One of the most admired British-produced soul albums, American girl group the Flirtations’ Sounds Like The Flirtations, will be reissued on vinyl in a limited edition on November 18.
The LP, originally on the Deram label, includes the Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Nothing But A Heartache,” which reached No.34 in 14-week chart run. It was also popular in the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and beyond, and became a Northern Soul classic. A remix of the track by Tobtok and Oliver Nelson was released by Decca on August 12.
Sounds Like The Flirtations continues to be regarded as one of the best UK-produced soul records of its time, admired by New Musical Express upon release for its “Made-In-Britain Motown sound.” It’s been painstakingly remastered from the original master tapes and is being reissued in a deluxe, 1960s-style sleeve featuring flip-back heavyweight card and laminated front, with its original artwork. It features a new essay by Shindig! writer Sean Cassey.
The group featured the Pearce sisters, Shirley and Earnestine, from South Carolina, who had earlier been in the Gypsies between 1962 and 1965 with a third sister, Betty, and Alabama native Viola Billups. After Betty’s departure, they traveled to England and renamed themselves the Flirtations, coming to the attention of Decca producer Wayne Bickerton and writing partner Tony Waddington.
The pair became well-established writers on the UK pop scene, enjoying particular and substantial success with the Rubettes. They signed the Flirtations to Decca’s Dream label and created their debut LP with arranger-composer Johnny Harris.
Their first release “Someone Out There” was followed a year later by “Nothing But A Heartache,” and the group toured with such stars as Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones, and frequently appeared on TV shows in the UK and internationally. Wonder co-wrote and produced (anonymously, because of his ties to Motown) the group’s last Deram single “Give Me Love.” They remain friends, and the trio are still working today.
“We can remember how excited we were back in the day when we found out that Decca was interested in recording us on their very famous label Deram, we couldn’t believe our luck and they didn’t disappoint us in any way,” say the Flirtations. “They made us feel like superstars in every way possible… We have come full circle and we’re back together again hopefully, things will only get better on this our new journey. Much gratitude ‘DERAM.’”
Pre-order Sounds Like The Flirtations, out on November 18.