In addition to their solo success, both William Bell and Carla Thomas proved to be valuable Stax contributors in the duet format, Bell with Judy Clay (”Private Number”) and Thomas with Otis Redding (”Tramp”) and also with poppa Rufus. With “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” Bell and Thomas take on one famous musical duo - Phil & Don, the Everly Brothers - in the form of another, the romantic soul ballad tag-teams popularized by Marvin Gaye with Tammi Terrell and other female vocal partners.

“Dream” was originally released on 1968’s Duets, which compiles Bell’s duets with Mavis Staples, Clay and Thomas, then released as a single in March ‘70 (it failed to chart). Around this same time - the spring of ‘70 - Booker T. & the MGs were working through their tribute to another pop-rock band, the Beatles, with their McLemore Avenue take on Abbey Road.

Though the original version seems to float…uh, dreamily, cloudlike and wistful, the version Bell and Thomas delivered is decidedly more earthbound and pained, more “Stax-ified.” The tempo seems slowed down just enough to make the downbeats sound and feel more pronounced, like good funky soul music should. Bell and Thomas, especially in the bridge and last verse - when Bell sings, “I need you so, enough to die,” you sure believe it - weave soulful magic together.

“All I Have To Do Is Dream” remains available on The Compete Stax-Volt Soul Singles Volume 2.

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