Ruby Andrews (born March 12, 1947) – (I Want To Be) Whatever It Takes To Please You (1972)
This phenomenal funky soul jam was the opening cut from Andrews' second album Black Ruby, her classic 1972 deep soul LP on Zodiac Records.
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Singer Ruby Andrews is best known for her 1967 top-ten R&B hit “Casonova (Your Playing Days Are Over).” She performed around the world with most major R&B acts of the 60s and 70s, and married Robert “Squirrel” Lester of The Chi-Lites.
Ruby Stackhouse was born in Mississippi. She moved to Chicago as a teenager and released her first records on the small Kelmac label.
Her third single was destined to be her biggest hit. “Casonova (Your Playing Days Are Over)” (later releases corrected the spelling to “Casanova”) was co-written and produced by Joshie Jo Armstead, who before becoming a songwriter and producer was one of Ike & Tina Turner’s Ikettes and a backing vocalist for Bobby “Blue” Bland. Recorded and arranged by Mike Terry, it went to #9 R&B in 1967.
The phenomenal soul funk jam “(I Want To Be) Whatever It Takes To Please You” was the opening cut from Andrews' second album Black Ruby, her classic 1972 deep soul LP on Zodiac Records.
“(I Want To Be) Whatever It Takes To Please You” was co-written by Robert Eaton, a member of the Brothers of Soul who produced many tracks for Illinois-based Zodiac Records and other small labels in Detroit; Richard Harris, a frequent collaborator with Van McCoy; and producer Ric Williams, the owner of Zodiac Records. Like the rest of the Black Ruby LP, it was produced and arranged by its co-writer Robert Eaton.
Further info:
“Ruby Andrews: The Gemstone of Soul,” interview by Michael Limnios, February 4. 2015, Blues.Gr
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