...you wouldn't have made my tears fall like drops of rain.

The sky broke over New York City this evening and the rains came down. A lethargic fog settled in over the city today giving the untamable metropolis a subdued quality. I enjoy rainy late-summer days like today, they allow me to take a moment to slow down (it also helps that I had the day off) and enjoy life at a somewhat slower pace.

Since everything has to relate to music for me, or else I might not be able to function on a comprehensible level, I went into my collection looking for something to match the mood of the day. Here's what I found: Big Maybelle's "I Don't Want to Cry."

Big Maybelle was born Mabel Louise Smith in Jackson, TN. She recorded for King, O'Keh, Savoy, Chess, RoJac, and Brunswick. With a discography spanning from the late forties up until the early seventies (she passed away in 1972) Big Maybelle dipped her fingers into gospel, blues, soul, and funk.

The slow ballad arrangement on this track is definitely exceptional. The horn arrangements are so good, perfect even, as they drag along with a somber feeling. The piano is simple but works so well to give you the feeling of rain drops falling. But what's the most splendid thing about the track, like all of Big Maybelle's tracks, is her voice. Have you ever heard a voice so rich and robust? It's simply unforgettable and heart-wrenching. It's hard to say that I can think of many other voices as tremendous as hers.

Hope y'all dig it.