Listen: Don’t Hit Me No More / Mable John
MableJohnDontHit.mp3

What about these lyrics? I wonder if a label would even dare ask their artist to sing them in this day and age?

I recall seeing ‘Don’t Hit Me No More’ in the mark down bin at Woolworth’s and sprang for the 39¢. Besides, I’d seen but not heard one too many Mable John, sister of Little Willie John, singles by then, seemingly a new one every three or four months. Always a meager few neatly displayed in the RnB section at Walt’s Records, the downtown Syracuse shop that carried ten or so copies of anything English that had reached their charts and released in The US.

Likewise, the store was chock full of all the current deep blues and soul singles. Those hovering anywhere near the BILLBOARD RnB chart had their own real estate on the shelves as well. It was anybody’s guess which were the greats amongst them, but once they hit those discount bins, label, writer, producer and in this case, song title pointed this little kid toward many a cherished item all these years later.

Listen: Leave My Man (Woman) Alone / The Raeletts
Leave My Man (Woman) Alone / The Raeletts

Having developed a liking for early Ray Charles records meant the net was cast, and all things remotely related dragged in. Enter The Raeletts. Although sometimes referred to as The Raelettes, depending on which single you’re holding, various early members are mentioned/not mentioned in the their lineup. The more famous, like Mable John, Merry Clayton and Minnie Riperton, all got a run for their money by vocalist Vernita Moss, more often than not, criminally overlooked.

Her ad libs on ‘Leave My Man (Woman) Alone’ are priceless, seldom heard on record at that time. Tangerine, Ray Charles’ imprint, released some raw and earthy records in the late 60′s/early 70′s patch, and this is one. Relegated to the B side didn’t mean it could hide for long.

This copy was shipped in the above company sleeve. One side of which is an all white front, revealing the record’s label copy through a standard, circular hole, while the back is a uncut, color picture of the generic Tangerine artwork.

The Raeletts appeared many times on US television, including THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, many times with Vernita Moss.