''Maybe'' by The Three Degrees

[Marcio**]

from blogspot
Joe. My. God.: September 2006




''In 1957, producer Richard Barrett steered The Chantels, a Bronx-born group of five teenage girls into the national top 20 with Maybe, a first for an all-black girl group. Then 13 years later, he gave the same song to his latest girl group production, Philadelphia's The Three Degrees, who were on the cusp of becoming globally famous as the voice of the Philly Soul/Disco sound.


And that, gentle readers, is where things became of interest to The Gays, as the Three Degree's version of Maybe became an absolute drag standard, even though Maybe's very long spoken introduction sorely tested the lip-syncing skills of queens everywhere. I can remember queen after queen stumbling through that intro as audience members catcalled "Learn the words, girl!". (Yes, in the south, you see a LOT of drag shows, whether you want to or not.)


But I also quite fondly remember Casa de Parliamente's Lori Del Mar's triumphant performances of Maybe, which always ended with her pulling some schmuck out of the audience for some enthusiastic dry-humping during Maybe's shrieking climax. Never failed to bring the house down. Give Maybe a few listens and see if you aren't tempted to do head-swivel your way through the ending.


Maybe does not appear on any of the half-dozen or so Three Degrees greatest hists packages that have been released in the last decade, it would be out of place among their Philly soul/disco classics such as TSOP and Love Is The Message anyway, but you can find it on an import compilation called The Roulette Years. With more cast changes than Destiny's Child could shake a stick at, a total of 11 women have been members of the Three Degrees, who despite that Supremesian volume of turnover, continue to perform today.''


Maybe - The Three Degrees 3:36
Roulette Records 1970
Billboard #4 R&B.

UPDATE: Thanks to BJ (NSFW), I now have the much longer, funnier version!

Maybe - The Three Degrees 5:42




:)

[thommy2458]

You know,the thing about this song is,I never knew it had existed until the early 80's.And the only version I heard was the "evil as a wet hen" mix
on a Hot Tracks classics Lp I had.But that is lead singer Sheila Fergusen
unmistakable voice throwin' down-and of course,the minute I heard it
I thought "drag queen"! I have several Degrees best of's with no "Maybe"
but I do have the Hot Tracks mix on CD-included in the Classics Box set.
Thanks for this interesting bit of history,Marcio!


Thom

[remicks]

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Since reading about this here I came upon the 45 and so it's now in my collection

It has no date on it ... and only by knowing it was recorded in 1970 would I have guessed it. .... arranged like something from much earlier ....it's '57 penning is evident.. except it is over four minutes long and has a lengthy Millie Jackson type rap intro. ( the first ?? )

I let that man walk out of my life and I've been evil as a wet hen ever since ......

Janis Joplin ever do this ?? She would've smoked it .


Thanks for the tip Marcio. Glad to have it.



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[Simon White]

Originally Posted by remicks

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Since reading about this here I came upon the 45 and so it's now in my collection

It has no date on it ... and only by knowing it was recorded in 1970 would I have guessed it. .... arranged like something from much earlier ....it's '57 penning is evident.. except it is over four minutes long and has a lengthy Millie Jackson type rap intro. ( the first ?? )

I let that man walk out of my life and I've been evil as a wet hen ever since ......

Janis Joplin ever do this ?? She would've smoked it .


Thanks for the tip Marcio. Glad to have it.



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I think Janis Joplin did do it and God forbid I should ever have the mis fortune to hear it. I have no doubt she did to it to it what she did to everything.

Runied it with her terrible shouting and squawking.

The original recording by The Chantels, led by Arlene Smith, is one of the greatest records of all time but falls out of the remit of these forums, that's for sure !

[remicks]

Originally Posted by Simon White

I think Janis Joplin did do it and God forbid I should ever have the mis fortune to hear it. I have no doubt she did to it to it what she did to everything.

Runied it with her terrible shouting and squawking.

Oh come on now Simon ....you're a white guy that digs soul ....Janis was a white girl that had soul .... surely you can appreiciate that .

As for MAYBE it is this very shouting and squawking quality of this Three Degrees performance that made me even suggest Janis in the first place . Joplin was hot hot HOT in 69-70 . Re -recording this song this way right then had to be with an intent to mirror her style.

here it is : THREE DEGREES : "MAYBE"

added:
Hey I just noticed something ....this version is missing this " evil as a wet hen" line that my 45 has .........????


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how "evil" is a wet hen anyway ??? --- what's it do .....lay intentionally runny eggs ???

[Simon White]

Originally Posted by remicks

Oh come on now Simon ....you're a white guy that digs soul ....Janis was a white girl that had soul .... surely you can appreiciate that .

As for MAYBE it is this very shouting and squawking quality of this Three Degrees performance that made me even suggest Janis in the first place . Joplin was hot hot HOT in 69-70 . Re -recording this song this way then had to be with an intent to mirror her style.

here it is : THREE DEGREES : "MAYBE"




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Sorry remicks, but to me Janis Joplin just shouts and strains, is very contrived and forced and utimatley fake. No one in the world can ever convince me that Janis Joplin did a better version of 'Big Boss Man' than Erma Franklin, a better version of 'I'd Rather Go Blind' than Etta James, a better version of 'Try Just A Little Bit Harder' than Lorriane Ellison, or a better version of 'Cry Baby than Garnett Mimms.

She is THE classic example of one thing...if she'd have been a black girl she would have been considered run of the mill at best....same applies to Dusty Springfield. But as they were white girls they get some kind of special status. And that just shows up the racism of the mainstream rock press, a situation that rose again recently with Joss Stone.

As for 'Maybe' by The Three Degrees...its borderline cabaret anyway as were the Three Degrees by that time. They always were a pop act rather than a soul act. But The Chantels version is as early as Soul gets to my ears.

[remicks]

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the Chantels version :
: now .... is it me .... or do I hear a precursor here for Phil Spector's treatment of UNCHAINED MELODY ..????

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