Some People Can Do What They Like, Robert Palmer

Robert Palmer – Some People Can Do What They Like

Artist: Robert Palmer

Title: Some People Can Do What They Like

Album Type: Third Solo Studio Album

Original Release Date: October 1976

Label: Island Records (ILPS 9420)

Genre: Blue-eyed Soul / Funk / Reggae / Pop Rock

Background & Production Some People Can Do What They Like captures Robert Palmer in his prime 1970s "cool" phase, blending sophisticated island rhythms with gritty American soul. Recorded at Clover Studios in Los Angeles and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York, the album was produced by Steve Smith. Palmer continued his fruitful collaboration with members of Little Feat (including Bill Payne, Richie Hayward, and Paul Barrere) and elite session players like Jeff Porcaro and Chuck Rainey. The album is dedicated to the late South African trumpeter Mongezi Feza.

Musical Composition & Style The album is a "genre blender," moving seamlessly between soulful ballads and tight, syncopated funk.

• The Standout Single: "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)" is a funky, updated take on the Caribbean calypso standard that reached #46 in the UK and #63 in the US.

• Little Feat Influence: While Lowell George did not play on the album, Palmer delivers a slick cover of George’s "Spanish Moon".

• Soulful Openings: "One Last Look" serves as a dramatic, mid-tempo opener that highlights Palmer’s urbane vocal delivery.

• The "Part II" Habit: The track "Gotta Get a Grip on You (Part II)" reflects Palmer’s tendency to revisit and reshape musical ideas across different records.

Legacy & Vinyl Collector Notes This album is often cited by enthusiasts as the "sweet spot" between Palmer’s swampy New Orleans-inspired debut and his later 80s pop stardom.

• The Cover Art: The iconic cover features Palmer engaged in a game of strip poker with Denise Michele, Playboy magazine's April 1976 Playmate of the Month.

• Original 1976 Pressings: The first UK and US pressings on Island Records feature the classic black labels of the era.

• Regional Versions: Notable variations include the Australian Festival Records pressing (L-36.051) and the Japanese release titled 噂のロバート・パーマー.

• Sleeve Details: Collectors should look for original US copies that often feature a deletion notch or "cut-out" hole in the corner, common for overstock copies from that period.

• ywords: Robert Palmer, Some People Can Do What They Like, 1976 Vinyl, Island Records, Man Smart Woman Smarter, Blue-eyed Soul, Little Feat, Jeff Porcaro, Funk Rock.

  • Collection Ideas: 70s Soul & Funk Essentials, The Island Records Catalog, Smooth Rock & Blue-Eyed Soul, Master Session Players.

  • Related Artists: Little Feat, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Bryan Ferry.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve