Lavern Baker – Bumble Bee / Think Twice (Rated X)

Great two sider from one of the leading queens of Rhythm and Blues, Lavern Baker. ‘Bumble Bee’ is an unusual uptempo early soul dancer with sharp backing vocals, nicely droning guitar chops and chime like vibes. And of course, a sassed-up vocal turn from Ms. Baker herself. Meanwhile, on the flip, the notorious x-rated version of ‘Think Twice’, a duet with Jackie Wilson. Reportedly recorded at the end of a long session in which copious alcohol had been imbibed, here Baker and Wilson let rip, audibly stifling hysterics as they try and out-filth each other. Obviously this version was never intended for release and would certainly have shocked the airwaves of the time. A few decades on, it’s definitely still outrageous enough to offend some, so we recommend it for mature audiences only… Either that or just drop it into your set and see if anyone notices!