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Born Betty Jean Champion, 24th October 1944, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

Bettye Swann scored a No.1 R&B hit in 1967 with her lilting mid-tempo "Make Me Yours." Bettye began recording for the Money label in 1964 and found herself on the charts the next year with "Don't Wait Too Long." after "Make Me Yours" made her some money on Money, she stopped off at Capitol long enough to enjoy a hit with "Don't Touch Me" in 1969 and then settled in at Atlantic where she notched several soul hits during the early '70s.

'MAKE ME YOURS'

I never had a love to call my own I was about to give up And then you came along just to have your tender kiss thrills me for days and days I don't care what nobody says I want you for always, now that I found you I want to stay around, so make me yours, make me yours .. You already captured my heart and my soul now I want you to take full control I need the love that only you can give if I can't have it I don't want to live I never had a love so sweet I never thought I'd be lucky enough to meet a guy with all your charms to hold me with loving arms make me feel secure and warm caused my heart to run now that I found you I want to stay around so, make me yours, make me yours now that I found you I want to stay around so, make me yours, make me yours take me baby if you want me to be so, whatever you need you can always fine in me yeah love me and keep me by your side wherever you go I'll always be satisfied all of my friends said girl don't but I know what I need and I know what I want I want to be yours you're the only one and I will give to you happiness in return cause what you need, baby I've got it what you got, I'm just crazy about it If you're looking for a love that you'll never get tired of make me yours, make me yours baby, make me yours not just for a little while but forever my darling, make me yours

BETTYE SWANN
The Money Recordings
CDKEND 197
29.5.01

by Peter Gibbon

John Dolphin was one of the key independent black record label owners on the West Coast. Starting with his Recorded In Hollywood label in the 1951-54 period, he started many other labels in the R&B, blues, gospel, jazz and doo wop vein. Money Records came along in 1954 and ran for a couple of years.

Then there was Cash in 1955, as well as other subsidiaries such as Lucky and Ball. After John's unfortunate demise in early 1958, the family continued to run the business and a reactivated Money label served up several soul hits from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. Now that Ace Records has acquired the rights to the Dolphin recordings, we can look forward to a fascinating series of releases covering the whole gamut of the material on his labels. The first to be released comes from the golden period of soul and showcases soul songtress Bettye Swann, featuring all of her Money recordings that have so far been discovered.

Bettye first hit the R&B charts in 1965 with Don't Wait Too Long and reached the top spot two years later with her best seller Make Me Yours which was also a Top 20 Pop hit. She then had several releases on the Money label before moving on to more country-influenced recordings on Capitol and later Atlantic.

An album was planned to be released after the success of Don't Wait Too Long but the idea was put on hold and her first actual LP was Make Me Yours released in 1967. This now rare album featured, in addition to her hits, reworked versions of songs originally scheduled for the postponed first LP. All of these tracks, as well as her singles, are included on CDKEND197 Bettye Swann - The Money Recordings. Arthur G.Wright, Bettye's producer on most of her Money tracks, had a talent for productions that were quite full and inventive for an independent soul label. We have been given the opportunity to go back to the original multi-track tapes and remix some of the songs, bringing out more of the instrumentation and using some of the alternate vocals which Bettye recorded. Presented as a bonus alongside the original versions, the remixes were done by Rob Keyloch at the Sound Studio in Stoke Newington High Street in North London.

With many photographs, label shots, for which we are indebted to Ruth Dolphin's help, and Bettye's career discography, there's plenty to interest the soul fan in this release. As an added bonus, there's a superb rehearsal version of Don't Look Back with Bettye accompanied by just an acoustic guitar.

DON'T TOUCH ME

Your hand is like a torch each time you touch me that look in your eye pulls me apart don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in don't touch me if you don't love me, sweetheart your kiss is like a drink when I'm thirsty and I'm thirsty for you with all my heart don't love me then act as tho' we've never kissed don't touch me if you don't love me, sweetheart don't give me something that you might take away to have you then lose you wouldn't be smart on my part Don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in don't touch me if you don't love me, sweetheart don't give me something that you might take away to have you then lose you wouldn't be smart on my part don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in don't touch me if you don't love me, sweetheart ...