Laura Lee (born March 9, 1945) – I Need It Just As Bad As You (1974)
This phenomenal, funky, sex-positive feminist anthem appeared on her I Can’t Make It Alone LP, but an even better Unedited Version remained unreleased until 2010.
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Laura Lee started out as a gospel singer, then became an R&B artist in the sixties and signed with Holland-Dozier-Holland's Hot Wax label in 1971. She had five records reach the charts during her time with them, including her #3 R&B hit “Rip Off” (1972).
Born Laura Lee Newton in Chicago, she moved to Detroit at a young age. She replaced Della Reese in the gospel group The Meditation Singers in 1956, and toured with them around the country.
In 1965 she began performing secular R&B in clubs around Detroit, and two years later signed with Chess Records. Her first hit for the label was a sharp warning for two-timing gents to come clean. “Dirty Man” (1967) was written by Bobby Miller and recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Lee switched to Hot Wax in 1971, one of the two main labels set up by songwriters and producers Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland after they left Motown. Hot Wax and its sister label Invictus issued three of her LP’s and nine singles between 1971-74.
In 1974 she released her final album produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, the somewhat prophetically titled I Can’t Make It Alone. After leaving Invictus/Hot Wax the following year and signing with Ariola Records, Lee fell ill and was forced to stop recording and performing. When she recovered enough to resume putting out records in the 80s, she returned to her gospel roots, the style that has since remained the focus of her career.
The single released from I Can’t Make It Alone was the phenomenal, funky, sex-positive feminist anthem “I Need It Just As Bad As You.”
Like many of Lee's songs, it preached women's empowerment and demanded equal rights in the bedroom and beyond.
“I Need It Just As Bad As You” was co-written by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Richard “Popcorn” Wylie, arranged by legendary arranger H. B. Barnum, and produced by Brian Holland. It peaked at #55 on the R&B charts when it was released as a single.
The extended, Unedited Version of “I Need It Just As Bad As You” remained unreleased until 2010. It was included as a bonus track on a 2XCD compilation (Laura Lee – Women's Love Rights + I Can't Make It Alone + Two Sides Of Laura Lee ...Plus) put out by UK reissue label Edsel Records containing Lee's three albums produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, plus bonus tracks.
#soul #funk #HollandDozierHolland #LauraLee