Birth Day

About Birth Day

Birth Day is the fourth album by American funk and R&B collective New Birth, released in North America by RCA on December 12, 1972. The album again oversaw production by Harvey Fuqua and his uncredited assistant Vernon Bullock, and was the album that put the group on the map. Consisting of the instrumental group The Nite-Liters, vocalists Love, Peace & Happiness (Ann Bogan, Leslie and Melvin Wilson), Londee Loren (Wiggins), Bobby Downs and Allen Frey, this would be the last album in which Ann would appear, as she succumbed to the pressure put on her by her mother to stop singing and raise her two children herself. Starting out with the massive hit "I Can Understand It" (originally by Bobby Womack), led by Leslie Wilson, they followed their trend of covers with an exceptional version of The Stylistics' "Stop, Look & Listen" and Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Until It's Time For You To Go", featuring future member of The Supremes Susaye Greene. When Harvey was unable to get the performance he wanted out of Londee Loren, he got Susaye to do the vocals. which he released under the New Birth's name. (That's Harvey and Carolyn Willis of The Honey Cone speaking the intro). Londee, however, more than met the challenge in live performances and came to develop a much more mature voice on future releases. more »