Taste Me... Don't Waste Me

{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Taste Me...Don't Waste Me

| type = Studio

| artist = Lynsey de Paul

| cover = Taste_Me_Don't_Waste_Me_Album.jpg

| alt =

| released = November 1974

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = R&B

| length = 43:53

| label = Jet

| producer = Lynsey de Paul

| prev_title = The World of Lynsey de Paul

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Love Bomb

| next_year = 1975

}}

Taste Me...Don't Waste Me is the third album by the English singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul but the second album of completely new material (following Surprise and the compilation album The World of...) and de Paul also was the producer for all of the songs.{{cite web|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/lynsey_de_paul/taste_me_____dont_waste_me/ |title=Taste Me ... Don't Waste Me by Lynsey de Paul (Album, Soft Rock): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list |publisher=Rate Your Music |accessdate=31 October 2016}}The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin {{ISBN|978-0195313734}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/lynsey-de-paul/discography/655111/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203000151/http://www.mtv.com/artists/lynsey-de-paul/discography/655111/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 February 2017 |title=Taste Me...Don't Waste Me by Lynsey de Paul |website=Mtv.com|accessdate=22 February 2017}} It was released in the UK in November 1974{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Lynsey-De-Paul-Taste-Me-Dont-Waste-Me/release/2833870 |title=Lynsey De Paul – Taste Me... Don't Waste Me (Vinyl, LP, Album) |website=Discogs.com |date=28 November 1974 |accessdate=31 October 2016}} and was the first album on Don Arden's then new label, Jet Records,{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-327492 |title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts – Offizielle Deutsche Charts |website=Offiziellecharts.de |date=28 November 1974 |accessdate=26 April 2017}} and initially distributed by Polydor, although Island Records was soon contracted by Arden to take over distribution and this confusion may have negatively affected sales.{{cite web|page=46|date=March 29, 1975|publisher=Billboard|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1975/Billboard%201975-03-29.pdf|title=Taste Me...Don't Waste Me|accessdate=19 October 2017}}"Fabled labels: Jet Records" page 48, Music Week, 18 August 2013 Releases in all other countries, such as Spain, Germany, Australia, Japan and South America, were on the Polydor label in early 1975.{{cite web|url=http://datos.bne.es/edicion/biso0000614575.html |title=Taste me-- don't waste me |website=Datos.bne.es |accessdate=17 June 2017}} The album was generally well received by music critics from leading magazines of the day.Record & Popswop Mirror, 30 November 1974, by: Tony Jasper, "Taste me, don't waste me" reviewMelody Maker (UK), 4 January 1975, pp. 20–21, Caroline Coon, "Pops leading lady"Disc (UK), 25 January 1975, pp. 12–13, by: Rosemary Horide, "Pops leading lady bares her soul" AllMusic journalist Craig Harris stated that "one of the first successful female singer-songwriters in England, de Paul has had an illustrious career" and lists this as one of her best albums.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lynsey-de-paul-mn0000170321 |title=Lynsey de Paul | Music Biography, Credits and Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=11 June 1950 |accessdate=27 January 2014}} The Sunday Sun reviewed the album and wrote "Lynsey de Paul has shown her fine smoochy new album "Taste Me Don’t Waste Me" that she consistent song-writing talent".page 9, Sunday Sun, Sunday 16 February 1975. It was also de Paul's personal favourite album and she wrote on her music store website some years later "The Taste Me... Don't Waste Me album was a romantic collection of songs that I wrote and recorded as a relaxing, late night album",{{cite web|url=http://www.lynseydepaul.com/musicstore/product.php?id_product=15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719054338/http://www.lynseydepaul.com/musicstore/product.php?id_product=15 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=19 July 2011 |title=Taste Me Don't Waste Me – LdP Music Store |website=Lynseydepaul.com |date=30 June 2010 |accessdate=8 December 2016}} echoing earlier comments to the music press.Record & Popswop Mirror, 30 November 1974, p. 22 The LP was listed as one of the best album releases of 1975 by journalist Judith Simons.Press best albums of 1975, Music Week, 27 December 1975, p. 12 It has stood the test of time in that it is listed as one of the top albums released in 1974 by online site "Best ever albums", as well as one of the top 1000 albums released in the 1970s.{{cite web|url=https://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?b=28936#appearances|title=Lynsey de Paul|website=Besteveralbums.com|accessdate=8 November 2018}}

The album featured key session musician's such as the drummer Terry Cox, guitarist Chris Rae, bass guitarist Dave Markee, percussionist John Dean, with string arrangements by Gerry Shury, Christopher Gunning and also the Benny Goodman Trio.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/taste-medont-waste-me-mw0001158174/credits |title=Taste Me...Don't Waste Me – Lynsey de Paul | Credits |website=AllMusic |accessdate=22 February 2017}} The sleeve notes gave "special thanks to Don Arden and the Gang". The album was released for the first time on CD in Japan in 1999{{cite web|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/lynsey_de_paul/taste_me____dont_waste_me/ |title=Taste Me... Don't Waste Me by Lynsey de Paul (Album; Vivid Sound; VSCD-062): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list |publisher=Rate Your Music |date=15 July 1999 |accessdate=8 December 2016}} and it is listed as one of the most popular all time albums in a Japanese poll.{{Cite web|url=http://www24.big.or.jp/~great/enq/enq.cgi|title=グレーテストヒッツ／ロックアルバム|website=24.big.or.jp|accessdate=7 April 2022}} Notable tracks include "My Man and Me", a top 40 hit for de Paul and her version of "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)", which had previously been an international hit for her co-writer, Barry Blue. "My Man and Me" was covered in 2013 by Japanese singer "Beautiful Hummingbird" as a track on her self titled album.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Beautiful-Hummingbird-Beautiful-Hummingbird/release/8858176 |title=Beautiful Hummingbird – Beautiful Hummingbird (CD) at Discogs |website=Discogs.com |date=23 January 2013 |accessdate=17 May 2017}} Other notable songs on the album included "Rainbow" which was co-written by de Paul and Allan Clarke who was the lead singer with The Hollies.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0164646/bio|title=Allan Clarke : Biography|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=26 April 2017}}The Hollies, Record Collector, May 2013 Even though "Rainbow" was not released as a single, the song made the Poporama radio chart in Sweden{{Cite web|url=https://www.nostalgilistan.se/poporama/19750221|title=Låtarna från Poporama 21 februari 1975|website=NostalgiListan.se|accessdate=4 December 2021}} and garnered much radio play in Italy throughout 1975.Radiocorriere, 27 July 1975 Another standout track was the ballad "When I'm Alone With You" which was performed on TV.{{Cite web|url=http://www.liverockshows.com/rich_text_47.html|title=CHARTBUSTERS 1970'S|website=Liverockshows.com|accessdate=4 December 2021}}

De Paul launched the Taste Me... Don't Waste Me album at an event at The Dorchester hotel, London, on 28 November 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-lynsey-de-paul-launches-her-new-album-called-taste-me-dont-waste-me-84182497.html |title=Lynsey De Paul Launches Her New Album Called "taste Me, Don't Waste Stock Photo, Royalty Free Image: 84182497 |website=Alamy.com |date=28 November 1974 |accessdate=8 December 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.fr/detail/photo-d%27actualit%C3%A9/lynsey-de-paul-launches-her-new-album-called-taste-photo-dactualit%C3%A9/592305760|title=Lynsey de Paul launches her new album called "Taste Me, Don't Waste...|website=Getty Images|accessdate=4 December 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/gallery/lynsey-de-paul-4364790 |title=Lynsey de Paul – Mirror Online |website=Daily Mirror |date=2 October 2014 |accessdate=30 December 2016}} She performed many of the songs from this album as a special guest on each episode of the TV show Cooper, hosted by comic Tommy Cooper{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294038/|title=Cooper : TV Series (1975–)|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=8 December 2016}} and these live versions are now available on DVD.{{cite web|author=British Comedy Guide |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/cooper/shop/931/the_complete_series_dvd/ |title=Cooper – The Complete Series DVD – British Comedy Guide |website=Comedy.co.uk |date=29 September 2008 |accessdate=8 December 2016}} De Paul appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test on 31 January 1975, where she performed live versions of "Let's Boogie" and "My Man and Me" to promote the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk/1975.html |title=TV Pop Diaries 1975 |website=Tvpopdiaries.co.uk |accessdate=21 December 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://bobharris.org/pages/gallerypics.php?artist=OGWT+Lynsey+De+Paul|title=Bob Harris Gallery - OGWT Lynsey De Paul|first=Les|last=Kneeling|website=Bobharris.org|accessdate=10 November 2018}} The performances of these songs was also featured in the BBC Four series, Singer-songwriters at the BBC, originally broadcast in 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vfhy7|title=BBC Four - Singer-Songwriters at the BBC, Series 1, Episode 4|website=BBC|accessdate=10 November 2018}} De Paul also performed a series of live dates in concert halls around the UK, as well as her own prime time TV special In Concert in March 1975 to promote the album.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5772954/|title=Lynsey De Paul|accessdate=7 January 2019|website=IMDb.com}} She also found time that month to appear on the Morecambe and Wise Radio Show to perform "Let's Boogie".{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01kbqjl|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise Show, Series 1, Episode 6|website=BBC|accessdate=4 December 2021}}