Tag Archive for 1970’s

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Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes – Wake up everybody 

This is one of my all time favourite soul tunes. Socially conscious and still prescient today, despite being released in the mid-70’s.

It is classic Philly soul, written by McFadden and Whitehead and featuring Teddy Pendergrass on lead vocals on what would be his last album before turning solo.

Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes (great name) are well worth some further investigation, having made some great and varied music from Disco to Doo Wop.

RjK

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Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street

Was out for dinner with two very old friends tonight in Paddington and on the way home I passed through Baker Street underground station. I can never go through there without hearing the sax in this song, and maybe hoping to bump into Sherlock Holmes. It may be a little cheesy but it is also wholly irresistible. I have been meaning to post if for a while anyway as Gerry Rafferty sadly died earlier in the year. RIP. 

RjK

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The chairman of the board – Give me just a little more time

Perfectly crisp autumnal day in London today. I spent it shooting the breeze and enjoying a few frosty pale ales with some good buddies at Borough Market.

This put me in the mood to post some upbeat soul and I couldn’t think of anything better than this. Also, how good a name is The chairman of the board?

RjK

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Roy Ayers – Everybody loves the sunshine

Roy Ayers – What a beast!

This has been a favourite for longer than I can remember. It is one of the most mellow tracks I have ever encountered. It seems wrong to post it on a grey November day but somehow it still feels right. It was just the thing to soothe my midweek blues today.

RjK

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The Stranglers – Walk on by

This was another of my father’s favourites that popped into my head this week. I was unsure about posting it as there are several different great versions of this song that I like, notably Dionne Warwick’s fragile and heartfelt and Issac Hayes’ dark and brooding ones.

But I decided on this for it’s energy and for nostalgia’s sake. The only slight knock is the slightly self-indulgent instrumental interlude, but otherwise it is a triumph. It is a classic cover version in that it takes a song, gives it a completely different slant and breathes new life into it. I can’t imagine there would have been too many Stranglers fans digging Burt Bacharach prior to this!

RjK

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Al Green – Tired of being alone

I have been thinking I need to put some more soul music up here. Had a long chat about all things soul on Saturday night and it made me realise I had been neglecting the genre of late.

The Reverend Al Green is a beast! He has led an interesting life and still found time to make some amazing music. This is silky smooth and a big favourite of mine.

Many moons ago when I was in Memphis (dream come true) I visited the church where Al Green is pastor (yes, that is a moustache).

 

RjK

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Minnie Ripperton – Inside my love

This is silky smooth and sultry. It is just what I need to soothe me this evening as I try to regain some equilibrium after the weekend’s excesses.

RjK

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Dr.Dre/Grease – You’re the one that I want in the next episode

Rory’s comment (thanks for that) yesterday inspired me to remember this. Typically, I find myself underwhelmed by mash ups. They tend to take two songs I like and turn it into one that I don’t. But once in a while a DJ strikes gold. This is probably my favourite example of that phenomenon. It is clever and funky, and the two songs actually fit together remarkably well.

RjK

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Al Stewart – The year of the cat

This track is another track I was introduced to on long summer drives via mix tapes made by my father. It is classic 70’s: colourful lyrics and a style that suggests a tongue firmly placed in the singer’s cheek.

The reason it came to mind is that I went to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy recently and I can just imagine Smiley putting this on his record player as he unwinds after a long day on the job.

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The Ebonys – Do you like the way I love you?

It has been a while since I posted some classic soul and this is CLASSIC Philly soul. Enjoy.