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Any Major Soul 1964

September 13th, 2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

In the past I spread my soul selections over two years, or in the last instalment over four. Frankly, by that method, there is too much great stuff that must be left off. So from here on in we’ll run through the 1960s year-by-year.

Many acts here are well-known, though not all were famous at the time the featured song was released. The Supremes’ Run Run Run, in which Holland-Dozier-Holland tried to go for the Phil Spector sound, tanked at #93 when it was released in February 1964. Their next single, Where Did Our Love Go, went to #1, as did the following four.

Lou Johnson’s song would become famous in versions by other singers, especially Britain’s Sandie Shaw; Lou’s was the original (and here a special shout-out to the late Hal David seems appropriate). Meanwhile Hal and Burt’s muse, Dionne Warwick, chips in here with a song that conforms more to the girl-band sound that was already becoming passé. Though it was produced by Bacharach and David, Get Rid Of Him was written by Brill Building team Helen Miller and Howard Greenfield. It was only an album track and therefore not well-known. And lovely as it is, how could it compete with orther siongs from the LP, such as Walk On By, A House Is Not A Home, They Long To Be Close To You or Reach Out For Me?

Talking of girl bands, Earl-Jean used to be the singer of The Cookies, who featured twice in The Originals series, HERE and HERE, while Earl-Jean did the original of the Herman Hermits’ hit I’m Into Something Good. And talking of originals, the Bessie Banks’ song Go Now was later covered by the Moody Blues. Bessie’s version was produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

The Radiants were a Chicago group which included Leonard Caston Jr, who not only wrote the Mitty Collier song that follows The Radiants’ wonderful Voice Your Choice, but also hits such as Eddie Kendricks’ Keep On Trucking and The Supremes’ Nathan Jones, and played the piano on Fontellas Bass Rescue Me. The Radiants were once produced by the legendary Billy Davis (who wrote Rescue Me). Davis also wrote the song that precedes that group’s song. Listen to the lead singer of The Gems, who recorded on Chess ““ it is a young Minnie Riperton.

Linda Carr would go on to become a popular singer in Britain in the 1970s as the frontwoman of Linda and the Funky Boys; featured here is the lovely b-side of her debut solo single Sweet Talk.

Anna King had the distinction of being the only one of James Brown’s backing singers to have an album produced by the self-proclaimed hardest-working man in show business, with his band doing backing duties. Titled Back To Soul, it was also her only one. Come On Home is credited to Ted Wright ““ one of Brown’s pseudonyms.

As always, the mix is timed to fit on a CD-R and indcludes covers. PW in comments.

 TRACKLISTING:
1. Gene Chandler – A Song Called Soul
2. Little Milton – Who’s Cheatin’ Who
3. The Miracles – Baby Don’t You Go
4. The Gems – All Of It
5. The Radiants – Voice Your Choice
6. Mitty Collier – I Had A Talk With My Man Last Night
7. The Impressions – I’m So Proud
8. Lou Johnson – (There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me
9. Jerry Butler – I Stand Accused
10. Lavern Baker – Go Away
11. Irma Thomas – I Wish Someone Would Care
12. Anna King – Come On Home
13. Betty Everett – It Hurts To Be In Love
14. The Velvelettes – He Was Really Saying Somethin’
15. Dionne Warwick – Get Rid Of Him
16. Earl-Jean – Randy
17. Solomon Burke – Stupidity
18. Sam Cooke – Ain’t That Good News
19. Baby Washington – Your Fool
20. Linda Carr – Jackie, Bobby, Sonny, Billy
21. Brenda Holloway – Sad Song
22. Gladys Knight & The Pips – Giving Up
23. Stevie Wonder – Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)
24. The Marvelettes – Too Many Fish In The Sea
25. The Sapphires – Who Do You Love?
26. Bessie Banks – Go Now
27. Nina Simone – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
28. Arthur Alexander – Black Night
29. The Supremes – Run, Run, Run

GET IT

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  1. halfhearteddude
    September 13th, 2012 at 00:33 | #1

    PW = amdwhah

  2. HM
    September 13th, 2012 at 02:53 | #2

    Pretty sure the Stevie Wonder “Until You Come Back to Me” is later than 1964…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Until_You_Come_Back_to_Me_(That's_What_I'm_Gonna_Do)

  3. Lisa
    September 13th, 2012 at 18:03 | #3

    Ohhhhhhhhh a “Nathan Jones” reference. Awesome. When the Chicago White Sox had a pitcher by that name make his big league debut this year, I linked a YouTube of the song to my Major League Debut report. :) Even though he goes by Nate, he’ll always be “gone too long Nathan” to me.

  4. George
    September 13th, 2012 at 20:37 | #4

    This looks like a tremendous compilation. Thanks very much.

  5. JohnnyDiego
    September 15th, 2012 at 19:19 | #5

    Once again you’ve outdone yourself. Yet another great comp and, as always, iPod ready.
    I’m rapidly filling mine up.
    Thanks.

  6. Ravel
    September 21st, 2012 at 02:43 | #6

    Always thanks for these soul compils !

  7. lamma
    June 28th, 2014 at 04:46 | #7

    Dude,
    This compilation is awesome, just wish I could download it but both links are dead,
    Any alternatives would be greatly appreciated.
    TIA

  8. halfhearteddude
    July 2nd, 2014 at 22:01 | #8

    A new link is up now: http://www52.zippyshare.com/v/43566600/file.html

    The Covered With Soul ones you mentioned are also going up tomorrow.

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