Northern Soul and Ska

The Debonairs - Loving You Takes all my Time

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Not much information on this one really. "Loving You Takes all my Time" by the Debonairs was the second record released on shortly-lived Solid Hit label in 1966 (102) and is believed to be worth in the range of 1,000£. It is sometimes referred to as by The Debonaires.

Laurel Aitken and The Skatalites - Rude Boy Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I can't believe this is the first song I am presenting by the Godfather of Ska, Laurel Aitken. Aitken was born in Cuba on April 22, 1927, and moved to his father's homeland of Jamaica in 1938, where he became the first real recording star. His double-A-sided "Little Sheila/Boogie in My Bones" was the first single ever released on Island, as well as one of the earliest ska records. It was also a massive hit in Jamaica, topping the charts for nearly three months, and went on to become the first Jamaican record ever issued in the UK. He moved to Brixton in 1960 and started recording for Blue Beat label. He returned to Jamaica for a short while in 1963, often backed by The Skatalites. In the UK, in the meanwhile, he was issued on the new Rio label, which shortly after went bakrupt so Aitken joined the Pama group.

Marvin Gaye - This Love Starved Heart of Mine (It's Killing Me)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Killer tune by one of the greatest geniuses and artists this world has ever seen. This track was released on Tamla label, and is probably my favorite track by Marvin Gaye (excluding his duets, especially with Tammi Terrell). This can be found on the Tamla Motown compilation "Love Starved Heart", a collection of unreleased stuff recorded between 1963 and 1971.

Owen and Leon - Next Door Neighbour

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

This is usually credited to Owen and Leon Silvera, although some books report Owen to be Owen Grey instead. But then, again, books on Jamaican music, especially about back then, are often unreliable and information is scarce.

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - One Way Out

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Issued on Gordy label, "One Way Out" is one of the finest tracks by Martha and the Vandellas. Reeves cut some of the brightest, most infectiously danceable R&B of her time. "One Way Out" did not make it to the UK or US top 40 charts but is a Northern Soul classic.

Alton Ellis - You Make Me So Very Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Another gem from vocal legend Alton Ellis. This is a ska version of the hit by Barry Gordy, Brenda Holloway and Frank Wilson (which I like the most in the Chris Clark's version).

Chuck Jackson - Hand it Over

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Another top tune by Chuck Jackson in less than a fortnight. "Hand it Over" is one of his finest cuts and dates back to his Wand period (1961-1967), before he moved from New York to Detroit to join Motown urged by Smokey Robinson. He didn't "perform" as much and he is relatively forgotten now, but he still is a legend in the northern soul scene.

The Maytals - My Daily Food

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:10:00 +0000

The magnificent Maytals, once again. This is "Daily Food", surely not one of their best-known ska tines but one of my favorites. The 1964 Kenton Records release attributed the song to The Maytals and The Skatalites. It's not strange, considering that The Maytals were a vocal band, they clearly needed someone to play the instruments, right?

Bobby Patterson - My Baby's Coming Back To Me

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In 1962, Bobby Patterson recorded "You Just Got to Understand" for Abnak Records. The single wasn't terribly successful, but it convinced the label's owner, John Abnak, to start a soul division, called Jetstar Records. Patterson recorded for Jetstar for the next six years, becoming a talented songwriter, producer, and promotion man in the process. "My Baby's Coming Back to Me" was in fact issued on Jetstar.

Prince Buster - One Step Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:35:00 +0000

Legendary Prince Buster with this ska anthem. "One Step Beyond" is well known for having been covered by Madness (who, at the end of the day, are named in his honor after Buster's "Madness") and it's also the title of their first LP. This one, though, is the original 1964 Blue Beat label (BB 243) version.

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Ron Holden - I'll Forgive and Forget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:14:00 +0000

Ron Holden's biggest hit was his debut "Love You So", which was issued by Larry Nelson after he heard him singing in prison. "Love You So" made it to the Pop Singles chart in 1960, and was re-issued in 1994. This, though, is "I'll Forgive and Forget", a classic Northern Soul masterpiece, which was released on Challenge label.

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Lord Brynner - Congo War

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

This is one of my faves "political" tunes. I wasn't able to find much information on Lord Brynner, apart from his birth in Trinidad and his roots in Calypso. This is his 1966 hit "Congo War" (wiki link), originally released on Island and here taken from a Trojan compilation.

Linda Jones - I Just Can’t Live My Life (Without You Babe)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Northern Soul masterpiece by Linda Jones. Her biggest hit, "Hypnotized," came on the Loma subsidiary of Warner Brothers in 1967, and she later recorded for Turbo. This was issued on the Warner Brothers label. She died far too early, entering a diabetic coma at only 27.

Bob marley and the Wailers - One Love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

This is the original, ska version of Bob Marley's 1977 worldwide hit (it reached the top 10 in 1984). The song was first recorded by the Wailers in 1963 at Studio One, and Marley borrowed several lines from the Impressions' "People get ready".

Ann Sexton - You've Benn Gone Too Long

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Ann Sexton was born, in Greenvile, South Carolina, and was discovered by songwriter David Lee, who issued "You've Been Gone Too Long" on his l=small Impel label. John Richbourg a.k.a. John R re-issued it shortly afterwards on his Seventy-Seven label, together with the 1973 album "Loving You, Loving Me"

The Four Aces - Just One Little Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

There's not much info on the Four Aces. They were the backing band of Desmond Dekker (as in Desmond Dekker and the Aces). The band consisted of four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry Howards. This is a "solo" recording, without Desmond Dekker. I am not aware if they recorded anything else, so if you do know please let me know.

Chuck Jackson - I Only Get This Feeling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Absolute Northern Soul cracker. This is an excellent cover of Big Dee Irwin's "I Only Get This Feeling". Chuck Jackson's version is much more powerful than the original, and it was released in the UK in 1973 (album was on Probe label).

Stranger Cole and Ken Boothe - Artibella

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I personally got to know this one thanks to the excellent cover by Italian all-star ska band Giuliano Palma & the Bluebeaters. This is the original "Artibella" in the Stranger Cole and Ken Boothe cut. This is one of their hits recorded for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One Label, after a period with Duke Reid and Leslie Kong. After about 1965, Dodd encouraged Boothe to record as a solo artist, and he and Cole both embarked on solo careers.

Kim Weston - Helpless

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Another very popular tune, and not too hard to find either. This is the original 1965 Gordy release of Kim Weston's "Helpless". Fact: Weston turned down the offer to record "Dancing in the Streets", which became Martha Reeves & the Vandellas' smashing hit (not to mention Bowie's cover with the Stones)

Patsy Todd - You Took my Love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I will never stress enough how much I love this lady. This is "You took my love", in which Patsy Todd is sole singer (she is pretty famous in duets with Derrick Morgan first and Stranger Cole later). This is, truly, my favorite female artist. Period

Don Gardner - Cheatin Kind

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

One of the finest and rarest Northern Soul cuts. "Cheatin Kind" is probably in the top 10 of the rarest Northern Soul singles, worth somewhere between 5.000£ and 10.000£ on its original Sedgrick label issue. Apart from the value, the record itself is an absolute masterpiece and Blackpool Mecca favorite.

Lord Tanamo - Mother's Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

This is surely in my personal all-time ska top 10 chart. "Mother's Choice" by Lord Tanamo is one of a few songs with a similar theme, the choice between mothers and wives (off the tip of my tongue I can only think of "Your Wife and Mother" by The Virtues & The Ambassadors, but I'm sure there's more).

The opening lyrics say it all: "If your mother and your wife were drawning / I want to know which one you would be saving"

Enjoy! (and let me know!)

Jimmy Mack - My World is on Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Another absolute Norther Soul cracker and dancefloor filler. "My World is on Fire" by Jimmy Mack was released on Palmer and is believed to be worth around £500, with the demo worth around £400.

The Upsetters - Ten Penny Nail

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The Upsetters were Lee "Scratch" Perry house band. They did record some hits on their own, including this "Ten Penny Nail", but also "Return of Django", but their fame is mostly due to their role as a support act. They plaid this part on several of Perry's recordings, including some hits by The Wailers in the late 60s and early 70s, such as "Small Axe" (my fave by Marley), "Soul Rebel" and "Duppy Conqueror".

Chubby Checker - At the Discoteque

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Pretty well known outside the Northern Soul scene too, Chubby Checker performed "The Twist" and "Let's Twist Again" in 1960-1961. "At the Discoteque" is one of his lesser-known records (at least outside the Northern Soul scene!) can be found on Cameo and Parkway labels as far as I know.