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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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There are more 1969 Grammy Awards left to discuss then there is month left in February .
I had a hard time deciding which award winning song to close the month out with, but finally decided on one of my favorite dance tunes of the Sixties -sung by one of my favorite tenors of all time — The Isley Brothers “It’s Your Thing” which won the 1969 Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance By a Group or Duo.
The brothers had been around as a gospel quartet ever since the fifties. The group was made up of brother Ronald Isley, O’Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley and Vernon Isley. When Vernon passed after a bicycle accident in 1955, Ronald became the new lead singer.
From the RCA label with their soulful sounds (“the classics “Shout” and “Twist & Shout”), to their own label T-Neck, to Motown’s Tamla label, and finally back to T-neck the brothers had their hard-knocks on the road to Grammy Gold.
Like many others in the Motown stable, The Isley Brothers were tired of the neglect they received at Motown while Gordy concentrated on making The Supremes, The Temptations and Diane Ross the superstars of the label.
They were released from their contract and almost immediately the brothers co-wrote “It’s Your Thing” and released it on their own T-Neck label. The funky “IYT” topped the R&B charts at #1 and the Billboard Top 100 at #2 , then went on the win the first Grammy Award for any former Motown artist.
Everyone covered the song including many Motown artists. I am especially partial to The Temptations’ psychedelic cover: the vocals harmonies are awesome! The J5 version is pretty great too IMHO. Check them out right now and let me know what you think.
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The Temptations 1960 cover version
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This is the original vocal from the J5 cover but it is a current extended Remix that I have been listening to a lot lately. Hope you enjoy it.
Trivia. This is the first song on which the then 17 yr old, baby brother, Ernie Isley, played bass on a song. Of course brother Ernie would go on to become an integral part of the third generation Isley Brothers renamed Isley Brothers 3 +3 — one of the most successful self contained family funk units of the seventies.
The Isley Brothers first charted in 1959 with “Shout -- Part 1″ ( #47 billboard top 100)
The Isley Brothers next appearance on the music charts was in 1962 with “Shout -- Part 1″ (#94 Billboard top 100)
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The 1969 Grammy for the Best Rhythm and Blues Song was “Color Him Father,” Richard Spencer, songwriter.
Just like another Grammy winning song in 1969, “A Boy Name Sue, “ “Color Him Father” is all about the superb lyrics!
Composed by group member Richard Spencer of Washington DC’s The Winstons, this song tells of the love for a step-father that holds a special place in my heart. When it came out I was learning to love my new step-mother (R.I.P) as another person to trust in my young confused life.
The song got a lot of local airplay (I lived then and now in the Maryland suburbs of DC) and truly was inspirational in my life.
The Winstons had recorded a song prior to this one on the Curtom Label that was a minor local success, but “CHF” was their first and last big hit on the Metromedia label. It charted #2 R&B and of course won a Grammy.
Rev. O.C. Smith recorded a popular cover of the song that appeared on his 1969 LP ” O.C. Smith At Home,” but I prefer the original by the Winstons when composer Richard Spencer sings the lead.
Color Him Father by Richard Spencer
There’s a man at my house he’s so big and strong
He goes to work each day, stays all day long
He comes home each night looking tired and beat
He sits down at the dinner table and has a bite to eat
Never a frown always a smile
When he says to me how’s my child
I’ve been studying hard all day in school
Tryin’ to understand the golden rule
Think I’ll color this man father
I think I’ll color him love
Said I’m gonna color him father
I think I’ll color the man love, yes I will
He says education is the thing if you wanna compete
Because without it son, life ain’t very sweet
I love this man I don’t know why
Jexcept I’ll need his strength till the day that I die
My mother loves him and I can tell
By the way she looks at him when he holds my little sister nell
I heard her say just the other day
That if it hadn’t been for him she wouldn’t have found her way
My real old man he got killed in the war
And she knows she and seven kids couldn’t of got very far
She said she thought that she could never love again
And then there he stood with that big wide grin
He married my mother and he took us in
And now we belong to the nman with that big wide grin
Think I’ll color this man father
I think I’ll color him love
Said I’m gonna color him father
I think I’ll color the man love, yes I will
OSML TRIVA: The Winstons toured as the backup band for The Impressions
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Probably one of the most under-rated pop singers of my generation is Dionne Warwick.
Brought up in the gospel world in a musical extended family, Dionne formed the “Gospelaires” singing group with her sister Dee Dee and her aunt Cissy Houston ( later the mother of Whitney Houston). Dionne and her group did vocal session work in New York on weekends while she studied music on scholarship in college during the week.
The story goes that Dionne was asked to provide vocals for some demos written by the songwriting-producing team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, while in the studio working on the backing vocal for the Drifter’s song “Mexican Divorce.”
When the composing duo pitched the demo(s) to Scepter Records, the head of the label (Florence Greenberg) liked what she heard and signed Dionne to a recording contract.
Bacharach and David wrote her first song for recording and the rest is legend!
Dionne sang her first and all subsequent Bacharach and David unusually complicated songs with ease, grace and smoothness. Her voice is just so mellow yet expressive and her singing sounds effortless. I recall playing with my Barbie doll in her black evening gown, microphone and pink scarf singing nothing but Dionne Warwick songs because even as a youngster she epitomized class to me!
Warwick charted high continuously from 1963 up until 1980 before her recording career began to slow down a bit.
This 1967 the single, “I Say A Little Prayer,” charted #8 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Top 100. The song appeared on Dionne’s LP of the same year “The Windows of the World” pictured above.
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Aretha obviously loved the song too because only a year later she put her spin on the tune and released her cover of Dionne’s hit. Naturally The Queen of Soul’s version was a hit too! Charting #3 R&B and #10 Pop in 1968. The song appeared on her 1968 certified Gold classic LP “Aretha Now” pictured above.
Over the years, Aretha’s hit cover of Marie Dionne Warwick’s original hit has become the definitive version of the song. Don’t think so? Then check this out -- my most favorite part of the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding” is this clip: this is why I love YouTube
Of course I want to know which of these two renditions of the Bachrach/David classic YOU like best so please vote.
And here are a few more related videos to enjoy while they last on YouTube.
Dionne and Boy George “Say A Little Prayer” together live in the 80s
Aretha Says a Little Prayer live in 1970
Trivia: The Gospelaire’s are thought to have provided backing vocals for Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand By Me.”
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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.
They were released from their contract and almost immediately the brothers co-wrote “It’s Your Thing” and released it on their own T-Neck label. The funky “IYT” topped the R&B charts at #1 and the Billboard Top 100 at #2 , then went on the win the first Grammy Award for any former Motown artist.
