Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Love Me For a Reason
Company: MGM
Catalog: M3G 4939
Year: 1974
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor corner wear
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4144
Price: $5.00
Cost: $1.00
As a cynical teenager in the 1970s I wouldn't have touched an Osmond product with a ten foot pool. That's my loss since in hindsight these guys weren't without some talent. Besides. how can you not like an LP that shows the world's most famous Mormon family dressed up like a group of inner city pimps? Too bad Marie wasn't part of the line up. Can you image her posed as a lady of the evening?
With the Osmonds serving as executive producers, 1974's "Love Me for a Reason" wasn't a major change in musical direction. Exemplified by material such as the title track, "Peace" and "I Can See Love In You and Me" the album offered up a now-familiar selection of top-40-styled pop. Propelled by Donny's nice, but strangely anonymous voice the material was perfectly suited for conservative top-40 radio. Curiously, at least to our ears the group's actually far more interesting when they struck a tougher stance (we say that with a smile). While not even your grandmother would feel threatened by these beacons of goodness, there's something entertaining in hearing these guys try to be bad boys. Check out their stab at getting heavy on the original "Sun, Sun, Sun" (Donny sounds like he has a frog caught in his throat) and the hysterical "Having a Party". Also worth hearing are the LP's odder offerings, including The Four Tops-knock off "Gabrielle", the risquely titled "Balling the Jack" (which is actually about a new dance step) and their smiley group-sing cover of Solomon Burke's "Send Me a Little Love". Propelled by the top-10 title track, the parent album eventually hit # 47 on the US charts.
"Love Me for a Reason" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Having a Party (B. Massey - H.B. Barnum - C. Brown)- 3:20
2.) The Girl I Love (B. Massey - H.B. Barnum - F. Butler) - 3:45
3.) Love Me for a Reason (Johnny Bristol - W. Brown r. - D. Jones Jr.) - 4:02
4.) Ballin' the Jack (Chris Smith - James Henry Burns) - 3:08
5.) Send Me a Little Love (Solomon Burke) - 3:20
(side 2)
1.) Peace (H.B. Barnum - B. Craig) - 4:50
2.) Gabrielle (Denny Randell - Lefty Jo Randell) - 3:30
3.) I Can't Get Next To You (Norman Whitfield - Barrett Strong) - 3:08
4.) Sun, Sun, Sun (Alan Osmond - Merril Osmond - Wayne Osmond) - 3:32
5.) I Can See Love In You and Me (Dalton - Duberri) - 3:08
6.) Fever (Denny Randell - Lefty Jo Randell) - 3:15