DRAMATICS All Because Of You (Sport)
Written by two of Detroit’s/Northern Soul stalwarts, Andre Williams and Sidney Barnes. OK Sidney only went to Detroit in ’64, first with the Serenaders (including George Kerr and Timothy Wilson) and stayed on with George to become staff writers for the year. Then after a short stint with J.J. Jackson through ’65 - early ’66 he was back in Detroit, this time writing for Golden World with George Clinton. After Golden World was sold to Motown, Sid teamed up with Andre Williams and wrote this ditty and others. The track is a typical Northern Soul record of the highest caliber. Haunting baritone sax, pumping bass line and great harmonies. One I love to hear anytime and still makes the hairs on the back of my head stand up.
EDDIE PARKER I’m Gone (Awake)
A track that hits you smack in the face with its driving backbeat, and atmospheric overtones, ideal for a large dance hall. Shares its backing with the Hesitations album track, ‘That’s What Love Is’. Also done by Billy Sha-Rae on Spectrum with a much more funkier backing. All versions got played on the scene, but Eddie’s version has remained the rarest and best version.
LITTLE ANN What Should I Do (Kent 45 and CD)
Originally known as Rose Valentine ‘When He’s Not Around’, when played covered-up by Richard Searling in the latter years of the casino. This remained covered up until the Kent detectives i.e. Gilly etc. discovered it was none other than Little Ann on a Topper records recording. Ann had only previously had one disc issued on Ric-Tic and then only one side being her’s. Had this been issued at the time I think it would have been a surfire hit on the Northern scene. Just a beautiful song set just above mid-tempo again with great harmonies.
VOLUMES That Same Old Feeling (Impact)
Found on the flip of the uptempo ‘The Trouble I’ve Seen’ from 1966, we have this stunning midtempo offering from one of the true great groups from Detroit. Co-written by my good friend John Rhys (Eddins), a Englishman who went to the USA shortly after WW2 and who himself had a Northern soul classic in
‘Nothing But Love’ on the same imprint. This track is pure class, again with tight harmonies that even the Temps would be hard to better.
LONNETT Blue Jeans (M-S)
This had to finish off a top 5 really. Easily the rarest 45 on the label and probably its most sophisticated! Originally played by that man Guy Hennigan again as ‘Thelma Lavern’ at some dodgy club in Staffordshire. Set at a steady midtempo beat Lonnett (Lonette McKee) and her female backing singers meander through a story of how she’s going back home someday wearing her ‘Blue Jean Pants’. All very atmospheric and ‘goose
pimplely!’ Ted Massey used to spin this out in the 90s but is very seldom heard these days. So come on all you DJs who own a copy, alter the pitch to plus 2 and play it like Guy would have back in the day and hear a real thinking man’s oldie!
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