My Favorites -1
Creative Funk - Ready Made Family
One of the best ballads of 1972. Unbelievably, this record didn't chart at all. Nevertheless, it was one of the most played & popular song in New York that year. Diane Jenkins turned in one great vocal. She turns in a passionate performance on this song about a lover who loves her loving, but doesn't particularly care for her children. As Diane sang, "You know that just ain't right!"
Joe Bataan - My Cloud
A ballad that I have loved since I was 8 years old. This is yet another New York City classic that never hit the R&B charts. I still find that hard to believe. Joe came up with gold here & for some reason, it somehow didn't capture the imagination of the majority of the Soul world in '68. That's absolutely ridiculous, as this is one of the finest ballads of the era & genre. As it shares the same backing track as Heart & Soul by The Incredibles. I'd love to know which came first?
Natural Four - Can This Be Real
In the winter of 1974, this was one of the sweetest of the sweet Soul ballads being played. This song has it all, smooth lead vocal, great harmonies, great sax work & a gorgeous arrangement. This was a #10 R&B hit & made it all the way to # 31 on the Pop side. To this day, this song takes me back to the relatively peaceful days of the '70s.
Natural Four - Try Love Again
The "B"-Side to "Can This Be Real". This side features a great low-tempo dance groove & more great vocal work. The harmonies on the pre-chorus & the chorus are superb. This song should have been released as an "A"-Side & likely could have charted decently on its own merit. Simply stated, this is one of my favorite "B"-Sides of all time.
The C.O.D.'s - Michael (The Lover)
This is a song that I don't remember hearing until 1991, when I heard it on an audio catalog tape from Don Parkers' Records & Tapes, out of Illinois. This song has some of the most amateurish sounding musical work this side of the International Silver String Submarine Band. The vocals, especially near the fade are crude as hell. And you know what.....IT WORKS! This was one catchy song & its' # 10 R&B charting bears that out.
The C.O.D.'s - Michael (The Lover)
Same song, different label.
The Presidents - 5, 10, 15, 20 (25 - 30 Years Of Love)
In the late Summer of 1970, this song was playing everywhere in New York City. This was & is still one of the best ballads around. I never understood why they didn't achieve more success. A few of the members went on to form the group Anacostia, unfortunately with equally limited success. Nevertheless, this was a quality group & they left us with a gem!
Skip Mahoney & The Casuals - Your Funny Moods
One of the best "Get your s*** straight" songs ever. Skip lets it all hang out here & lets his woman know that she needs to get it together & fast. This is simply a great song & deserved greater chart success, as it was quite popular here on the East Coast. Great ballad!
The Continental Four - Loving You (Is The Next Best Thing To Heaven)
One of the greatest Sweet Soul Ballads. This song has it all...great arrangement, great musicianship & great vocals, especially Mr. McGregors' soaring falsetto lead. These gentlemen deserved to have more success than their paltry 2 R&B chartings. These fellas should have lasted much longer than they did & I still can't figure out why they didn't.
Special Delivery - I Destroyed Your Love
This is the initial R&B chart entry for Terry Huff & Special Delivery. Terry seemed to bare his soul on every song, delivering his vocals in an aching falsetto. On this one, the fellas messed up big time & weren't too proud to beg for forgiveness. This is one of the best of the "pleading songs" & these gentlemen also deserved greater success.
Average White Band - Cloudy
This is one of the most soulful ballads of the 70s. This single was taken from a live set & the audience response only adds to the excitement of the song. It's popularity was such, that it reached #55 R&B in the Spring of '77, during the height of the Disco craze. It's soulfulness was such, that this was AWBs first R&B charting song that failed to chart Pop. They couldn't handle it!
Barbara & The Uniques - There It Goes Again
Sisters Barbara & Gwen Livsey & Doris Lindsey of Chicago, gave up this slice of up-tempo heaven in the Winter of 1970. It peaked at # 17 R&B in early '71 & sported the usual youthful Chicago sound, employed by more of the girl groups of the area. Though this was their lone R&B charter, it certainly was a memorable one.
The Impressions - Can't You See
This is one of my favorite Impressions "B"-Sides. This is a beautiful slice of bittersweet pain & perfectly realized. The fellas readily admit that this lady hurts them & doesn't deserve them. In spite of these facts, they declare their love for this woman. They're bigger men than I. Nevertheless, this is one of The Impressions finest ballad performances & as far as quality is concerned, a "A"-side in its own right!
The Impressions - Check Out Your Mind
Curtis & the fellas got into some serious Psychedelic funk on this one. This was one of the funkiest songs of the first wave of 70's Funk & Curtis caught us totally off guard, with this change in both sound & style. This was a totally different sound for The Impressions...Ominous sounding & aggressive. This was a glimpse at where Curtis was heading musically & an excellent beginning of a new phase for Curtis & his solo career & pretty much the beginning of the end of The Impressions as we knew them.
The Fascinations - I Can't Stay Away From You
Another Curtis Mayfield production. This ballad sounds pretty crude & unpolished, but is a fine ballad. It has a somewhat haunting quality & it's the innocent sounding vocals of these young ladies, that makes this song work. Hit # 49 R&B in the Summer of '67, but remained on the charts for a mere 2 weeks.
Little Anthony & The Imperials - I'm Falling In Love With You
After a 4 year absence from the R&B charts, this beautiful ballad brought Little Anthony & The Imperials back to the R&B charts, peaking at # 25 in the Spring of 1974. Unfortunately, this success was short lived, as their next single "Hold On" from 1975 peaked at # 79. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful ballad & among the best of their many quality ballads.
The Intruders - I'm Girl Scoutin'
This song was one of my favorites back in late Winter/early Spring of 1971. This dance tune peaked at # 16 R&B & was a rock solid dancer. At the time, I didn't know that the late Samuel Brown/Little Sonny didn't sing this song. Bobby Starr did a great impersonation of Little Sonny on this song & totally fooled the hell out of me!
The Intruders - This Is My Love Song
Before being replaced temporarily by Bobby Starr, Little Sonny blessed us with this ballad, sung in in the unique style that only Little Sonny possessed. As always, his vocals are a little pitchy, yet disarmingly sincere. Sonnys' vocals always seemed to have such a pleading & innocent quality, that you couldn't help but to love those songs. Damn, I miss Little Sonny!
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