THE 3 DEGREES - ARE YOU SATIS-FIED?

While it's fun to own and collect "rare" records, I am always the first one to say that I love hit records of the sixties just as much as deep rarities. Just because a record is rare and sells for lots of money certainly doesn't make it great! Many super expensive 45's make me scratch my head at WHY they are so valuable. But, of course, there's also a few really expensive ones that more than likely I'll never be able to afford.

That said, I am proud to say that this is one of the rarest 45's in my collection, but it's SO GOOD. This was released right around the time that tiny little Swan records went belly up so more than likely very few got pressed. This song is yet another example of a song that with the right exposure probably would have been a massive hit.

The 3 Degrees were formed in Philadelphia in 1963 and went through a few lineup changes (I believe this is their final record with the original lineup) before settling into their hit making mid '70's soul-disco sound.

from 1966...

THE 3 DEGREES - ARE YOU SATIS-FIED?

BILLY LAMONT - SWEET THANG

Ooh dig that guitar on the opening...Who else could it be... None other than Jimi Hendrix! This track was recorded in New York City shortly before Jimi left for England and became a superstar.

Not much of a song here, per se, but it's a really hot slice of simmering early funk and Jimi's incredible guitar and the pounding drums make this one hot record.

from 1966...

BILLY LAMONT - SWEET THANG

BOBBY DAY - SO LONELY (SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE)

Yep, the same fella that charmed hearts with "Rockin' Robin" released this stormer about 8 years later!

Born and raised in Ft Worth, TX, Bobby relocated to LA and became a member of the Hollywood Flames before striking out on his own. I am going to make a guess and say he was probably living in Texas at the time of this record, as Sure Shot was based in Houston (but I could be dead wrong).

from 1967...

BOBBY DAY - SO LONELY (SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE)

BETTY LAVETTE - I FEEL GOOD (ALL OVER) / ONLY YOUR LOVE CAN SAVE ME

While it's a truly great thing that Betty has had something of a creative renaissance in recent years, her mid to late 60's releases are simply unbeatable; this is the type of record that could easily be used to demonstrate what soul music is for someone who hasn't a clue. "I Feel Good" is an intense, pounding and swirling number and 'Only Your Love" is a gorgeous and dreamy mid tempo number. An absolutely perfect double sider!

from 1965...

BETTY LAVETTE - I FEEL GOOD (ALL OVER)

b/w ONLY YOUR LOVE CAN SAVE ME

THE SUPERLATIVES - I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU (DON'T WALK AWAY)

One of the first releases from Detroit's legendary Westbound label, this record showcases yet another superb (downright Superlative, yes?) Detroit based vocal group with another excellent song.

from 1969...

THE SUPERLATIVES - I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU (DON'T WALK AWAY)

AL HASKINS - YOU GOT ME

A mysterious stomper! One of my favorite types of records to feature.

No one seems to know ANYTHING about Al; so many of the releases on Sure Shot records are a mystery but once again, the real story is in the grooves.

from 1966...

AL HASKINS - YOU GOT ME

THE EQUALS - SOFTLY, SOFTLY

Formed in London in 1965, this mixed race group of course scored a massive hit with "Baby Come Back". This follow up (a few singles later) shoulda been just as huge; pity that it wasn't.

For folks in my generation, Eddy Grant was an early MTV hero with his still fresh "Electric Avenue" and here, 20 year old (listed as "Edmond") Grant does a fantastic job in relaying the tale of being true to one's love.

Very nice also that the name "The Equals" was a commentary on the fact that this mixed race band were all, in fact, "equal".

from 1969...

THE EQUALS - SOFTLY, SOFTLY

BARBARA LYNN - MONEY

As though of you who have been following this blog for a while will know, I have a major thing for Barbara Lynn (and have featured just about every 45 she's ever released!).

Sure, there's lots of great versions of this one, but Barbara does a great job stepping up to the standards of Barrett Strong and The Beatles. This version is unique in that the intro is so complex but funky. And that's a hard tightrope to balance upon! It's just too bad she doesn't have a guitar break in this one because she would have torn it up, alas.

from 1964...

BARBARA LYNN - MONEY

TIMMY THOMAS - HAVE SOME BOOGALOO

This is the killer debut single from Indiana born-relocated to Memphis (at the time of this record)- then eventually ending up in Florida (where he had a massive hit with the incredible "Why Can't we Live Together") Timmy.

I love how the rhythm box and the drummer go out of sync in a few spots. Think that would be allowed in a modern record?????

from 1967...

TIMMY THOMAS - HAVE SOME BOOGALOO

FONTELLA BASS - MY GOOD LOVING

Before her move to Chicago and subsequent signing with Chess records, St Louis native Fontella Bass worked with artists such as Little Milton, Ike & Tina Turner (the Ikettes back her on this track) as well as musician/produced Oliver Sain. This powerhouse of a song was recorded shortly before her move to Chicago. What a voice!

from 1963...

FONTELLA BASS - MY GOOD LOVING

MUDDY WATERS - CLOUDS IN MY HEART

While Muddy's 45 releases from the late 50's-early 60's era don't seem to get much respect by historians for some odd reason, this intense, sublime track is a favorite of mine. Especially when those drums kick in the way they day halfway through the song. Wow.

from 1959...

MUDDY WATERS - CLOUDS IN MY HEART

BONNIE ST. CLAIRE - I SURRENDER

While I tend to not be that interested in most of the 60's music I've heard from continental Europe, but this song from Dutch singer (and later TV celebrity in the Netherlands) definitely won me over when my girlfriend introduced it to me a few years back (she performed it in her former band, The Deccas).

It proved EXTREMELY difficult to find, but I'm glad it has a new home. Interestingly enough, this particular version of the 45 credits the group as 'Unit Gloria". From all I've read, Unit Gloria was founded a few years later. This pressing, is in fact, a later edition where "I Surrender" was used as the b-side of one of the most atrocious glam-rock style songs I've ever heard! Couldn't make it through even two minutes of it.

from 1969...

BONNIE ST. CLAIRE - I SURRENDER

THE WEBS - GIVE IN

Another incredible song from the Webs and (in the producer's roll) Lou Courtney. The b-side ("So Hard To Break A Habit") of this is great too; more of an intense deep soul track. Because of bandwidth limitations these days I have to be cautious with posting both sides, so if you wanna hear it, shoot me an email.

from 1967...

THE WEBS - GIVE IN

SUGARPIE DESANTO - GO GO POWER

There is really nothing I can say about this track other than GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!

from 1966...

SUGARPIE DESANTO - GO GO POWER

JOHNNY SAYLES - LILLY MAE

A stunning track from Texas born-relocated to Chicago singer Johnny Sayles. Very much in the vein of Otis Clay, this track is the epitome of the Chicago hard soul/ nascent funk sound.

from 1967...

JOHNNY SAYLES - LILLY MAE

THE VOLCANOS - HELP WANTED

Yet another great track from this criminally overlooked Philadelphia group (i featured "Storm Warning" from these guys previously).

This track, in addition to simply being ultra cool, is also an early collaboration between Philly legends Gamble & Huff.

from 1965...

THE VOLCANOS - HELP WANTED

LILLIAN DUPREE - HIDE & SEEK

This seems to be the only record that this Detroit singer cut (at least under this name...) and what a doozy it is! I'm a complete sucker for any record that has a groove like this (what an intro!)

Wish I knew more about this one, but I guess the real story is in the grooves of the record.

from 1965...

LILLIAN DUPREE - HIDE & SEEK

FRANKIE KARL & THE DREAMS - DON'T BE AFRAID (DO AS I SAY)

Interestingly enough, this record is on the "DC" label (as in "the sound of Washington DC") but I have read that this record was cut in Los Angeles, after Frankie was released from the military. Hmmmm.

Frankie had an interesting story that included being part of a gospel vocal group (The Cogic Singers) which included not only Billy Preston but Gloria Jones as well.

This track is the epitome of a type of smooth sound that I just love. This one was under my radar until my friend Jeff Jagged found a copy a few months ago and hipped me to it. Luckily, it proved to be easy to find as it was a minor hit.

from 1968...

FRANKIE KARL & THE DREAMS - DON'T BE AFRAID (DO AS I SAY)

WANDA JACKSON - FUNNEL OF LOVE

Yesterday I had a very friendly request for something by Wanda Jackson, and who am I to say no to a request like THAT?

In a very brief nutshell, Wanda is from the sticks in Oklahoma, and when she was young her family moved to California (her father was a musician) but shortly afterwords they ended up back in Oklahoma (City). Country star Hank Thompson discovered her around 1954, and she cut was signed to Decca and cut some lovely western numbers and found herself on the road (and dating) Elvis Presley in 1955 who encouraged her to cut some rockabilly. Not only did she cut some sides, but she became the queen.

THIS track, however, is unlike anything else really. Although it was relegated to a b-side, this song has taken on a life of its' own and is hugely popular on the r&b oldies club scene (especially popular in Belgium where songs with the so-called "popcorn" beat are huge. I find this song to have much more in the way of CHUTZPAH than most of the popular popcorn tracks, though).

Allow me to brag and say that we got to see her do this one live in new Orleans a few months ago, with stellar backing by Deke Dickerson and The Ecco-Fonics. Hot stuff indeed.

from 1961...

WANDA JACKSON - FUNNEL OF LOVE

THE HUEYS - YOU AIN'T NO HIPPIE

Right from the opening riff of this song you just KNOW it's gonna be a heater!

I know nothing about this group other than it's a New Orleans cut and that I have a few more by them but this one is by far the best.

The sneering putdown lyrics are a gas, too.

Perhaps the "H.Smith" listed as co-writer is Huey "Piano' Smith? Hmmmmm.....

As always, if you have any additional info, please write!

from 1968...

THE HUEYS - YOU AIN'T NO HIPPIE

BELITA WOODS - THAT'S WHEN I'LL STOP LOVING YOU

One of my favorite 45's that I've ever featured on this blog is Belita Woods debut (Magic Corner/ Grounded) which was featured quite a while ago. This was the follow up single, and while it is not quite up to the status of the earlier record, it is still a phenomenal spin (and VERY hard to find, to boot. Not that a record is great simply because it's rare. Don't get me started on that!)

Belita has been a part of the P Funk gang for the last 15 years or so, and her voice is truly a thing of wonder.

from 1970...

BELITA WOODS - THAT'S WHEN I'LL STOP LOVING YOU

POOKIE HUDSON - THIS GETS TO ME

Could ever a song title be more true?

This song certainly gets to ME; it's records like this that make me devote so much of my time to collecting records.

Pookie was the lead singer of legendary doo wop group the Spaniels, and after the Spaniels disintegrated after doo wop waned in popularity he disappeared for a while but came back with this record. Sadly, it went nowhere but the doo wop revival was right around the corner and Pookie's new Spaniels performed until his passing two years ago.

A real gem of a record.

from 1966...

POOKIE HUDSON - THIS GETS TO ME

SAM AND BILL - FOR YOUR LOVE

This is an absolutely gorgeous duo ballad from these New Jersey fellas. They have a few more releases that I understand are also great that I need to find.

from 1964...

SAM AND BILL - FOR YOUR LOVE

HOLIDAYS - ALL THAT IS REQUIRED (IS YOU)

The story of "The Holidays" is incredibly complex and I won't even begin to get into it here. A very detailed (and multi-page) article about the different groups, lineups and cash-ins from Detroit that have used the name can be found here: http://soulfuldetroit.com/web15-Holidays/index.html

As for this record, it was cut when the mighty Revilot label was on its last legs, shortly before it went under (after releasing an astonishing amount of top notch soul records)

from 1969...

HOLIDAYS - ALL THAT IS REQUIRED (IS YOU)

THE VALENTINOS - SWEETER THAN THE DAY BEFORE

While they were a family band, their last name wasn't Valentino; these guys were actually the Womack brothers (including future solo star Bobby Womack along with brothers Cecil, Harry, Friendly and Curtis).

The group began recording in the late 50's in Cleveland and were discovered by Sam Cooke who took him under his wing and signed them to his SAR label. After Cooke died tragically, the group was signed to Chess records and this track was one of the first they cut for Chess. Cecil was briefly married to Mary Wells, and the two of them co-wrote this track.

While the phenomenon of "northern soul" is an enigma, if anyone were to ask me to name a song that epitomizes northern soul this would be the track I would demonstrate. Of course, being a 34 year old American who wasn't in the north of England in the early seventies it may be presumptuous for me to do so, but for all I have read about the whole scene this track just seems to have it all.

from 1965...

THE VALENTINOS - SWEETER THAN THE DAY BEFORE

THE SHOCKING BLUE - SEND ME A POSTCARD

Of course this Dutch group struck a huge national hit with "Venus", but today's featured tracks is one of the greatest fuzzed out freakbeat numbers ever.

Notice how today's scan is not of the label; this pic sleeve is too nice to not feature! I'm typically not that hyped up about picture sleeves, but this one from Japan is an exception.

from 1968...

THE SHOCKING BLUE - SEND ME A POSTCARD

DARROW FLETCHER - NOW IS THE TIME FOR LOVE pt1

It's no secret how much I dig Darrow, if you've been hangin' around this blog for a while. This was one of those notoriously tough to get 45's but hell yeah it was worth the wait. Psychedelic soul at its' best. Part two is really cool (just keeps the jam going) as well; if you wanna hear it I'll email it to you.

from 1971...