Two Versions of The Phil Upchurch Classic!

• Listen to these songs on youtube: Dovells, Chris Columbo
• 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.
• Download the songs by clicking the titles above

You Can’t Sit Down is a nearly perfect record.  The music remains as fresh the 100th time as the first.  On the original and still my favorite Phil Upchurch’s playing is so skillful he makes it seem like he’s out there dancing and swinging around, enjoying himself as much as the audience.  When DJ’ing it’s a record the crowd always responds to- the call and response nature, the breaks and the build ups are all constructed so the audience is prepared but doesn’t know what could happen next.  All that and the playing is stellar.

So imagine my surprise (and maybe confusion) when I came across the Froogin’, Hully Gullying, Bristol Stomping white Philly vocal group The Dovells doing a version.  My surprise was quickly eclipsed by joy when I heard the record with the pounding drums mixed way out front and the urgency of Upchurch’s guitar replaced with a vocal arrangement by the full of urgency Dovells.  It’s a cool twist on the original that isn’t just a straight rip off, cash-in so common then; I could easily imagine someone actually tacking on an instrumental to the B-Side with no Dovells involved.  Instead, this is something they could actually perform and probably have a lot of fun at the same time.

The second version came to me quite a bit later and makes the rounds at our weekly soul night.  While lacking the immediacy of the Upchurch original I’m a fan of piano-led instrumentals like this.  What makes this stand out from any other Ramsey Lewis knock off is Chris Columbo, the band leader is the drummer.  As such we’re treated to beefed up drums in the recording along with some nice punchy breaks.  Columbo also known as “Crazy” Chris Columbo was an industry veteran who was known for his stand at Club Harlem in Atlantic City and being Bill Doggett’s touring drummer in the 50’s and recorded with everyone from Louis Armstrong to Ella Fitzgerald but was given a couple opportunities to shine on 45 and for that, we’re thankful.

Hope you enjoy today’s 45s and next time you need to dance I recommend cueing up any version of You Can’t Sit Down that suits you.

Till the next time,
-George / Snack Attack

Small update!
While reading about Earl Van Dyke I learned prior to joining up with Motown and becoming the band leader and Funk Brother #1 he spent time on the road touring with Chris Columbo. Would have been a pretty amazing live show!

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