The First Lady of Immediate

The First Lady of Immediate is the debut album by American soul singer P. P. Arnold, released in 1968 on the Immediate Records label.

History
By the time the album was released, P. P. Arnold, then known as Pat Arnold, left the Ikettes after beginning a friendship with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, and signed to Immediate Records, a record label owned by the Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Oldham. She re-recorded a version of a song written by Cat Stevens, "The First Cut Is the Deepest". It peaked at No. 18 on the UK chart. "The Time Has Come" peaked at No. 47 on the UK chart, while "(If You Think You're) Groovy" peaked at No. 41.

Reception
Dave Thompson of AllMusic stated "Despite such jumbled origins, the album holds together well. "Groovy," in particular, is a no-nonsense R&B pressure cooker, leaving one to wonder why the Small Faces (who provide instrumental duties on the track) never got around to releasing a version of their own. Spector/Mann/Weill's "Born to Be Together," meanwhile, is an absolute Oldham classic, bedecking Arnold's soulful voice with a full-blooded production that leaves the original sounding like a jellyfish."

Credits

 * Cover, Design – Derek Burton
 * Photography By – Gered Mankowitz