Sad and Soulful Side from The Trells

• Listen to this song on youtube: Bad Weather
• Listen to these 45s in a Spotify playlist here  with other 45s from the blog (though note, spotify doesn’t have all / many of the songs featured on the site so some playlists may be incomplete or feature slightly different versions than the original 45s I’m referring to here.
• This song is available on Musical Episode #016: Singles Mixer v. 5

I have had a terrible time tracking down any historical information about this record but I’ll tell you the few things I do know.

First of I can tell you that it’s absolutely gorgeous!  The Trells are backed by the Soulful Saxons and it feels like everyone in that room must have recently had their heart ripped out and replaced with an oozing ball of molten regret.  The song starting feels almost like an afterthought, some minor instrumentation and lead vocals pleading.  The back ups and rest of the band joining in for the first chorus. The music has that post-last-call weight that comes with the inevitable end of the night and in this case the relationship when his baby “set him free.”  I’ve listened to this record over and over and never get tired of the performances whether it’s the understated but melodic bass line or the drum fills that propel the chorus.  I love this record and hope you feel the same!

In terms of historical information appears this is the only record actually released by Port City though it contains the 1112 catalog number. I’m 99% sure it came from Wilmington, NC (known as “Port City”) and it’s different than the Portcity Records from New Orleans.  The Laida Music BMI only has two other song credited to it also co-written by James K Goff (who is the presumed namesake of “JG Productions” on the label).  The two on today’s 45 were co-written with Luther Wellington Jr. and the other two were written by Alphonzo Jenkins (who manages the Laida Music BMI).  My best guess is those other two (”Girl, Don’t Take Your Love Away” and “The Love I Have For You”) were the (unreleased?) other 45 on Port City which would have been catalog number 1111.  Again, conjecture but it seems to fit the puzzle. 

Regarding the actual year this song was released I didn’t have much luck.  Usually some digging through scans of old Billboard or Cashbox charts will produce something to go on but I came up empty handed.  Same thing looking through old newspaper archives I usually turn to for answers.  The copyright for this song, and Goff’s others were renewed in 1970 and 1973 but that’s all I can manage in the Library of Congress searches.  The song sounds much earlier to me, mid 60′s at latest but with labels of this size you never know, people in these scenarios were operating on their own and you could end up with records that sound out of place and time pretty easily; that’s one of my main attractions to soul 45s!

Despite a lack of contextual information or ever knowing who The Trells and The Soulful Saxons were or where else they may have recorded we can all agree that this solitary 45 they left behind is something very special.

Till next post,

-George / Snack Attack

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