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| THE VIPPS-Mercy Mercy/That's My Woman US Phillips 40387 1966 |
The V.I.P's were a five piece British r&b band who by the release of this single in July 1966 comprised of Mike Harrison (lead vocals), Jimmy Henshaw (guitar), Luther Grosvenor (guitar), Greg Ridley (bass), and Mike Kellie (drums). The band's first release was 1964's "Don't Keep Shouting at Me" (UK RCA Victor 1427) but they curiously had far more releases outside of the U.K. in France with 4 E.P's and a single. There were also solitary 45 releases in Germany, the Netherlands and the U.S.
Today's specimen was only released in the U.S. and was credited to "The Vipps" (a name used on their January '66 British single "Wintertime", CBS 202031). The A-side was a cover of Don Covay's 1964 single (best known by the Rolling Stones who covered it on their 1965 LP "Out Of Our Heads"). The flip, "That's My Woman" was later covered by The Nashville Teens in early '67.
"Mercy Mercy" is a fairly tame note for note cover and not remotely as rocking as the Stone's version and it's held up purely on the soulful voice of lead singer Mike Harrison. It's a decent version but just doesn't offer much to my ears outside of the vocals.
The flip side "That's My Woman" is where it's at for me. Kicked off my some ultra raw fuzz guitar it's a gritty little groover again showcasing the stellar piper of Mike Harrison and has a raving 1966 mod/r&b sound to it. The later Nashville Teens version pretty much follows this as a template, though it's not remotely as rocking.
Both sides were collected for Repertoire's comprehensive double CD "The Complete V.I.P's".
The band mutated into Art who in 1967 released a 45 featuring a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and an "Supernatural Fairytales" before adding Gary Wright and becoming Spooky Tooth.
Hear "Mercy, Mercy":
Hear "That's My Woman":
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