Crawford, a golden-throated man in the sales department, which I guess, isn’t that interesting, besides the fact that I remember him. Right off the bat, I get the feeling this isn’t going to be my thing, just a little more mainstream than is my taste, but by the second song, I start to come around to it. Often it’s someone’s decision to put the audience pleaser, or more middle-of-the-road number, first on the record, and as this is 1977, there are maybe some disco flavours here, or at any rate, the uptempo, the jaunty, the energetic. You wouldn’t put a slower, soul ballad first, I guess, and I suppose that makes sense, but that’s what I get excited about—and there are some good ones here, but later on in the progression. For instance, the song called, “Single Woman, Married Man”—I want a whole record of that! It occurs to me I know the song from somewhere else, but maybe not. It’s possible the song hooked me the first time I listened to it—when I first found the album—and now it all comes back to me. Or maybe I heard it when I was 17, who knows. It’s my favorite, here, if I’m forced to pick one. The whole record sounds great, recorded at some storied studios, including FAME. Great musicians throughout and there’s also some fine string arrangements, and horns, on some songs. Quite a variety of songwriters. My other favorites are “This Man,” the standard “At Last,” “I Can’t Get You Off My Mind,” “I’m Under the Influence of You,” “Over My Head” (which I didn’t recognize, but I might have remembered from from that Fleetwood Mac album I wore out as a 15-year-old), and a beautiful version of “Desperado” (covered by everyone from the Carpenters to D.E.B.T.) which surprises me, seeing as how I’m as big a fan of the Eagles as “The Dude” Lebowski.

7.24.26