Presentation script & video courtesy Anthony Reichardt / @anthonyreichardt
(LP-Immediate 011) This stand out, LP only, track from then 21 year old P.P. Arnold, takes the Ronettes 1965 hit, 'Born To Be Together' back over the 'Wall of Sound'..
Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Pat Cole was immersed within a family of gospel singers. Married at fifteen and the quick arrival of two children had Pat working two jobs, one in food manufacturing and the the other in office work. In 1965, Pat was contacted by a girlfriend who set up an audition to have three girls replace the original Ikettes, the group that performed and recorded with Ike and Tina Turner. The three girls were offered the job on the spot. Taking the stage name of P.P. Arnold, Pat left her abusive husband and placed her two kids in the temporary care of her parents. Right out of the chute, Arnold sang lead on an Ikettes release on Phil Spector's Phi-Dan label entitled, 'What 'Cha Gonna Do', sang with the Ikettes on the Ike Turner produced tracks on the Philles 'River Deep - Mountain High' LP and along with the new Ikettes, performed with Ike & Tina in the concert motion picture, 'The Big TNT Show'. Arnold quit the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1966 after their tour of the United Kingdom with the Rolling Stones ended. The Rolling Stones manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, started up a new record label, Immediate Records, and with the suggestion of Mick Jagger, Arnold signed to the label starting a successful solo career. Her first release with the label, 'Everything's Gonna Be Alright' wasn't a hit when originally issued in February 1967 but now original copies are pricey pieces of vinyl when offered for sale. It was her second release that would make an substantial impact. The Cat Stevens composition of, 'The First Cut Is The Deepest' was issued in April 1967 and became a hit. Today it is considered by many to be the best version of the song. An LP worth of music was recorded and compiled and released in 1968 entitled, 'P.P. Arnold - The First Lady of Immediate'. Producer, Mike Hurst took the Phil Spector approach for the sessions at London's, Olympic Studios by employing 35 musicians playing on several of the tracks. An epic, soulful 'Wall of Sound' version of 'Born To Be Together' arrangement by Arthur Greenslade sits nicely along side of 'The First Cut Is The Deepest' and another track pulled as a single from the LP, 'The Time Has Come'. The frustrating thing is that, Born To Be Together' was assigned to languish away as just an LP track and never issued as a single. Here is a mix of the complete session, first time in stereo.
P.P. Arnold continued to record and perform and sent for her children to live with her in England. She continues to share her gift of song to this day.