Mercury Records/UMeThe 45th anniversary of late soul legend Barry White‘s first release on the 20th Century Records label will be celebrated this year with a series of catalog releases and reissues.
The initiative begins on April 13 with the release of several hits compilations, including the three-CD box set The Complete 20th Century Records Singles (1973-1979) and a one-CD collection titled Love’s Theme: The Best of the 20th Century Records Singles.
The three-disc retrospective features 46 tracks, including classic songs like “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby,” “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up,” “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything,” “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me” and the chart-topping “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” as well as alternate versions of many of those tunes.
The single-disc Love’s Theme album boasts 21 tracks, including the classic versions of Barry’s 1970s singles and “Love’s Theme,” a #1 hit instrumental for White’s orchestral group The Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973.
A two-LP vinyl edition of the Love’s Theme compilation also will be available. It features one bonus track — the 1975 Love Unlimited Orchestra hit “Satin Soul.”
Meanwhile, arriving on April 20 is The 20th Century Records Singles (1973-1975) vinyl box set, which features 10 seven-inch vinyl discs recreating White’s single releases from his mid-’70s heyday. Each disc is housed in a replica sleeve, and the collection comes packaged with a four-page illustrated book.
Future White reissues will include CD and vinyl LP box sets featuring Barry’s full albums, as well as compilations and album box sets focusing on The Love Unlimited Orchestra and the female vocal group Love Unlimited, which White formed.
Here’s the track list of The Complete 20th Century Records Singles (1973-1979) compilation:
Disc One
“I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby”
“Just a Little More Baby”
“I’ve Got So Much to Give”
“I’ve Got So Much to Give” (Instrumental)
“Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” (Short Version)
“Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” (Long Version) (original B-side)
“No I’m Never Gonna Give Ya Up” (Instrumental) (revised B-side)
“Honey Please, Can’t Ya See”
“Honey Please, Can’t Ya See” (Instrumental)
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe”
“Just Not Enough”
“You’re the First, the Last, My Everything”
“More Than Anything, You’re My Everything”
“What Am I Gonna Do with You”
“What Am I Gonna Do with You Baby”
Disc Two
“I’ll Do for You Anything You Want Me To”
“Anything You Want Me To”
“Let the Music Play”
“Let the Music Play” (Instrumental)
“You See the Trouble with Me”
“I’m So Blue and You Are Too”
“Baby, We Better Try to Get It Together”
“If You Know, Won’t You Tell Me”
“Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long”
“Can’t You See It’s Only You I Want”
“I’m Qualified to Satisfy You”
“I’m Qualified to Satisfy You” (Instrumental)
“It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me”
“I Never Thought I’d Fall In Love with You”
“It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me” (Disco Version)
Disc Three
“Playing Your Game, Baby”
“Of All the Guys in the World”
“Oh What a Night for Dancing”
“You’re So Good You’re Bad”
“Your Sweetness Is My Weakness”
“It’s Only Love Doing Its Thing”
“Just the Way You Are”
“Now I’m Gonna Make Love to You”
“Sha La La Means I Love You”
“September When I First Met You”
“Early Years”
“I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing”
“Oh Me, Oh My (I’m Such a Lucky Guy)”
“How Did You Know It Was Me”
“I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing” (Disco Version)
“Oh Me, Oh My (I’m Such a Lucky Guy)” (Disco Version)
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