RECORD CRACK: The loss of Connie Zimet, the voice of “The Sensuous Woman”
Zimet did reveal one secret that most people may not be aware of. Most of her close friends and associates were fully aware she was the “Connie Z” on the album, kind of a “no brainer” thing. The reason it had been somewhat of a secret was that in order for her to maintain voice-over work, she did not want to present her resume and show that she did work on an “audio sex book”, which might delight free thinkers but not an advertising agency selling something to a specific clientele. The secret was not that, but the fact that when the album was released, her voice is heard at a higher pitch. The reason is because the producer of the album wanted “The Sensuous Woman” to sound more youthful and vibrant. Zimet was an ancient 30 when these recording sessions happened, and it wasn’t so much her age that was a factor, but that her natural and “work” voice was slightly lower. Apparently she said it was like “a Brenda Vacarro voice”, and having that voice promote sensuality in 1971 was equal to a grandmother offering phone sex. Keep in mind that the album featured no photographs whatsoever, so no one knew what Connie Zimet looked like. Hearing the record without a visual aid was meant to stimulate the mind, and whatever you did while hearing the record, that was your private ordeal. Even though she was using nothing but her voice, it was treated like a commercial in that advertising agencies say youthfulness sells, and the perception of being/sounding older would mean losing your sales potential. The idea of a woman 30 years or older participating in a project like this would not be an issue in 2012, in fact it would be a major selling point, but back then it was a risk. Regardless, the album worked although it was the first and last time Atlantic Records released a sex record.
What I also wanted to know about The Way To Become The Sensuous Woman album were things Zimet probably did not know about, and that was the technical side of the record itself. Atlantic Records had just started a relationship with Warner Bros. Records, which would lead to the creation of WEA (later Warner Music Group). Out of the many records Atlantic had did up until that point, why did they choose to take a risk with a sex record? Sex records (or “stag records”) were common, but they were not found in the record section of your local Sears, JCPenney, or Woolworth’s. Daring record stores would sell them, but they were sold behind the counter, away from public view, not unlike some comedy records with “adult” content. Other places you would be able to find The Way To Become The Sensuous Woman: adult sex shops and head shops. If you wanted to buy some rolling paper or a new bong, you could bring The Sensuous Woman back home with you.
Atlantic had officially become a major label with their union with Warner Bros., so did they expect for this to sell? Was this done merely as a means to cash-in on the sexual revolution of the early 1970′s?
Another thing I had wanted to ask. Being a record collector, I looked at the catalog number. The Way To Become The Sensuous Woman was Atlantic SD 7209. I know this was released in 1971, and I was aware that one of the biggest albums on Atlantic was also released that year. I had taken a look and… Led Zeppelin‘s untitled 4th album had a catalog number of SD 7208. Significance? None, other than one followed the other in Atlantic’s catalog, which lead me to wonder: for daring record stores in larger cities, would you enter and see both LZ’s 4th album and The Way To Become The Sensuous Woman next to one another? If so, did LZ fans also pick up this audio sex guide? Or after playing The Sensuous Woman, did people slap on LZ’s 4th and get more energetic, hot, steamy, passionate, or go “oh man, this “Evermore” song just made me go flaccid”? Regardless, by having similar catalog numbers, this would mean that the release date for The Way To Become The Sensuous Woman was November 7, 1971, give or take a week.
While Zimet would not record other projects like this, the album would help spawn a number of audio knockoffs by others, including The Sensuous Black Woman and The Sensuous Black Woman meets The Sensuous Black Man. Both were Rudy Ray Moore projects, with the latter album reissued under the title The Rudy Ray Moore Zodiac Album.
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