ok, so my experience with millie jackson's classic albums has not been great. i've always had a rough time finding her work...either there's nothing, or there are a couple of imports that cost way more than i'm willing to pay. a few years back, i found a reasonably priced used copy of her "totally unrestricted!!!" anthology set, and that's kept me going for a while.

until recently, when i was passing time at the local wrecka stow, and quite by accident discovered millie's classic albums got the REISSUE treatment last year! all her old albums seem to be available now. this morning i ordered "feelin' bitchy" and "caught up/still caught up". i can't wait to finally own these, and to dig into her other classic albums.

did anyone mention this when the reissues were first made available last year? and now that it's all available, does anyone have recommendations?

I don't remember it being discussed, but I was so happy to get "Feelin' Bitchy" with some bonus tracks. Here in the south, it is pretty easy to find her stuff at a reasonable price. My favorite stuff from is the live stuff.

I also recommend some of her post-Spring/Polydor work.



I also recommend her latest DVD. It is funny as hell.

daPrettyman said:

thanks for the recommendations - i HAVE been eyeballing that DVD.

as for the best-of that you posted, do you think it would be redundant for me to get that since i already have the 2-disc anthology from rhino records? i'm a relative babe in the woods as far as her catalog is concerned, so i'm not sure which of her comps are considered primo by fans...

My favorite Millie Jackson album is 'A Moment's Pleasure' from 1979:


This album is WILD!! Very sexy and playful,with a few outrageous "skits" and interludes.It's an inspired concept album about sex and relationships in the disco era.One moment,Millie is singing about being happily in love ("Seeing You Again")....the next minute,she's singing about making love with her man (a disco-y remake of Exile's "Kiss You All Over",which leads to the bluesy,naughty title track).But then,things take a turn for the worse.In the second part of the record,her man leaves her ("What Went Wrong Last Night") and ironically this brings us to the most exciting,most "fun" part of the album.The song is presented in two parts (1 and 2)....the first part is a ballad,but the second part is a hot disco number.Millie decides to go out to the disco and dance her blues away.She encounters nosy girlfriends ("y'all are some nosy bitches" she tells them at one point) and discovers that disco dancing ain't all it's cracked up to be.It's hilarious!!! Things get a little more serious on the next number "Rising Cost Of Love",which is truly one of her best songs.If you've never heard this album,get it ASAP.It totally captures everything I love about Millie Jackson.

Anxiety said:

The 2-CD Anthology set concentrates on her Polydor years (70s and early 80s).It contains her best work,imo.

'The Very Best of' CD,pictured above,is from her Jive Records period in the late 80s/early 90s.I think she only recorded three albums for that label,beginning with 1987's excellent 'An Imitation Of Love' album (her most successful album in years).Overall,it's a nice compilation to have.There are a few gems on it.

But compilations only tell part of the story.I would stick with the albums.Some of her wildest,most outrageous stuff never makes it onto the compilations

SoulAlive said:

fun! i will keep an eye out for this one. i have to see if she has an official web page for these reissues, so i can see what all has been made available again.

yeah,let me know if 'A Moment's Pleasure' has been reissued.I have it on vinyl,but I need to have this album on CD!

SoulAlive said:

i'm excited to hear some of the actual albums, since many of them seem to be concept albums or have stories running through the songs.

i'm always wary of an artist's latter day work...hers is pretty good, huh?

Anxiety said:

The "Best of" listed above covers the time she was on Jive Records. None of these tracks appeared on the Rhino collection.

Tracklist:
1. Hot! Wild! Unrestricted! Crazy Love
2. Love Is A Dangerous Game
3. Something You Can Feel
4. You Knocked The Love (Right Outta My Heart)
5. It's A Thang
6. Young Man, Older Woman
7. When Are You Gonna Tell Your Woman (About Me)?
8. The Tide Is Turning
9. An Imitation Of Love
10. Are You That Someone?
11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

These trax are not as explicit as her earlier work, but it is still Millie.

SoulAlive said:

It's definitely on cd.

http://www.amazon.com/Mom...232&sr=8-1

my dad is a HUGE Millie Jackson fan.

He used to play her stuff while riding in his cadillac with me. the whole time i'd be like.

you should've told me you were looking for her stuff, i could've dubbed some albums to cassette for you.

daPrettyman said:

Thanks! I gotta order that one now!

Anxiety said:

Her 1987 album 'An Imitation Of Love' is excellent.I think this was her most successful album.It contained a hit single ("Hot!Wild!Unrestricted!Crazy Love") that actuallly got airplay...lol...R&B radio embraced that song,as well as the follow-up single "Love Is A Dangerous Game".Interestingly,the album includes a remake of Prince's "I Wanna Be Your Lover".It's very good.

That's the last album of hers that I got into.

magnificentsynthesizer said:

My dad was a huge fan too That's how I got into her music...by listening to his Mille Jackson records when I was a kid.One day in 1979,I stumbled across one of his 8-track tapes.It was Millie's 'A Moment's Pleasure' album.I thought it was WILD...I couldn't believe that a woman could be so outspoken and blunt on an album! I've been a fan every since.

daPrettyman said:

I'm gonna have to look for this Are there alot of hilarious between-song comments and jokes?

SoulAlive said:

wow, millie covering prince. THAT i have to hear.

meanwhile, maybe my luck hasn't turned a corner. i'm STILL waiting for my reissues to ship.

Anxiety said:

Anx, Millie doesn't hold back. These female rappers of today have nothing on her as far as content. Millie is risky as it gets and speaks her mind.

MsLegs said:

i've only heard a bit of her from the anthology and what i've watched on youtube, and i know i'm in for it once i start getting the full albums.

Anxiety said:

Be prepared for the wild live ride.

On a side note, her daughter is one of Erykah Badu's backup singers and she can BLOW!

I only have Caught Up, and I LOVE it. Going to to have to dig into some of these other ones as well.

That's how I knew of Millie too - through my dad and mom. They got a Millie Jackson record in the car, haven't played it in a while but I think some of the tracks I listened to of hers yesterday was on it especially "A Moment of Pleasure"... I think they have the actual album on cassette.

SCNDLS said:

Keisha Jackson also sings backup for Outkast.

FYI, she has a son named Gerald (who was named after Gerald Levert). She said she named him Gerald after she found out that Eddie Levert (who she had a crush on and was a good friend) named his son Gerald.

Anxiety said:

She tries to be "behave" herself on this album,but on "I Wanna Be Your Lover",she can't help but utter one suggestive line Near the end,after Prince's line "I wanna be the only one you come for...",Millie sings "I'm gonna make you come!"
[Edited 4/9/08 6:40am]

Timmy84 said:

I remember in the summer of 1981,we went on a road trip with some relatives.My uncle had a cassette of Millie's 'I Had To Say It' album.The first song is an outrageous rap number called "Rap 81".....you guys gotta hear this!!! It's crazy!! Rap was so new at the time,so Millie is rapping in a Kurtis Blow style,saying some crazy stuff.At the end of the song,a KKK member agrees with her (!) and wants to enlist her into his organization....LOL....you gotta hear it to believe it!!!

daPrettyman said:

I have that compilation and it's pretty good.You're right,the songs aren't as explicit as her earlier work But she really lets loose on "When Are You Gonna Tell Your Woman About Me"?.That song is similar to her earlier stuff.She totally CUSSES out her man!! LOL

because the ho has got to go



[Edited 4/10/08 2:33am]

SoulAlive said:

I know. I LOVE that song. They actually play that song here on the local blues show. It is great.

That's the Millie I love the tough-talking,sassy Millie Jackson.