Thelma Houston's Non-Hit

**Techdude7** · August 24th, 2002, 07:28 AM

Does anyone out there besides me remember Thelma's version of "96 Tears"? I think it was released in the early '80's.

**DanceMan** · August 24th, 2002, 07:35 AM

On 2002-08-24 08:28, Techdude7 wrote:
Does anyone out there besides me remember Thelma's version of "96 Tears"? I think it was released in the early '80's.

Yes, Techdude7

I even mentioned that song a couple of weeks ago as I had watched Thelma on VH-1 and she was labeled a ONE HIT WONDER..PUHLEASSSSSE!!!..

that song was from her RCA debut album, the 12" had a great opening, and it was a remake of a 1966 hit by ? and the Mysterians......I loved it and unfortunately, do not have it anymore....is it available on any compilation, do you know?

**Techdude7** · August 24th, 2002, 08:07 AM

Nope, it's not available on any compiltation that I know of. I did some research and found out that "96 Tears" was from her 1981 RCA album entitled "Never Gonna Be Another One'. Her debut album on RCA was in 1980 called "Breakwater Cat".

**DanceMan** · August 24th, 2002, 08:20 AM

On 2002-08-24 09:07, Techdude7 wrote:
Nope, it's not available on any compiltation that I know of. I did some research and found out that "96 Tears" was from her 1981 RCA album entitled "Never Gonna Be Another One'. Her debut album on RCA was in 1980 called "Breakwater Cat".

Thanks for the update....btw...that former group was ? MARK and the Mysterians.....maybe now that Gloria Gaynor is back on the boards, it is time for some of these other gals, Thelma, France Joli, Bonnie Pointer, Teri DeSario, etc...to get back into boogie motion....

**Voyage** · August 24th, 2002, 01:16 PM

Danceman I would love to see those girls again on the charts nowadays! I mean if they were spectacular in the 70s and remembering that technology wasn't so impressive like today back then. Imagine what they can do now.

With this I'm not saying they'll use playback or anything, maybe make more spectacular their songs than they were in the 70s.

**guille** · August 24th, 2002, 02:56 PM

Well, Gloria Gaynor is back to business. Her latest is ranked on Billboard's Dance Club Play list.
I have a 12" promo issue of "96 Tears" by Thelma Houston. It clocks at 7:46. Its taken from her 1981 album "Never Gonna Be Another One".
Have a Disco Life.

**Nano** · August 25th, 2002, 04:13 PM

Thelma's version of "96 tears" was one of my faves back in the day. In fact, I didn' know she had scored another hit ("Don't leave me this way") until much later when I could read some serious articles on disco. Also didn't know at the time that it was not a disco original.
Hers was a great version. Who was the producer?

**guille** · August 25th, 2002, 09:13 PM

Houston's "96 Tears" was produced by George Tobin in association with Mike Piccirillo. I have no idea who these two fellas are. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was another remake from a Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' 1976 original version.
Have a Disco Life.

**DanceMan** · August 25th, 2002, 09:23 PM

On 2002-08-25 22:13, guille wrote:
Houston's "96 Tears" was produced by George Tobin in association with Mike Piccirillo. I have no idea who these two fellas are. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was another remake from a Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' 1976 original version.
Have a Disco Life.

George Tobin was the producer behind many of Smokey Robinson's latter day hits such as "Tell Me Tomorrow," "Being With You," etc......

**california mike** · August 26th, 2002, 10:47 AM

i think george tobin also produced kim carnes great soulful top 10 hit "more love", another smokey robinson classic.he must have liked what he heard because his george tobin produced hits came the next year.

**Nano** · August 26th, 2002, 03:19 PM

Thank you guys!

**skiddlybop** · March 31st, 2012, 11:50 AM

Thanks, all, for reminding me that even in the video era, dance music never put an upper-age limit on artists getting a hit -- not compared to the Hollywood film biz or television, for instance. Thelma will be in her upper 60s if she charts dance with a new record. i was just remembering this morning that Cissy Houston was in her mid-forties when the storming " Think It Over" was out, and our darling Whitney nearly 40 when "It's Not Right But It's Okay" joined "Hit and Run" and "You Used To Hold Me" among the epic diva drama scenes of all time. Bettye LaVette, about whom rock writers can't write enough hosannas, had "Doin' the Best I Can," her first club hit, at 32.Yoko Ono,bless her poetic soul, every time she releases a new record to the clubs, sets a new record for oldest charting artist, currently 70, I think.I believe this shows we do honor the art and talent before the age, FWIW. Here's a little list of some of more of our dancefloors' finest, senior division.

- Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean (age 34)
- I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross (age 36)
-Chain Reaction (age 40)
- You Don't Love Me (No, No, No) -Dawn Penn (age 42)
- Mighty High - Gloria Gaynor (age 49) with the Trammps
- In Love With Love - Debbie Harry (age 32)
- Victim - Candi Staton (age 38)
- Love You All My Lifetime- Chaka Khan (age 39)
- Keep on Jumpin' Martha Wash (age 42) and Jocelyn Brown (age 46)
- Do Ya Wanna Funk - Sylvester (age 35)
- Slaqve to the Rhythm - Grace Jones (age 33)
- Keep on Movin' - Soul II Soul ftg. Caron Wheeler (age 36)
- This Time I Know It's For Real - Donna Summer (age 41)
_Let's Stay Together - Tina Turner (age 36)
- Love Sensation - Loleatta Holloway (age 34)
- Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin (age 43)
- Music - Madonna (age 42)
- It's in Your Blood - Linda Hopkins(age 52)
- Shine On Silver Moon - Marilyn Mc Coo( age 36) ( with Billy Davis Jr.[age 39])
- You Bring Out the Best In Me - Gladys Knight (age 35)
- This Time Baby - Jackie Moore ( age 33)
- Let's Dance - David Bowie 9age 36)
-I'm So Excited - Pointer Sisters(ages 34-36)
- Breaking and Entering - Dee Dee Sharp Gamble (age 36)
- Little Bird - Annie Lennox (age 49)
- Independence - Lulu (age 45)
- Soul/ Heaven Above Me - Frankie Valli (age 43)
- What Have I Done To Deserve This? - Dusty Springfield(age48) with Pet Shop Boys
- Back Together Again -Roberta Flack (age 40) with Donny Hathaway R.I.P.
- Uh-Uh, Ooh-Ooh, Look Out (Here It Comes- Roberta Flack (age 50) and
-Killing Me Softly Soul Solution Remix (age 56)

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**STEPHEN L FREEMAN** · April 1st, 2012, 07:28 PM

Originally Written by Techdude7

..."96 Tears" was from her 1981 RCA album entitled "Never Gonna Be Another One"...

...and on the album, '96 Tears' (which, at 3:27, is a much better listen, than the 12") follows 'Too Many Teardrops'. One of Morning Music's all-time, 'SAINT'-esque classics.

'Too Many Teardrops' chorus, fades out.
'96 Tears' intro, starts.
Thelma's first lyric = "Too Many Teardrops..."

a cute piece of LP sequencing. ;o)

The other 12" off that album 'If You Feel It', had a respectable run, in the clubs. At least for me...