Woman, Woman/ Don't Make Promises

This was the group's first hit, credited as "The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett". As impressive as the A side is, appealing to fans of both Sunshine Pop and Northern Soul, a lot of collector interest is directed to the equally impressive, but rarely heard, B side. "Don't Make Promises" was written by Tim Hardin, who released his own, folky version on the B side of a 1968 single, "Lady Came From Baltimore." This Union Gap recording is the first version released on 45 rpm, and somehow Jerry Fuller and Al Capps transformed Hardin's simple folk number into a catchy, crescendoing Northern Soul toe-tapper with a hypnotic bass line. The song's Soul pedigree was further enhanced by Z.Z. Hill, who released his own version in 1969 on Kent Records. Unfortunately, the song never did get the airplay it deserved... in any market. Note: This beautiful copy comes in a vintage Columbia Records factory sleeve. Its labels are flawless, and the vinyl (styrene) looks almost untouched. The audio sounds close to Mint, but does have a touch of wear.