Philadelphia Soul
Posted by Springer on 10 April 2008 - 1:28pm.
After the great Reggae debate a genre of music that I really love is Philly Soul. I have a few compilations and greatest hits by The Delfonics, The O'Jays, The Stylistics and Gamble & Huff etc,
But.....
You don't see it collated it the way other genres are and I wonder fellow Wordies are there essential albums that I should have in my collection?
Your thoughts would be much appreciated.
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Good one Spring
There were some great ones on the soundtrack of "Jackie Brown" - who were they? I recently downloaded "Betcha by golly wow" - fab. More suggetsions like that!
O'Jays wise...
...Back Stabbers is your man; a cracking album & a de facto Greatest Hits as well containing as it does the title track, 992 Arguments & Love Train...
Ship Ahoy is also very good...
Thanks Mark
On the case.
Billy Paul
A great early-period Philly Soul album that seems to get overlooked is '360 Degrees of Billy Paul' by (obviously) Billy Paul.
In addition to 'Me and Mrs. Jones', you get the blistering 'Am I Black Enough For You?', along with some really interesting Philly-up'ed versions of 'Your Song' and 'Let's Stay Together'.
Never heard of the album
360 Degrees of Billy Paul. Thanks for that.
Earth, Wine & Fire
`I Am' by Earth Wind & Fire is practically a greatest hits in itself, contains both Boogie Wonderland and After The Love Has Gone. The again, you could just buy their actual greatest hits for about a fiver on Amazon.
The Philadelphia Roots compilations on Soul Jazz (like most things on that label) are uniformly excellent.
EW&F
'That's the Way of the World' is damn near a greatest hits collection, as well ('Shining Star', 'Reasons', the title track, etc.)
Although, I wonder, are EW&F (as great as they are) really Philly Soul?
I don't believe they did anything w/Gamble & Huff ...
EW&F
I wouldn't have thought they were Philly Soul as such.
I always thought Marvin's "Whats Going On" was early Philly.
Then I came across some Lou Rawls stuff whom I never considered Philly and all of a sudden I thought this is a genre that has some amazing artists but no famous albums that they call their own. It could be a Motown thing where it was the singles that made the movement.
Anthing that stretched from Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes to Hall and Oates has got to have some gold LP's.
Or..maybe I'm wrong.
Not "Philly"
But in that style. This is the record that split the Northern Soul scene in the mid-'70s between those who only wanted "oldies" and those who embraced the new "modern" sound. It's wonderful.
As far as Philly goes anything written and produced by Gamble & Huff or MacFadden & Whitehead are worthy of investigation, but looking at the list of what you've already got, you're halfway there Stringer. (But no Three Degrees?!?)
(An aside: Lots of records go on for far too long. But Ready Or Not by The Delfonics is one of those songs built to last a good five minutes or so but just peters out after about two.)
Gamble and Huff box set
I haven't got this, as it's very hard to find, but it looks damn good to me...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philly-Sound-Gamble-Brotherly-1966-1976/dp/B0000...
I saw this in Tower Records
a few years back and made a mental note to pick it up on my next excursion. Unfortunately next time back it was gone and never to return. Now you need to remortgage to get your hands on it.
What you need is...
'Love Train', a 2cd compilation of the greatest Philly stuff - Harold Melvin, Billy Paul, The O'Jays etc....the perfect sampler for further exploration.
Then get into a few Greatest Hits CDs - by The Stylistics, The Delfonics, Barry White, McFadden & Whitehead...
And stretch out in front of the fire, dim the lights, pour yourself and your partner a glass of white...and go where the mood takes you.
Right on.
Cheers Paul
You see I have a bunch of Greatest Hits of OJ's, The Stylistics, The Delfonics etc., but what I'm trying to find out if there is albums out there that define Philly?
Gotcha
Ok think I understand where you're coming from.
The problem is, like many classic soul genres, is that we are talking 'singles' artists rather than 'album' artists, so the 'must haves' tend to be compilations, which you've already got sorted.
I have a vinyl double album called 'Street Sounds - The Artists Volume III' which is a double album with each side devoted to a single artist - in this case, Womack & Womack, The O'Jays, SOS Band and Kleeer. All 12" or album versions of their best tracks.
No idea what is on Volumes I and II (or IV onwards) but might be worth investigating?
Traditionalist
I never liked "It Really Hurts me Girl" that Modern Soul Sound ruined many a great Northern Night for me. I found it hard to dance to.
Anyway for some Philly Northern and Funky Philly Check out these Podcasts, Springer.In fact all the Casts are Brilliant on Funky 16 corners.
(not as good as the Word,but then again what is)
http://helium.lunarpages.com/~funky4/podcasts/f16_radio1.mp3
http://helium.lunarpages.com/~funky4/podcasts/radio21.mp3
http://helium.lunarpages.com/~funky4/podcasts/radio21.mp3
Am I allowed to say..
...early Hall and Oates, Abandoned Luncheonette being the obvious example. Forget their anaemic AOR later stuff.
You are indeed
I always thought that myself. Didn't David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick sing on Live at the Apollo which gives them kudos.
A great Saturday Night Record
"Where will you go when the parties over" - Archie Bell & the Drells