Dresses Too Short

Description

Released in the summer of 1969, Syl Johnson’s debut album, Dresses Too Short, fits the tradition of its time: more a compilation of singles than a true concept album. Four previously unreleased tracks—Soul Drippin’, Fox Hunting On The Weekend, Same Kind Of Thing, and I’ve Got The Real Thing—complete the set, added to take advantage of the LP boom without ever sounding like mere filler. The sleeve, photographed by the prolific Jerry Griffith on a balcony of a South Michigan Avenue building, proudly displays its title in red and green letters, evoking Christmas. Yet, despite its energy and coherence, the record never truly found its audience. Misunderstood upon its release, Dresses Too Short sold only a few thousand copies before being withdrawn from the catalog in the mid-1970s—an injustice for a record now considered an essential milestone in Chicago soul. Green vinyl edition.