DICK JENSEN "I DON'T WANT TO CRY / TAMIKA (COME BACK LATER)" (1973)

I still love you, just like I did before
But before you smile and walk through the door, darling
I don't want to cry, no, I don't want to cry
No more, no, darling, no more, no more, do you hear me?

You come and go, just like the morning sun
But woman, I'm serious, and you're just having fun, darling
I don't want to cry, no, no, I don't want to cry
No more, no, darling, no more, no more, no more, no more

I said you're welcome to my lips
I said you're welcome, welcome to my arms
Yes, you're welcome to this old heart of mine
You're welcome to everything I have to offer you
So come on now, take it, take it, take it, take any part

Mama, I know I was wrong, can't you see I need you woman
So come on home, yeah, before you do, I'm gonna tell you
I don't want to cry, no, I don't want to cry
No more, no, darling, no more
Ain't gonna cry no more, ain't gonna cry no more

No, do you hear me? I don't wan't to cry, no, I don't want to cry
I cry no more, I ain't crying no more, no, no
Girl I cry no more, no, no, no, no more
Don't wanna cry no more, don't wanna cry no more...

[from the lyrics of "I Don't Want To Cry"]



Dick Jensen was one of the first artists to sign with the now-legendary Philadelphia International Records label in 1971. Nowadays it seems that he had little in common with the other artists which made the label famous later on, but at the time - once you heard the power and soul in his vocal delivery - it all made perfect sense. And with the label main men Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff behind the scenes, it seemed as if Dick Jensen had finally found the perfect home for his energetic style of Soul.

Like many of the label's acts, Jensen received musical assistance from PIR's house band, the illustrious MFSB. The band on the recording sessions for his self-titled album featured Ronnie Baker (bass), Larry Washington (congas, bongos), Earl Young (drums), Lenny Pakula (organ), Leon Huff (piano), Vincent Montana (vibraphone) and guitarists Bobby Eli, Norman Harris, Roland Chambers and TJ Tindall. Backing vocals were provided by Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson and Evette Benton.



Along with arrangements by Bobby Martin, Vince Montana and Norman Harris, and production by Bunny Sigler, Thom Bell and Gamble & Huff themselves (who also handled a majority of the songwriting) "Dick Jensen", released in February 1973, was as smooth and slick as anything else the label had released but was far more Pop-oriented.

Unfortunately, upon release, critics and Soul fans didn't know what to make of it. Jensen's talent was undeniable, but the album was not what they expected from the house that Gamble & Huff had built and the project itself was lost in the confusion... More information about the album are available here and here.

A signed Dick Jensen promotional picture, circa mid-70

Here's the track list for this 7" single:

01. I Don't Want To Cry (2:49)
02. Tamika (Come Back Later) (2:57)

Both tracks were remastered in June 2015 and are available in FLAC lossless format or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 files; both formats include scans of the complete original artwork.

Please have a look at the comments for the download links.



Following the release of the "Dick Jensen" album, "I Don't Want To Cry / Tamika (Come Back Later)" was published in the U.K. sometimes in 1973 by Epic Records; the record comes in a company sleeve with catalogue number S EPC 1521.

"I Don't Want To Cry" was originally a hit for Chuck Jackson in 1961; the song was written by Jackson himself with Soul legend Luther Dixon. Jensen's version remains faithful to the original (which was arranged by Carole King) with the addition of the magical touch of the P.I.R. team. It swoops and soars thanks to Jensen's passionate delivery. You can listen to the original version of this song by clicking here.



Written by Gamble & Huff, "Tamika (Come Back Later)" features Jensen in Levi Stubbs mode, bellowing out the words as if his life depended on it. The song was arranged by bassist Ronnie Baker and is closer to a Motown Pop song than a Philly Soul record, hence probably its inclusion in this single for the British market. Here's the lyrics:

Tamika come back later
Tamika come back later
I've got another love in my corner

Who told you to come around here
without giving me some kind of warning?
Giving me some kind of warning
And who told you to knock on my door
when it's so early in the morning?
It's so early in the morning

You should have known much better than that
You should have known it was over and back

Tamika come back later
Tamika come back later
I've got another love in my corner

You left me for the love of another
You filled my heart with so much sorrow
Filled it with so much sorrow
Now you tell me that you're really, really sorry
but it's too late so come back tomorrow
Girl, you'd better come back tomorrow

You should have called before you came back
'cause it's a sin to see you cry

Tamika come back later
Tamika come back later
I've got another love in my corner...
Yes I do

Most of the text on this page was sourced from the "Dick Jensen" reissue liner notes written by Stephen SPAZ Schnee. The CD was released by Big Break Records in 2013 and is currently the only available Jensen album, I strongly encourage you to buy a copy of this great long forgotten masterpiece!

More information about Dick Jensen is available here:

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/06/22/news/story02.html

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/22/il/FP606220304.html

http://www.oahuislandnews.com/May05/Home.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Jensen

I'm currently compiling a Dick Jensen biography, the first part of this work-in-progress covers the period 1942-1972 and is available here.

I'm also trying to compile a Dick Jensen exhaustive discography, my work-in-progress is available here.

Last but not least, I'm also trying to build a collection of Dick Jensen pictures and memorabilia, my work-in-progress is available here.

All my posts dedicated to Dick Jensen on this blog are available here.

I will post more Dick Jensen stuff in the next months, if you have any other useful information about him and his releases or if you spot any dead links, just get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!