Dobie Gray

Although Dobie Gray had featured definitely danceable numbers on his previous efforts, Midnight Diamond (1978) -- his first outing for the Infinity subsidiary of MCA Records -- contains a handful of cuts that are unquestionably aimed at the concurrent disco scene. Gray also infuses the album with his trademark ballads, including a mid-tempo reading of "Sharing the Night Together," which became a Top Ten pop hit for Dr. Hook shortly after the release of Gray's version. While the opening track failed to reach the upper tier of the charts, "You Can Do It" did land in the Top 40, making it Gray's final single of the 1970s to do so. The boogie-fied backbeat even supports a prominent guitar lick that is too much like the beginning strains of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" to be a coincidence. The ruse was obviously successful as the tune made it to a respectable number 37 -- quite a feat actually, as none of Gray's 45s had placed as high since "Drift Away" some five years earlier. Likewise, the reworking of the Addrisi Brothers' "We Got to Get It on Again" is similar to how the Jackson 5 might have done it, particularly the tight harmonies behind Gray's soulful lead. "Let This Man Take Hold of Your Life" is a tender romantic side from the team of Yvonne Norman and Rita Grimm, who would later contribute "Stumblin' Back to You" to Gray's self-titled follow-up. Despite Cliff Richard and Art Garfunkel having considerably better luck with "Miss You Nights," it is Gray that clearly gets the nod for its simple and unaffected allure. That can't be said of the far-too-funky-for-its-own-good slant projected on to Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now." Midnight Diamond concludes with a few excellent affairs, especially the sentimental "Who's Lovin' You," which shouldn't be confused with the Smokey Robinson song of the same name. After several decades out of print, the internet-based aural alchemists at Hip-O Select -- located on-line at www.hip-oselect.com -- spotlighted Midnight Diamond on the limited-edition four-disc Complete Dobie Gray (1969-1979) (2004) box set. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide