Hot Chocolate - I Want To Be Free (1973)

Hot Chocolate formed in 1968, and initially consisted of vocalist Errol Brown, guitarist Franklyn De Allie, drummer Jim King (shortly thereafter replaced by the unrelated Ian King), percussionist Patrick Olive, and bassist Tony Wilson, with keyboardist Larry Ferguson joining the band the following year. They were originally christened Hot Chocolate Band by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office, but this was soon shortened, firstly to The Hot Chocolate, and then to Hot Chocolate, by Mickie Most. By 1970 the band's line-up had changed again, with Harvey Hinsley replacing De Allie, and Tony Connor taking over from King. For their first single they wanted to do a reggae version of John Lennon's 'Give Peace A Chance', but Brown was told he would need permission, so contacted Apple to request it. Somehow their single was heard by Lennon, who said that he liked it, and the group was subsequently signed to Apple Records. When that label dissolved after The Beatles' breakup, they were signed to Mickie Most's RAK label, and began releasing a string of hit singles, including 'Love Is Life', 'Emma', and 'I Believe in Love'. Brown and Wilson wrote most of their original material, and also provided hits for other artists, such as 'Bet Yer Life I Do' for Herman's Hermits, 'Heaven Is Here' for Julie Felix, and 'Think About Your Children' for Mary Hopkin. It was in the disco era of the mid-1970s that Hot Chocolate achieved their biggest successes, with the growing confidence of the main songwriting team of Wilson and Brown producing hits like 'You Sexy Thing' and 'Every 1's a Winner', which helped to establish the band in the US. I never cared for 'You Sexy Thing' and so didn't buy any more of their records after they started this new phase of their career, although I do still have a soft spot for their 1974 debut album 'Cicero Park'. Considering that their first single came out in 1969, it's always surprised me that it took five years for them to get that first album out, as they should have had enough quality songs around 1972 or 1973 to put together a reasonably good debut release. So, as they never got around to it, I've done it for them, using the best of the singles and b-sides that they issued between 1970 and 1973. 

Track Listing

01 Love Is Life (single 1970)
02 I Want To Be Free (b-side of 'Brother Louie')
03 You Could've Been A Lady (single 1971)
04 Everybody's Laughing (b-side of 'You Could've Been A Lady')
05 You'll Always Be A Friend (single 1972)
06 Brother Louie (single 1973)
07 A Man Needs A Woman (b-side of 'Rumours')
08 Ruth (b-side of 'Mary-Anne' single 1972)
09 I Believe (In Love) (single 1971)
10 Caveman Billy (b-side of 'I Believe (In Love)')
11 Rumours (single 1973)