With the current thread on soul dances, I thought I'd ask some questions about the above 2 tracks.
Cliff Nobles & Co cut vocal & instrumental tracks (with producer Jesse James) for Phil LA of Soul back in 1968.
The instro version ("The Horse") of Cliff's vocal track became a big hit after a radio DJ flipped the 45. That hit prompted tracks to be cut for an album, the album featuring both vocal & instro cuts. One of the tracks on the LP (a 1968 release) was the instro "The Camel" ......
... no doubt the dance was just supposed to be a variation on "The Horse".
Anyway, in 1969 "The Camel" was lifted from the LP and put out on a Phil LA of Soul 45 (C/W "Gettin Away" -- another instro).
Whatever the reason (perhaps Phil LA were experiencing problems getting airplay on the Cliff Nobles & Co version), Jesse decided he wanted to put out a vocal version of the cut.
He 'borrowed' Kenny Hamber from Jimmy Bishop's Arctic Records and took Kenny straight into a Philly studio.There Kenny added his vocals to the original instro track and a single was quickly issued on Mean Records (the B side of this 45 again featuring the instro take on "The Camel").
It's noted on the net that Kenny's version features his usual live backing band -- Baltimore based the Hitchhikers -- but that info is totally false.
....... QUESTIONS ........
1/ Anyone know why Jesse didn't just get Cliff Nobles to add a vocal to the instro track ? (I know Cliff was pissed coz the records bore his name but his vocals weren't featured on any of the hit sides).
2/ Anyone know why Jesse chose to put out the Kenny Hamber version on Mean Records
... Was Phil LA of Soul having difficulties at the time -- mid 69.
3/ Are there any other releases on the Mean label ?
4/ Why does this Mean 45 seem to be rare (though there are both demo & issue versions of it out there) ?
5/ Why have two 45's out there at almost the exact same time that featured the same track ("The Camel" instro) especially as it had also been put out a year earlier on an album ?
6/ DANCE RELATED Q ..... is there actual footage out there (youtube?) of people actually doing 'The Horse' dance ??
With the current thread on soul dances, I thought I'd ask some questions about the above 2 tracks.
Cliff Nobles & Co cut vocal & instrumental tracks (with producer Jesse James) for Phil LA of Soul back in 1968.
The instro version ("The Horse") of Cliff's vocal track became a big hit after a radio DJ flipped the 45. That hit prompted tracks to be cut for an album, the album featuring both vocal & instro cuts. One of the tracks on the LP (a 1968 release) was the instro "The Camel" ......
... no doubt the dance was just supposed to be a variation on "The Horse".
Anyway, in 1969 "The Camel" was lifted from the LP and put out on a Phil LA of Soul 45 (C/W "Gettin Away" -- another instro).
Whatever the reason (perhaps Phil LA were experiencing problems getting airplay on the Cliff Nobles & Co version), Jesse decided he wanted to put out a vocal version of the cut.
He 'borrowed' Kenny Hamber from Jimmy Bishop's Arctic Records and took Kenny straight into a Philly studio.There Kenny added his vocals to the original instro track and a single was quickly issued on Mean Records (the B side of this 45 again featuring the instro take on "The Camel").
It's noted on the net that Kenny's version features his usual live backing band -- Baltimore based the Hitchhikers -- but that info is totally false.
....... QUESTIONS ........
1/ Anyone know why Jesse didn't just get Cliff Nobles to add a vocal to the instro track ? (I know Cliff was pissed coz the records bore his name but his vocals weren't featured on any of the hit sides).
2/ Anyone know why Jesse chose to put out the Kenny Hamber version on Mean Records
... Was Phil LA of Soul having difficulties at the time -- mid 69.
3/ Are there any other releases on the Mean label ?
4/ Why does this Mean 45 seem to be rare (though there are both demo & issue versions of it out there) ?
5/ Why have two 45's out there at almost the exact same time that featured the same track ("The Camel" instro) especially as it had also been put out a year earlier on an album ?
6/ DANCE RELATED Q ..... is there actual footage out there (youtube?) of people actually doing 'The Horse' dance ??