Patsy Gallant - Are You Ready for Love

As a thirteen year old hormonal kid there was something about a red eyed devil woman wearing polka dot underpants that made my tummy feel funny ... okay it was lower than my tummy but really no one needs to know that. 1976 was a weird year. I was still big into BTO and rock and roll was king. However, there was an earworm that seemed to be everywhere and on all the time, "From New York to L.A." that was deliciously infectious and who cares if it was disco or that the song seemed to play at double time leaving Patsy Gallant singing her little heart out trying to keep up with the music. I can still sing along with the chorus, and this one song is why I picked up the album when I found it in a discount bin.

I'd not thought of her or the song in decades, however, I saw the album in a bin and there she was red eyes and polka dots and while my tummy didn't tingle I did him under my breath, "I'm a star in New York ..." and almost expected someone to do the call and response.

I cleaned up the record, and dropped the needle and the album was more or less what I expected it to be. Disco. It was fun, and most of the songs featured the obligatory strings but also horns, which was cool. The arrangements were good, and the songs were decent - for disco. Patsy could sing too, that girl had pipes. Patsy produced the album alongside her partner Ian Robertson, and she also wrote some of the music and arranged the backing vocals for the songs. In short she was a lot more than a pretty pair of panties. 

To be fair, while most of the songs were indeed in the disco vein, and largely somewhat forgettable there is another gem hidden on the album. Near the close of the second side, "Angie" written by Patsy and Ian is a wonderful little pop song and really stood out. I'd actually listen to more songs like this ... except the respite was short lived as the album closes with another disco track that does the '70s long fade giving the impression the listener was saved from an eternity of endless disco by having the song fade rather than wait for an end that would never come.

Oh well, I got one more song than I expected to get. Win / win. One song a side, I can live with that.

In 1977 when the Juno Awards aired Patsy was all over the show. As a kid I didn't mind because I liked the big song. Patsy would collect a Juno as female vocalist of the year, and her album would win for best engineered album. It really is a good sounding record. The song "From New York to L.A." was up for best selling single, but lost to "Roxy Roller" which didn't upset me at all.

Of course with a little fame, at least in Canada, a television variety show followed. Since we didn't have a lot of channels it was either Tommy Hunter or having to choose between The Raes and The Rene Simard Show. They were the best of times ... no, they weren't, they were just what was available - to be honest I don't really remember her show although I know I watched it.

I guess for those who cared about such things Patsy Gallant was more than just that one (okay two) catchy song, but to me I have all I need now and I don't need any more.

Now I have that stupid song stuck in my head.

Thank you for that.