WELL HERE WE ARE ON SOULSOURCE READING THE FORUMS AND LOOKING AT ALL THINGS SOULFUL BUT HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF WHAT IS SOUL?

The collins english dictionary defines SOUL as:

Spiritual and immortal part of human beings

Deep and sincere feelings

Black music combining gospel,blues and pop

Soulful-full of emotion

In a musical context the above references just about covers the aspects of why we regard certain records we all love as SOUL.

I personally would not regard blues as SOUL but would regard some gospel and the odd r&b record as being SOULFUL.

Back in the days of the Torch,Mecca/Casino etc i do not believe that many of the people(myself included) who frequented these establishments were particularly bothered wether the records we were dancing to at the time were SOUL. The only thing that mattered in those days was if it had a great dance beat and paid little attention to the lyrics or the lack of them. After all many of the tunes being played were not mass released and artists were unheard of. I am sure many of the dj's back in the day will disagree with that opinion but there was some real dross played at the time which masqueraded as Northern Soul ie, Rat Race.

Today there seems to be the divide between Northern Soulies(those who love to dance and listen to the old classics) and the modern/crossover/70s crowd who dance and listen to something a little different. Who are the ones who regard themselves as being lovers and followers of SOUL music?. Hopefully both will, but to do so must surely embrace aspects of both divisions.

I was speaking with Tommy Hunt the other week and asked him what he felt was SOUL to which he replied - SOUL is about life and love the pain and passion and when put into music is sang from the heart with your deepest feeling.

That just about sums it up for me when i first got bitten by this music called SOUL.

Would be nice to hear of some other opinions on this but please from your own perspective.

ROY

What is soul?

For me it's when the music is greater than the sum of its parts, when your heart misses a beat when you hear it, when something inside you melts and your life is just that little bit better than it was.

'Bob & Fred's - I'll Be On My Way' , gets to me every time I hear it!

For me it always works best when it's melancholy, the shear heartbreak of it, so sometimes makes you feel worse, but you so choose to feel that way & relate the music to personal life experience.

Of course Northern can be uplifting too, but works for me best when the opposite happens.

But those mistakes & lost loves have more appeal when it comes to soul music.

God (& soul fans) loves a loser.

Aid.

This is what made Motown great. Artist, writers, musicians, arrangers etc.

I agree Brian on Stevie. This haunting melody with the outstanding vocal is soul. But that bass line, listen to the bass. I want to say its Jamerson, but he's more lyrical. However, if it is he, he just laid in the cut of the melody and it sends the chills. Glad to hear it again. I don't want to get started on Levi.

Lorraine

HI LORRAINE,

NICE OF YOU TO JOIN THE THREAD AND GIVE YOUR OPINIONS ON THIS SUBJECT FROM THE OTHER SIDE SO TO SPEAK.

I will have to mention my favourite track by Levi and the Tops-Ask The Lonely. This is one of the most soulful sounds i have had the pleasure to listen to in recent times and was not even aware of its existance until about five years ago, yet i have been into soul music for some forty five years.

You are obviously a fan of the Four Tops so what was your favourite from their catalogue?

Regards ROY

HI LORRAINE,

NICE OF YOU TO JOIN THE THREAD AND GIVE YOUR OPINIONS ON THIS SUBJECT FROM THE OTHER SIDE SO TO SPEAK.

I will have to mention my favourite track by Levi and the Tops-Ask The Lonely. This is one of the most soulful sounds i have had the pleasure to listen to in recent times and was not even aware of its existance until about five years ago, yet i have been into soul music for some forty five years.

You are obviously a fan of the Four Tops so what was your favourite from their catalogue?

Regards ROY

Hi Roy,

Levi's voice is an instrument. It cracks! It cracks at all the right places. He can sing those begging, don't leave me baby songs ("Just Ask the Lonely"). I love it. My all time favorite of the Tops is "Baby, I Need Your Lovin'". Love the song, the arrangement, the vocals, everything.