Song:Doctor's Orders
Album:Disco Queen: Greatest Hits
The 1974 single Doctor's Orders was the only big hit for Carol Douglas. But I also think it was a big part of establishing disco. Carol was born Apr. 7, 1948 in Brooklyn, NY. Her mother Minnie Newsome was the inspiration for the Cab Calloway classic Minnie the Moocher. At age 10, Carol was a winner on the game show Name That Tune. She says Ebony Magazine followed her around for the next three years. She recorded a single for RCA in 1965 and then she got pregnant. Carol settled into doing voiceover work and she also appeared on Broadway. In the early 70s she toured the oldies circuit with Arlene Smith's new version of The Chantels. Doctor's Orders was written by veteran British songwriters Roger Greenaway, Roger Cook and Geoff Stephens. At the time they were working with producer Tony Hiller and The Brotherhood of Man. The sister duo of Sue and Sunny were an offshoot of that group. When Sue decided to start a family, Sunny recorded Doctor's Orders. It reached #7 on the British Singles chart. Instead of releasing this record in the US, Midland International Records owner Ed O'Loughlin decided to record a knockoff. Carol was told that she sounded too black. They wanted her to imitate Sunny because they played that record for her. But she sang it in her own style and it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a worldwide hit especially on the dance charts. Though O'Loughlin was credited as producer for contractual reasons, Meco Monardo produced and arranged the record. Later on, he was the guy behind the disco version of the Star Wars theme. Some of Carol's other singles were successful on the dance charts. But Doctor's Orders was her only big hit. You can get all of her hits on this comp CD. Carol last recorded in 1983 but she still tours the nostalgia circuit. Here's Carol Douglas performing Doctor's Orders on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert Sept. 23, 1976.
No comments:
Post a Comment