Woman Overboard

by Amy Hanson Although Linda Lewis' April 1977 album Woman Overboard never managed to muscle its way into the U.K. charts, it nevertheless further cemented the singer's place in British pop history with 11 tracks that effortlessly showcased her unique and dynamic vocal range. Powering through a handful of goodies that includes a veritable cornucopia of breathtaking moments, Lewis is sensational on the gorgeous "Moon and I" and "My Love Is Here to Stay," while matching notes a little later across Cat Stevens ' "Bonfire," a song that was a highlight of his simultaneously released Izitso album. Elsewhere, she takes a nice twist on the Allen Toussaint classic "Dreamer of Dreams," while "My Friend the Sun" and "No. 1 Heartbreaker" still crackle from Lewis' own energized delivery. Another winner, "Light Years Away" would find new life when it was re-recorded for her 1997 Whatever... album. It's a shame that Woman Overboard has become lost in the shuffle of the myriad Lewis albums out there, all the more so since so many of these songs have been left off the various greatest-hits packages. While it is by no means the equal of its predecessors (or the later A Tear and a Smile ), it remains a powerful, and powerfully affecting, offering.