Playlist: The Very Best of Patti Labelle covers the singer’s late-‘70s and early-‘80s solo albums for Epic and Philadelphia International -- the period just prior to her pop peak. The disc also throws in
Labelle-the-group’s “Lady Marmalade” as a sop to those who aren’t otherwise familiar with this phase of
Labelle’s career, which produced a handful of charting R&B singles, such as “I Don’t Go Shopping,” “Joy to Have Your Love,” and “Music Is My Way of Life,” all of which are included here. It’s not a thorough anthology of her singles from this period, but it does provide a decent overview.