Mr Kinski's Music Shack

Cherry Red have released Tracie: Souls On Fire – The Recordings 1983-1986, a 4 CD / 1 DVD set from Tracie Young.

I was a huge fan of Tracie’s first album Far from the Hurting Kind, that was released on Paul Weller’s Respond record label in 1984. The first album is included in its entirety here, and takes up the majority of the first CD, with highlights such as the Elvis Costello composed (I Love You) When You Sleep, the Weller / Tracie Young co-written Souls On Fire, plus the wonderful I Can’t Hold On Till Summer and Spring, Summer, Autumn. The album holds up particularly well, some 39 years after its original release. Where did the time go?

The single version of The House That Jack Built, one of 1983’s finest pop singles, still sounds like the sound of a glorious summer, as does the follow-up single Give It Some Emotion. The Boy Hairdresser is another Young / Weller co-write and the rest of the first disc collects tracks from the 1983/84 period.

Disc two features songs that were recorded for Tracie’s (unreleased at the time) second album, that shone a light on the more soulful direction she was heading in. Italian Girl is a strong opener, as is I Think You’re Lucky, with the use of real horns and strings on the recordings highlighting a departure from the synth instrumentation that supplemented the vocals, piano, guitars and drums on the first album.

I Can’t Leave You Alone was first released as a single in 1985. Me And Jimmy Stone is a highlight of the No Smoke Without Fire tracks. A slow-burning piece, built on sparse percussion (from The Style Council’s Steve White) and an emotional, reflective chorus from Tracie.

The Country Code is a stripped back harp and vocals piece, that sounds like it is a live in the studio performance. (When You) Call Me is a more organic version of The Style Council song, and No Smoke Without Fire hints at a pop / soul sound that could easily have developed over subsequent albums.

The album notes hint at the tension between Tracie and Weller in the way that the songs were eventually presented, and it is clear that Tracie was able to exert more control over her career post-Respond for her final recordings. The album notes are not in any way bitter and they show a real pride from Tracie for her sadly all-too short recording career. The remainder of disc two is made up of single mixes and alt-takes.

Disc 3 is titled rarities and features the wonderful 12″ mix of The House That Jack Built and a more energetic early take of Far From The Hurting Kind.

There are a smattering of demos and alt-takes on disc 3, including Good For You (Demo), another song that oozes summer sun, the jazz-tinged The Waking Hours (Demo) and The House That Jack Built (1st Mix).

The 4th disc is a collection of mostly live recordings, including a fuller live version of the Tony Bell / Phil Hurtt Philadelphia soul song (also recorded by Sister Sledge in the early 70s) Mama Never Told Me and a live in Japan version of one of the first albums key tracks, I Can’t Hold On Till Summer.

Another highlight on this disc is the live radio session performance of Nothing Happens Here But You, just percussion, guitars and Tracie’s lead vocal. The disc is rounded off with my most played track on this collection, a Jeremy Wakefield, more beat-heavy 12″ mix of We Should Be Together (Jezamix) from 1986, that gives off real SOS Band vibes to me. Which is always a good thing!

The 5th disc is a DVD (not supplied for review) pulling together promo videos, Top of the Pops appearances for The House That Jack Built & Give It Some Emotion, along with slots on Wogan, Cheggars Plays Pop and performances recorded live in Japan.

If you don’t have the 2010 / 2014 Cherry Red reissues of the two studio albums, this is a great opportunity to rediscover some life-affirming pop / soul from the 80s.

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Buy Tracie Souls On Fire – The Recordings 1983-1986 4 CD / 1 DVD boxset from Amazon

Disc: 1
(I Love You) When You Sleep
Souls on Fire
Nothing Happens Here But You
I Can’t Hold on ‘Till Summer
Dr. Love
Thank You
Moving Together
Spring, Summer, Autumn
What Did I Hear You Say
Far from the Hurting Kind
The House That Jack Built (Single Version)
Give It Some Emotion (Single Version)
The Boy Hairdresser
You Must Be Kidding
Same Feelings (Without the Emotion)
Mama Never Told Me
Dr. Love (B-Side Version)
Give It Some Emotion (Extended Version)
Souls on Fire (Long Version)
The Country Code

Disc: 2
Italian Girl
I Think You’re Lucky
Fingers Crossed
Love Without Jealousy
I Can’t Leave You Alone
Invitation
Me and Jimmy Stone
The Country Code
(When You) Call Me
No Smoke Without Fire
(When You) Call Me (7″ Version)
I Can’t Leave You Alone (7″ Version)
Invitation (RSVP Mix – 7″ Version)
We Should Be Together (7″ Version)
Fingers Crossed (Heartbeat Demo)
I Think You’re Lucky (Alternative Take)
I Can’t Leave You Alone (Pick ‘N’ Mix)
Find It in Your Nature

Disc: 3
The House That Jack Built (12″ Version)
Far from the Hurting Kind (Early Track 1)
Moving Together (Club Mix)
Good for You (Demo)
The Waking Hours (Demo)
Baby Come Back (7″ Version)
I Can’t Hold on ‘Till Summer (Without Strings)
The House That Jack Built (1st Mix)
No Smoke Without Fire (Remix)
Souls on Fire (7″ Version)
Far from the Hurting Kind (Early Track 2)
Invitation (RSVP Mix)
Baby Come Back (12″ Version)
The House That Jack Built (12″ Instrumental)
Give It Some Emotion (12″ B-Side)
Invitation (Demo)
Tracie Talks

Disc: 4
Mama Never Told Me (Live in Japan)
Give It Some Emotion (Live in Japan)
The House That Jack Built (Live in Japan)
Moving Together (Live in Japan)
I Can’t Hold on ‘Till Summer (Live in Japan)
I Can’t Leave You Alone (Live in Rome)
Dr. Love (In Concert – Live at the Paris Theatre, London)
The House That Jack Built (In Concert)
Mama Never Told Me (In Concert)
Nothing Ever Happens Here But You (Radio Session)
Give It Some Emotion (Radio Session)
19 (The Wickham Mix)
We Should Be Together (Jezamix)
Tracie Raps

Disc: 5 (DVD)
Give It Some Emotion (Promo)
Souls on Fire (Promo)
I Can’t Leave You Alone (Promo)
The House That Jack Built (1983 Totp Appearance)
Give It Some Emotion (1983 Totp Appearance)
I Can’t Leave You Alone (1985 Appearance on Wogan)
The House That Jack Built (1983 Cheggars Plays Pop)
Me and Jimmy Stone (Promo)
Mama Never Told Me (Live in Japan)
(I Love You) When You Sleep (Live in Japan)
The House That Jack Built (Live in Japan)
Moving Together (Live in Japan)
Dr. Love (Live in Japan)
I Can’t Hold on ‘Till Summer (Live in Japan)
Souls on Fire (Live in Japan)

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases via this website.

Buy Tracie Souls On Fire – The Recordings 1983-1986 4 CD / 1 DVD boxset from Amazon