Musical Episode #001: Get Yourself Together
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Evening Everyone,
Psyched to be putting up my first hour long mix since I accidentally stopped posting them a year or so ago.
The frustrating part of writing about these records is I want to give each one a lot of attention and dig into the record a little more than just listing the song title, artist and label but when I’m putting twenty of them together in succession like this mix it’d be a friggin book if i wanted to dedicate even three paragraphs to the histories of and my feelings about the records.
The mix opens up with a totally killer record by “the 14 year old sensation” Little Carl Carlton. Yes, the Bad Mama Jama Carl Carlton! He has some absolutely essential 45s on the Back Beat label from this era. Label art on this track is particularly awesome, reads that it plays at 46rpm. The second track is by The Amazers and their knockout track “Without A Warning.” Rowdy Chicago soul, worked with Curtis Mayfield (he wrote/produced the flip side). Released on the Thomas label in 1967. Up next is the super sweet Darrell Banks track “Open The Door To Your Heart.” He had the sweetest voice and the record performed accordingly selling a million copies. He moved on to make a couple records for Stax, none of which made much noise before his untimely death in 1970. “I Can’t Stop” by The Notations follows. Released in 1970 on the Twinight label this is actually the B side to their “I’m Still Here.” I was lucky enough to see these guys perform on the Numero Soul Revue a couple years back, they were amazing performers and super nice guys. (They signed this copy!) Sticking with the Chicago theme, The Accents cut it up with their track “New Girl.” I love this song for a million reasons but the way this group works together and seamlessly includes doo-wop/vocal styling with an upbeat soul backing always impresses me. The O’Jays “Whip It On Me” switches things up a little with a latin-tinged hip shaker from their early years.
Ray Johnson’s instrumental generically titled “Soul City” is next but it’s a real foot shuffler and butt wiggler and definitely a stand out. Betty Lavette (before the spelling changes) drops a serious piece of soul with her Calla single “I Feel Good (All Over).” As always she brings heat and serious strength to the microphone. Heading back to Chicago, The Five Stairsteps bring their (kind of ominous) track “Change of Pace.” With heavy stomping in the mix it’s an upbeat number but the song carries a heaviness in it that I find kind of striking, the horns are really heavy and even the vibraphone feels kind of scary. A nice switch up for the sweetness (or, alternately, sadness) that is often associated with Chicago. Toussaint McCall’s instrumental monster “Shimmy” is next on the decks, (Apologies, this is my scratchy copy, before i traded up. Just imagine you’re sitting by the fire while listening to this one!) A super minimal track, Toussaint totally kills it on the Hammond with only a drummer to accompany him. Awesome record. Sticking with the organ-driven jams, The Emperors “Karate” takes the stage giving you a chance to work out your unused martial arts dance moves. Barbara Lynn’s “You’re Gonna Be Sorry” maintains the pace but trades the organ in for a piano and Barbara’s minimalist guitar playing keeping the track in hot shuffle.
Juggy’s “Buttered Popcorn” is only one of two tracks from 1970 and with it’s vamping horns definitely is the closest to “funk” that’s in this mix though it still feels closer to the r&B of the early Bar-Kays to me. Bob and Earl a favorite type of record of mine, where instead of trying to create a dance, they just talk about a lot of different type of dances you can do, I can imagine this song could fill an entire set, stretching it out to give each dance a couple minutes.
Now that I haven’t mentioned Chicago in three sentences, lets get back to business. “Michael” by the C.O.D.s was a massive regional hit and you can hear why, it’s bubbling, upbeat and absolutely infectious! I remember reading about this song and was psyched to learn a little about it and when they interviewed on of the band members they were like “yeah, it was about this guy in our neighborhood, Micheal. Man, he got ALL the girls.” So good. Another dance record. Another chicago record… “Do the 45” by The Sharpees released on the awesome One-Der-Ful label is a great track that sounds like it’s recorded with one mic and as a result a pretty unusual mix. It also sounds like someone had been listening to some Jr. Walker just before hitting the record button, not a bad thing in my book. Chuck Wood’s “Seven Days Is Too Long” gets us back into sentimentality. My copy is a UK pressing (no doubt a result of this being a Northern Soul anthem) though stateside it was released on the Roulette label. A perfect combination of danceable and beautiful, this song is a real heavy hitter. The Flamingos (Yes, the doo-wop Flamingos!) drop a come-back, genre shifting scorcher with “Boogaloo Party” (I wonder if the Boogaloo Party took place in Soul City?) Sugar Pie DeSanto’s “Soulful Dress” is one of the few songs that makes me mime wearing a dress while I’m dancing to it. This was her biggest hit with Chess though most of her records on there are all bona-fide winners. In particular her collab with partner in crime Etta James “In The Basement.”
Up next is Shorty Long with his “Sing What You Wanna.” Most well known for his funny and funky “Here Comes Da Judge” it’s easy to think he can’t put together a tune, especially not one of this caliber but here you have it, replete with all the motown fixins it’s a worthy slab of clean emotive soul music. Jumping back to the beginning of the decade to experience an early Aaron Neville single. Coming from the slightly murky waters of the murder ballad I always feel a little uneasy when I spin this record and people are dancing to a song that threatens to kill their lover if they leave them. Neville is in top form, delivering an extremely menacing and convincing track while never losing a touch of his angelic falsetto. Lightening the mood Wendy Rene waxes about the joys of her favorite food BBQ (isn’t it everyone’s favorite, I’m a vegan and I love the stuff). Mid 60s Stax, literally untouchable. To be fair I had to get one harmonica in there somewhere (and didn’t want to turn to Stevie) so Slim Harpo drops his rolling rumbling R&B shoulder shaker “Baby, Scratch My Back.” Closing out the night the inimitable Eddie Holland (from Holland-Dozier-Holland fame) graces us with his scolding of the bad behavior of men “Leaving Here.” A great number, it would probably serve some fellas to listen close.
Hope you enjoy the mix!
Tracklist:
Little Carl Carlton: 46 Drums and 1 Guitar (Back Beat, 1968)
The Amazers : Without A Warning (Thomas, 1967)
Darrell Banks : Open The Door To Your Heart (Revilot, 1966)
The Notations : I Can’t Stop (Twinight, 1970)
The Accents : New Girl (M-Pac, 1963)
The O’Jays : Whip It On Me (Imperial, 1965)
Ray Johnson : Soul City (Infinity, 1963)
Betty Lavette : I Feel Good (All Over) (Calla, 1965)
The Five Stairsteps : Change of Pace (Windy C, 1967)
Toussaint McCall : Shimmy (Ronn, 1967) (sorry, this was a scratchy copy!)
The Emperors : Karate (Mala, 1966)
Barbara Lynn : You’re Gonna Be Sorry (Jamie, 1965)
Juggy : Hot Popcorn (Sue, 1970)
Bob & Earl : Dancing Everywhere (Mirwood, 1966)
The C.O.D’s : Michael (Kellmack, 1965)
The Sharpees : Do The 45 (One-Der-Ful, 1965)
Chuck Wood : Seven Days Is Too Long (Mojo, 1967)
The Flamingos : Boogaloo Party (Phillips, 1966)
Sugar Pie DeSanto : Soulful Dress (Checker, 1964)
Shorty Long : Sing What You Wanna (Soul, 1969)
Aaron Neville : Over You (Imperial, 1960)
Wendy Rene : B-B-Q (Stax, 1964)
Slim Harpo : Baby, Scratch My Back (Excello, 1966)
Eddie Holland : Leaving Here (Motown, 1963)
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