Jump to content
Soul Source

Bob And Earl What A Stir

Posted

Going through some old sixties music mags and it struck me what a stir this record made...Guy Stevens reckons it sold 70,000 copies after the the pink Island release.

post-18577-0-41954100-1375651289_thumb.j

post-18577-0-67016500-1375651374_thumb.j

Edited by wiggyflat

  • Replies 19
  • Views 2.6k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Most active in this topic

Most Popular Posts

  • purist
    purist

    I could be wrong but the JayBoy release wasn't exactly a reissue (because it was a different, slower, meatier, take ??? or was it just messed up in the mastering ?? ) also another note worth making is

Posted Images

Featured Replies

"Harlem Shuffle" was a top UK mod / soul club play from 'Day One' of it's UK release in July 65. From then on for about 3+ years it continued to sell well on Sue. 

It was reissued in Feb 69 on Island and made the UK Top 10 pop charts in April 69. Then of course, it was re-released yet again in 1971 on Jay Boy and in 1973 & 76 on Contempo. Later in the 70's it escaped on Old Gold.

Not bad for a 45 that never once made the US pop charts (though it made the R&B charts at the end of 63 / early 64).

The Rolling Stones of course took the song back into the UK charts later on still (1986).

........ loads of other cover versions out there too , including this one ........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTd6Pz8yIbs

Edited by Roburt

TEXT OFF a YOUTUBE post ...............

ITS 1970,I'M IN THE SHADES CLUB IN NORTHAMPTON ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, BOB CUBAN "THE CHEATER" IS JUST ENDING, SOMEONE SHOUTS OVER ''HEY BRICK ITS ON NEXT'',THE DJ GLEN BELLAMY PUTS ON HARLEM SHUFFLE, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ,I PUT DOWN MY COKE WITH A SLICE OF LEMON ON TOP,AND GET UP TO DANCE ,THERE ARE ONLY SIX OR SEVEN OTHER KIDS IN THE PLACE, BUT WE ARE ALL KEEN, I GET LOST IN THIS SOUND, WHERE I GO THERE ARE NO WORRIES, THAT'S FOR THE STRAIGHT WORLD ,AND 'IM NOT PART OF THAT, I'M PART OF THIS, BLACK AMERICA IS ALL I KNOW, AND ALL I WANT TO KNOW, IN ENGLAND'S GREEN AND CLEAR LAND, WHAT I COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THEN,WAS THAT I WOULD BE IN HARLEM TWENTY YEARS LATER IN THIS HOSPITAL BED, LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE FOLKS PASSING BY,YES I KNOW ALL SIDES OF THE HARLEM SHUFFLE.

 

.........another later UK version .........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1lMnAXgHiU

Nice topic.

Apart from being a big seller for Bob & Earl the song also had many cover versions over the years - and some samples - so Bob Relf and Earl Nelson both did quite well from royalties and fees as writers.

 

Sadly there were some writer / publisher disputes over the years which damaged some old relationships (no need to discuss details) but thankfully they resolved those issues in the end and all parties were able to benefit. 

 

Bob was thrilled when the Rolling Stones office sent him a copy of a Rolling Stones songbook which featured "Harlem Shuffle" and had been signed for him by all group members. He was quite ill at the time and was obviously very proud of it.

Not long before he passed away in 2007 Bob had an emotional reunion with Earl Nelson who was also ill (he died about eight months after Bob). They hadn't seen each other for a few years and they both knew it would be the last time.

One of the things that kept Bob's spirits up during the later part of his illness was the dream of a return visit to the UK. It obviously wasn't going to happen and I'm sure Bob knew that but he still talked about it all the time.

Sorry for going a bit off-topic but it's nice that they both earned money from the song and shared some proud memories.

 

Paul

Paul, it (the song) must have been featured in a (some?) feature film / TV ad / TV show down the years.

Can you list any of them ?

Edited by Roburt

Paul, it (the song) must have been featured in a (some?) feature film / TV ad / TV show down the years.

Can you list any of them ?

 

Hello John

 

"Harlem Shuffle" (or portions of it) has definitely been featured in films. Sorry I don't have any details but Bob's mother Idabelle told me they'd had income from sync deals - presumably movies or adverts.

 

The only film deal I know about for Bob Relf is when 'Blowing My Mind To Pieces' was featured in Clubbed. The director knew Bob was ill and that it was a proud moment so he used the track in full over the end credits and dedicated the film to Bob.

That was nice but sadly Bob died before the film was released.

 

Paul

Edited by Paul

I could be wrong but the JayBoy release wasn't exactly a reissue (because it was a different, slower, meatier, take ??? or was it just messed up in the mastering ?? ) also another note worth making is that the (fabulous) instrumental version only showed up on the Contempo releases I think? (the lucky Germans got a pic sleeve with their Contempo release)

All others, inc non US or UK releases all seem to share the same flip (I'll Keep Running Back")

 

Having said all that, these days I think " Oh Baby Doll " just edges it out as my favourite by the pair.

i think the jay  boy release is actually quicker no? in any case, it is a different version. also great though

Hello John

 

"Harlem Shuffle" (or portions of it) has definitely been featured in films. Sorry I don't have any details but Bob's mother Idabelle told me they'd had income from sync deals - presumably movies or adverts.

 

The only film deal I know about for Bob Relf is when 'Blowing My Mind To Pieces' was featured in Clubbed. The director knew Bob was ill and that it was a proud moment so he used the track in full over the end credits and dedicated the film to Bob.

That was nice but sadly Bob died before the film was released.

 

Paul

 

House Of Pain nicked the intro for Jump Around - that must have sold millions

House Of Pain nicked the intro for Jump Around - that must have sold millions

 

And a church bell version of that intro is currently used on the Mars bar advert - the one with the three monks / bellringers.

  • 2 weeks later...

Jackie Lee's version on the album The Duck is far faster than the original Bob&Earl recording, amazing that this version never got played as it's f**king awesome!

Shelly

Jackie Lee's version on the album The Duck is far faster than the original Bob&Earl recording, amazing that this version never got played as it's f**king awesome!

Shelly

 

Is this the track (Jackie Lee solo) that got issued on Jayboy attributed to Bob & Earl?

Is this the track (Jackie Lee solo) that got issued on Jayboy attributed to Bob & 

 

Edited by kevinsoulman

Live and learn, never new that.

By the time Jayboy issued it , it was ignored as just another re issue of an oldie, don't think many realised the Jackie Lee version then.

Imagine it's 4 in the morning, you've had 10 dex and this comes on......................enough said!

i find it odd that it sold 70,000 on pink island yet when i look in boxes/lists/ebay there seems to be as many sue copies. it must have sold a lot of copies!

:hatsoff2: HI ALL  JMMY JAMES & VAGABONDS - "A MAN LIKE ME" STATESIDE, SOLD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT A TOP 5 RECORD,

HOWEVER IT WAS EXCUDED FROM  THE CHARTS, BECAUSE IT HARDLY SOLD A COPY IN LONDON, :g:YOU WORK IT OUT? 

:yes: DAVEK

Get involved with Soul Source

Go to topic listing