At the beginning of David Nowell's book The Story of Northern Soul (or is Too Darn Soulful?!?) he describes hearing for the first time a song (can't remember which) as he was driving that made the hairs on his neck stand and being so overcome was forced to stop the car. Although neither rare or Northern the song Hey Girl by Freddie Scott has a similar effect on me not matter how many times I have listened to it.

At times Freddie's voice is almost breaking and for me it is the most soulful record ever www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBoNypiuft8

Which songs do other members consider to be the most soulful?

Edited November 17, 201113 yr by brummiemick

Great thread...certainly can't argue with Sam Cooke and James Carr. True soul greats.

Just a few for now from the top of my dome...

Timmy Shaw - Thunder In My Heart

Lee Jones & The Sounds Of Soul - This Heart Is Haunted

Irma Thomas - Wish Someone Would Care

One that always gets me everytime is Otis Redding's version of A Change Is Gonna Come. However, can't find good enough youtube clip to do it justice.

I'll add a few to the list -

Donny Hathaway 'Someday We'll All Be Free'

Tommy Tate 'If You Got To Love Somebody (Why Not Take A Chance On Me)'

The Originals 'Baby I'm For Real'

Bobby Womack 'I Don't Wanna Be Hurt By Ya Love Again'

The Dramatics 'In The Rain'

not even their best record though, less rare but more awesome is "I can't hurt you back"

2 For me

Sam Dees - After all

Temptations - Last one out is broken hearted

Nuff said

Stin

WEE WILLIE WALKER - I DONT WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE - KENT ANNIVERSARY SINGLE

Pretty soulful delivery.

So so many records to choose from, but one comes to mind, i just love the words THE DRIFTER, billy

Interesting thread this and lots I personally don't know and will enjoy looking up, as always!

So many records and artists do it for me (a good few above) and depends on your mood / where you are / who you're with etc I guess.

Recently recorded a few 45's onto CD for the car and sometimes driving you hear a song in a different way. I nearly had to pull over the other day when I listened real carefully to JP Robinson - "Our day is here", played nice and loud. Seems right for some returning war heroes now and in the future too I think.

Examples of a few others I currently love listening to which I think are real soulful are Enchanted Five - "Darling I need you now" and Universal Joint - "Love won't wear off (as the years wear on)".

Also recently re-discovered an old Spyder Turner LP with a gorgeous soulful version of "I can't wait until I see my baby's face". Sublime.

Could go on all night, as obviously there's a mind boggling volume of unbelievable soul out there. I just feel blessed there's so much to hear for the first time which I just know is gonna have the same effect on me as a few examples above.

Hard one top pick but maybe for me is Truth - Come back home ?

.....Then I could go onto Curtis or Sam Dees.

Just so may as most of us could pick thousands of different records out.That's what makes the Soul Scene so special.

Marcus Sofa Soul

Edited November 20, 201113 yr by Marcus B

Delete

Edited November 21, 201113 yr by brummiemick

When I think about a near perfect production that includes a dynamite arrangement and mix with an excellent soulful vocal and lyrics that speaks of finding that perfect love, it boils down to... At Last by Etta James.

Lorraine

Edited November 21, 201113 yr by lorchand

These amonst so many rate at the top of the list for me....

Eddie Parker "But If You Must Go" (the 45 version)

Smokey 007 "Please Don't make me Cry" Birland

Carl Hall "You Don't Know Nothing About Love" Loma

Bill Brandon "Rainbow Road" Tower

Freddie Hughes "I Just Found Out" Janus

Joe Hinton "Don't Tell Her The Truth" ABC Dunhill

Tony Owens "Wishing Waiting Hoping" Soulin

...tis so hard picking a most soulful when you're trying to suround yourself with the most soulful music you can find. the true beauty of it all is there is always something new to hear

steve

Eddie Parker almost had me in tears when he recorded But If You Must Go. Truly soul felt and delivered.

Lorraine

Edited November 21, 201113 yr by lorchand

Sam Dees' "After all" does it for me.

Btw - the track referred to in DN's book, that started this thread is Walter Jackson's "Not you"

cheers,

Denny

Sam Dees' "After all" does it for me.

Btw - the track referred to in DN's book, that started this thread is Walter Jackson's "Not you"

cheers,

Denny

Soul Bros. Inc. - Pyramid (can't believe that no one have mentioned it yet)

so many of Levi Stubbs who gave me one of my first soul-memories..

Marvin Gayes "where are we going".. everything about this song is so genuine.. just healing for the soul

Frankie & Johnny - "I'll Hold" not the most soulful record ever.. but the part when the guy (Johnny Curtis?) sings "I'll stay" always gives me the shivers

a surprising one is Loveman Ronnie Stokes- "let me touch you again". wow cant describe why, but it does it for me everytime.

and many many more...

"I`m in your hands" mary love

"the stars" barbara lewis

There are loads of very soulful records. I'm sure I can't pick THE most soulful but here's one I like

https://www.youtube.com/user/ValChunky?feature=mhee#p/search/2/w36qxWi80DY

Edited November 22, 201113 yr by Val (Chunky)

Eddie Parker almost had me in tears when he recorded But If You Must Go. Truly soul felt and delivered.

Lorraine

That is one truly soulful record Lorraine, top drawer it is.

Have been listening to the Fame Studios Story all morning, some great soul amongst that lot

That is one truly soulful record Lorraine, top drawer it is.

Have been listening to the Fame Studios Story all morning, some great soul amongst that lot

Hey Chalky, did you get that Fame Studio Story directly from Fame in Muscle Shoals on ebay?

I was looking at some of their stuff for sale, they are flogging a mint James Barnett Keep on Talking issue on ebay at the moment, pity is not a WLP!

Aid.

Johnny MAE Mathews I have no choice blinding vocals real head buzz everytime I hear it 10/10 for a soulful voice.

Love this Brilliant bside uk only Al H

Edited November 22, 201113 yr by CapitolSC

The greatest double sider ever both sides superb,this always gets me goin,great footage Al H

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg2z9gGC0oc

Eddie Parker almost had me in tears when he recorded But If You Must Go. Truly soul felt and delivered.

Lorraine

It had to be top of my list Lorraine! must have been great to hear him recording this

Has me in tears too! even more so when I think that i'll never be lucky enough to get my hands on a copy!

btw Lorraine! there's another record that's up there for me as definitive Soul, that you and Jack Ashford wrote and produced..... Ray Gant's version of "Don't Leave Me Baby"

steve

Lots of most soulful I agree, but for me MOST SOULFUL AND CARRIED THROUGH as got to be THE PRECISIONS - If this isn't love - on DREW and UK TRACK (released because a hard core of collectors wanted it - sounds familiar, beats the booters though, surely?)

Apologies, noticed a spelling mistake, should have been "has" and not "as".

Anyone notice (other than Simon, Rob and I) that their event is at the "MERSONIC LODGE" (THE MERSONS BEST WATCH OUT, BET THEIR MERSONIC as opposed to MASONIC, I could be wrong though.)

Regards

Remember when the most truly soulful records were played back to back was when I heard "DOWN AND OUT followed by WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG" - George Freeman and Carolyn Crawford respectively by that nemisis (who loves me) Carl F at the Holy Cross Wellington St Leics.

Regards

Bob, can you remember when you, me & the Jones boy sat in a pub all betting who was going to be the 1st one to have a George Freeman, them were the days, FANTASTIC tune, what about George Smith - I've had it & Jack Montgomery - don't turn your back on me, the list could be endless,

ATB...Rob

Remember, lost me way, but when we got there, he was soon onto That ABET "Bigger and Better track,although at the time Manship had some excellent UK some which we ignored.

KIT

d'ooh The pub was the Bulls Head (Arse) at Woodhouse, wed'e been Manships

Another few...

Betty Lavette - Let Me Down Easy

The Webs - It's So Hard To Break A Habit

O. V. Wright - Eight Men, Four Women

Ronnie Dyson

Anything by Levi Stubbs

Still got a soft spot for Jimmy Radcliffe - (There goes) the forgotten man

Chuck Jackson-Any Day Now pure magic

Female version of "love slipped through my fingers" i forget the birds name,i think the group was ohio players,anyway she cries that tune out...mega!

"The Coldest Days Of My Life" by the Chi-Lites may seem like an odd choice - it's been with me since 1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KTRtopWeCA

Oscar Wright - Fell in Love

JT Rhythm - All I Want Is You

Percy Sledge does a good version of "Dark end" too. "Stay in my corner" by the Dells for me

Already given my most soulful ever earlier (Rance Allen) - however seem to remember someone mentioning Freddie Scott 'Hey girl' at the start of the thread - there is a utube clip on this, Freddie does a live televised recentish version (recent as in at least 15 years ago) at some very 'steady' US venue, with old gimmers in the audience (like many of us, though I'm only 43 mind you I hasten to add) - but bloody hell moved me to tears if you take time out, have patience, and listen to the full 4-5 odd mins....

Edited November 26, 201113 yr by mark w.

It had to be top of my list Lorraine! must have been great to hear him recording this

Has me in tears too! even more so when I think that i'll never be lucky enough to get my hands on a copy!

btw Lorraine! there's another record that's up there for me as definitive Soul, that you and Jack Ashford wrote and produced..... Ray Gant's version of "Don't Leave Me Baby"

steve

Steve,

Actually, Don't Leave Me Baby was written for and sung first by Eddie Parker. When Ray Gant heard Eddie's , he said he had to sing it. Ray's is more popular and close to Eddie's version. You really need to hear Eddie's. He truly begs!

Lorraine

Edited November 29, 201113 yr by lorchand

Steve,

Actually, Don't Leave Me Baby was written for and sung first by Eddie Parker. When Ray Gant heard Eddie's , he said he had to sing it. Ray's is more popular and close to Eddie's version. You really need to hear Eddie's. He truly begs!

Lorraine

Lorraine, you are right! if Eddie recorded this I need to hear it!

was Eddie's version every released commercially?

would love to hear Eddie belting this one out!

I suppose you know Maxine Brown also did a version, but no way near the feeling of Ray Gant's imho (much as I adore anything Maxine does!)

steve

come to me softly,jimmy james.soul.

Lorraine, you are right! if Eddie recorded this I need to hear it!

was Eddie's version every released commercially?

would love to hear Eddie belting this one out!

I suppose you know Maxine Brown also did a version, but no way near the feeling of Ray Gant's imho (much as I adore anything Maxine does!)

steve

Steve,

Of course I'm right. I have Eddie's version on tape. I thought it was released. On what label, I can't remember. Triple B Records comes to mind, but I'm not sure at the moment. Leave Me Baby is a big production. It might have been too big for girlfriend Maxine's voice. I wrote it specifically for Eddie and that type of whiskey sounding throat. It takes a certain amount of pleading and begging! One of my favorites.

Have a good one!

Lorraine

Edited November 30, 201113 yr by lorchand

Otis Redding, Try a little tenderness

Still does it for me!

Maybe i'm alone on this one but i prefer Maxines version of this to the Ray Gant version, she seem to get the real emotion out of the song. Love to hear the Eddie Parker version though.

Dobber ITS TOWANDA BARNES and the Ohio Players. That bird indeed? FULLY AGREE. Said it in an earlier post.

Regards

Steve

Dobber I owe an apology. I posted aboyt Towanda Barnes on another thread. Grey cells and all that.

Regards

Steve

Northernwise for me it has to be Jodi Mathis, can that girl wail!! Herman Lewis and Eddie Whitehead right up there as well.

So many others but I could never leave out The Dramatics "Hey you get off my mountain".

Steve,

Of course I'm right. I have Eddie's version on tape. I thought it was released. On what label, I can't remember. Triple B Records comes to mind, but I'm not sure at the moment. Leave Me Baby is a big production. It might have been too big for girlfriend Maxine's voice. I wrote it specifically for Eddie and that type of whiskey sounding throat. It takes a certain amount of pleading and begging! One of my favorites.

Have a good one!

Lorraine

Lorraine! would never doubt you! would love to hear Eddie's version.

The search begins

thanx for the replys and info on this great tune

steve

This one does it for me....

The Hard Tymes "I ask a question (answer simply) Ruby 45 deepest soul ever and then some

dave L

3 that tear me up..

Ann Bogus..'Dont Ask Me to Love Again' Statue

I want one by the way if anybody got one for sale!

--------------------------------------------------------------

theFounders..'Dont you Leave Me Baby' Bolivia

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Kim Tamango Cant Wait Until Tomorrow Firebird, this is a different version to the one on Funtown records

Edited December 2, 201113 yr by PeteDillon

I found this recently and forgive the pun but I was blown away and it definitely sends a shiver down my back!

LYNN WHITE - Any way the wind blows

Fantastic lyrics:

"....now here you come threatening me again, but i aint gonna plead no more, if you want to act a fool walk away and leave me, i aint going through no more changes just to¯»¿ keep you....anyway the wind blows is cool with me"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsm-bwX5tF8

Sorry! I dont know how to show the actually You Tube picture - could someone please tell me how or point me at where I can find out. Cheers Mick

Edited December 2, 201113 yr by brummiemick