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#12 Billboard Top 100, #16 R&B Singles Chart
In 1961 a group of Detroit high school students formed a singing group called the Domingos who naturally patterned their sound after Motown. When another local group suggested they audition for RicTic Records (home of the Flaming Ember(s) and the Reflections and eventually purchased by Motown) they hung around the studio and stated singing with Edwin Starr who had a partially written song and the result was “Oh How Happy” recorded for The Golden World Label.
An independent producer liked what he heard and gave the soulful singers a new name and took them to Impact Records where “OHH” was recorded and became a hit in 1966! The group soon broke up in 1970.
More historical detail on the blue-eyed soul group can be found here at this well done web site.
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#92 Billboard Hot 100
“Just We Two” , a 1969 Motown LP of duets by Edwin Starr and Blinky (Sandra Williams) contains their cover version of the classic.
Composed by Charles Hatcher, this feel-good classic is another tune I have always loved both when the original came out in 1966, when Edwin & Blinky’s cover came out, and then later when the J5 cover came out, with my then love Jermaine singing lead. Of course MJJ’s background harmonizing and Tito’s bass is awesome too. Just listen and I bet you will agree. Here it is as it appears on the J5’s 1971 “Third Album.”
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Please vote and share your favorite version of this song. I know I went off the Theme a bit by sharing covers of the original by the Blue Eyed Soul Artist being recognized — but I just love the song in all incarnations and wanted to share my joy. Hope you don’t mind.
Trivia: Even thought the group helped to create this classic, often covered hit song, they never got the writing credit they deserved. The record was credited solely to Charles Hatcher — the birth name of Edwin Starr!
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24 Pop 15 R&B
This blast from my high school past was (and still is) the perfect song to do the “Temptation Walk” to. Can you dig it?
Composed by Daphne Dumas, Ronald Dunbar and Edith Wayne, the tune “Westbound #9″ was recorded on the band’s Hot Wax label which was owned by Holland, Dozier and Holland formerly of Motown.
The band had first recorded for the Ric Tic label (distributed by Buddah) as the Flaming Embers, before dropping the “s” and joining Hot Wax.
The band members included Jerry Plunk on drums and lead vocals; Joe Sladich on guitar; Bill Ellis on keyboards; Jim Bugnel on bass guitar (replaced Mike Jackson in 1966); and Larry Gregg on drums.
The group, hailing from Detroit, later changed its name to ” Mind, Body and Soul” and continued to play in and around Detroit during the Seventies.
Trivia: When Ric Tic was purchased by Berry Gordy, he did not want the Embers as part of the package — so it just goes to show you that Mr. Gordy did not always make the correct decision now did he?
Here is the group performing their biggest hit for as long as it lasts on YouTube. Enjoy!
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Another hit written and produced by Ashford and Simpson from the Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell LP of the same name — “You’re All I need to get By” was one of the biggest hits of Marvin & Tammi’s career as a duo. It charted #1 on the R&B charts and remained there for 5 weeks! The song charted #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1968 as well. This is one of my favorites by the singing duo!
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Aretha covered the Marvin & Tammi smash hit in 1971 for her “Aretha’s Greatest Hits” LP. This cover did not earn her the Grammy, as did her second cover from the same LP did (“Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” ) in 1974, but the single did chart #3 R&B and #19 Pop and remained at #19 on the British singles charts for an amazing 19 weeks!
Sometimes I wonder about the Grammy voters: personally this cover seems more Grammy worthy than “Real Thing” cover did — but that’s just my opinion.
Ashford & Simpson
One awesome song sung in two different styles! Although covered and sampled by many other artists -- these two renditions presented today are my favorites. I can’t really pick one over the other. Can you?
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Just about every song Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell performed together was a smash hit for Motown. There is not a single song they recorded that I don’t adore. I don’t think anyone could surpass what those two put on wax together!
“Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” composed by the extraordinary songwriting couple of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, was surely no exception. “Real Thing” was just one of many of Ashford and Simpson’s long string of hits on Gaye & Terrell that had started with 1967’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”.
“Real Thing” topped the R&B singles chart at #1 in 1968 and was #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song appeared on the duo’s 1968 LP (#4 R&B #60 Billboard Top 200 Albums) entitled “You’re All I Need ” -- pictured above.
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One of my personal favorite covers of this tune was by the Jackson 5 with Jermaine and MJJ sharing lead, but this month’s theme is Aretha covers and of course her cover version, recorded in 1973 and released as a single in 1974, charted a respectable #6 R&B and #47 Pop.
This time around Aretha didn’t best the original, but she sure made a great showing! Don’t you agree? Besides — this cover earned Aretha the 1974 Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal!
Aretha’s cover version appeared on her 1974 LP release “Let Me In Your Life” — pictured above.
Ok, now that you have voted for your fave please enjoy the bonus video below. This is my all time favorite version of “Real Thing.”
MJJ -- I miss you. Jermaine is that an afro wig or did you actually groom your hair into that perfect halo? Jackie and Marlon your moves are great: smooth temptation-like unison fellas!
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But King’s labelmate, Aretha, dipped into King’s Songbook in 1970 and covered his hit and bested him by taking it all the way to the top of the the charts: her single went #1 R&B and #11 on the Billboard Top 100. This tune also earned Aretha the 1970 Best Female R&B Vocal Performance!
You know what to do now … vote for your fave and then enjoy the YouTube Videos below while you can!
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“Spanish Harlem” was the first hit in the solo career of Benjamin E. Nelson: it was also the name of his first solo LP pictured above. The fantastic Latin-flavored song (why don’t they make them like this anymore?) composed by Jerry Lieber and Phil Spector, took Nelson to #10 on the Billboard Top 100 and #15 on the R&B charts. Not a bad way to start a solo career at all!
Formerly of the hit Doo-Wop group The Drifters, Nelson took the group into a smooth, soulful sound. Leaving the group and changing his stage name to Ben E. King for his solo career certainly paid off — don’t you agree?
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A decade later Aretha decided to cover this gem and of course she made it her own and took it to the very top of the charts at #1 R&B for three weeks; #2 Pop for two weeks; and #6 Adult Contemporary. Although originally recorded for her “Young, Gifted and Black” LP, the song appeared on her 1971 “Aretha’s Greatest Hits” LP.
Besting the originator Ben E. King — this was not the first time Aretha had dipped into Ben E. King’s Songbook. After you vote on your favorite version of “Spanish Harlem,” try to guess which other Ben E. King song Aretha made her own! I will be doing the reveal on Thursday so stay tuned.
Musically Yours,
Thought I would add this related YouTube video for you to enjoy while it lasts.
The successful Sixties pop duo, Simon & Garfunkel, continued on into the Seventies with this number #1 Adult Contemporary and #1 Billboard Hot 100 song written by Paul Simon. It appeared on the duo’s last LP, of the same name, that also topped the charts at #1
Paul supposedly wrote this ballad, in the summer 1969, influenced by Reverend Claude Jeter and the Swan Silvertones gospel group (one of my favorites gospel groups BTW). More specifically, in the song “Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep for Me, “ Jeter improvises the line “I’ll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in my name.”
Please enjoy this live version of the original song from YouTube. The song won both the 1970 Grammy Record of the year and Album the year in 1970
Aretha Franklin’s cover of this reverent song went on to top the R&B charts at #1 and ranked #6 Pop. Isn’t it remarkable how Aretha makes every song she sings her own. I would consider her one of the greatest artists of my lifetime and this century for that matter!
Enjoy this awesome live performance video and marvel at Aretha’s piano playing. This woman has been blessed with remarkable talents.
Aretha won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song, from her “Aretha Live at Filmore West” LP.
I love both the original and Aretha’s cover. But which is your top pick?
Of course MJJ’s background harmonizing and Tito’s bass is awesome too. Just listen and I bet you will agree. Here it is as it appears on the J5’s 1971 “Third Album.”
