Carla Thomas

Artist: Carla Thomas

LP: The Queen Alone

Song: "When Tomorrow Comes"

[ listen ]

I've been trying not to buy more records until I get rid of some of the ones I've got, since I'm running out of room in my apartment. But last week I had an hour to kill before meeting a friend for a drink and I was near a record store, so I couldn't help myself—I went in. In order to get my fix while still hopefully leaving empty-handed, I decided I'd only dig through the low-budget "as is" bins, which usually just contain hundreds of records by Kenny Loggins and Barbra Streisand. Unfortunately, not only did I find a Julie London record for the Deface Value site (her expression is perfect for having just been splashed across the face with mud while wearing one of her most exquisite gowns), but I also found this terrific 1967 LP from Carla Thomas—The Queen of Memphis Soul. Carla's father Rufus helped her get started in the music business, and it wasn't long before young Carla had stepped into "the magic circle of pop stardom." Ever the arbiters of good taste, U.S. servicemen in Vietnam chose Carla Thomas as their queen, whatever that might mean. My budget-priced copy of "The Queen Alone" does indeed have a few scratches and scuffs, but only enough to give it a bit of character. Released as a single in 1967, Carla's lovely "When Tomorrow Comes" somehow only made it to #99 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. You can read more about the life and career of Carla Thomas on Wikipedia here, and the notes from the back of her record are included below.