Don Gardner - My Baby Likes to Boogaloo (Tru-Glo-Town)

[Chris Turnbull]

Been hammering this one recently, much to the annoyance of other members of the household

Got me thinking, the first DJ I remember spinning it was Dave Rimmer (probably 12-15 years ago at a guess) but was it big previous to that and I had just missed it?

Stafford? 100 Club? Torch?!

Info appreciated

Cheers, Chris.

 

 

 

[Henrun]

Must have been popular back in the day in they States as most copies that make their way over here look like they have been played to death. I know this is not quite what you are asking but it looks like it was a popular party tune on release. 

[Cover-up]

Great tune, almost like the perfect hybrid between soul and garage punk! Also not what you were asking but... does anybody know if there's copies of this on vinyl or just styrene?

[Frankie Crocker]

Not really spun big-time until Dave plugged it. Was just a tape-swapper's track  prior to the RnB wave, widely known but not aired. Only seen styrene copies. Have sold a few mint unplayed copies out of Skippy White's Cambridge basement but most copies in circulation have been well played judging from the labels. Seems to crop up more in Chicago where residents evidently cared marginally better for their records than in Detroit but who wants VG-- anyway?

[George G]

the most overplayed record at our US soul nights, been hearing it at parties, etc since the 1980s, when you all in the UK complain about tired overplayed oldies, I get it, mainly because of this record.

[Kris Holmes]

1 hour ago, George G said:

the most overplayed record at our US soul nights, been hearing it at parties, etc since the 1980s, when you all in the UK complain about tired overplayed oldies, I get it, mainly because of this record.

amen to that

actually, add Amen Brother to that 

i am still guilty of playing both from time to time though  (i think i might have played My Baby Likes To Boogaloo in Seattle with you guys last year)

half the time I'll play The Emperors version of My Baby Likes To Boogaloo though.

[Chris Turnbull]

1 hour ago, George G said:

the most overplayed record at our US soul nights, been hearing it at parties, etc since the 1980s, when you all in the UK complain about tired overplayed oldies, I get it, mainly because of this record.

 

55 minutes ago, Kris Holmes said:

amen to that

actually, add Amen Brother to that 

i am still guilty of playing both from time to time though  (i think i might have played My Baby Likes To Boogaloo in Seattle with you guys last year)

half the time I'll play The Emperors version of My Baby Likes To Boogaloo though.

All good info, thanks, and interesting to get a US perspective. Solid gold party record, can imagine it going down well in the States where other stuff we play wouldn't necessarily.

Out of interest what other tunes are 'overplayed' over there? 

[Robbk]

I don't remember seeing it on a vinyl pressing.  I've only ever seen it on the styrene pressings from New York's Shelley Pressing plant, whose labels often had their glue dry and the labels fall off.  It was played some on WVON in Chicago.  Yes, it was a "party record" there.I don't remember it being played in L.A or The San Francisco Bay Area.  During the mid-to-late '60s, I was bouncing between Chicago and L.A,, and also visiting The Bay Area one in a while from L.A.  It wasn't a big hit in Chicago, like so many local and Detroit records.  It did show up at a decent amount of parties, and made it to a low chart position on WVON.  I'm sure it wasn't played on WLS (Pop).

[Robbk]

It's a pretty boring cut, with no real hooks.  Too much the same.  It doesn't really hold up against a Junior Walker & The All Stars, Booker T & MGs, James Brown & Famous Flames, Bar-Kays, or David T. Walker Funk Boogaloo or Skate cut.  I'm no Funk fan, but, I remember what kids liked at parties back in '67- '69, and this one was fairly marginal (at least in The Midwest), and non-existant on The West Coast.  It probably had a lot of sales on in The Northeast and Central Atlantic Coast, because Gardner had a big following there because he was a regular star performer in their club circuit.  I don't remember him making many appearances in Chicagoland.  The only time I heard of him appearing on The West Coast was at the beginning of The '60s, when he and Dee Dee Ford had their monster national hit, "I Need Your Loving" out on Bobby Robinson's Fire Records.

Edited February 6, 2016 by RobbK

[Cover-up]

"Pretty boring cut with no real hooks" - no real hooks? Are you joking? That's like saying "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones doesn't have a hook. The whole track is one monster five note hook on repeat. Musically you could doubt its credentials, but in this case hook + energy = stormer. Maybe not one for home listening... 

[Md Records]

Pittsburgh "oldie" isn't it? Massive around that area back in the day, when Pittsburgh was primarily a "D.J." driven scene.

Des Parker

[Chris Turnbull]

1 hour ago, cover-up said:

"Pretty boring cut with no real hooks" - no real hooks? Are you joking? That's like saying "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones doesn't have a hook. The whole track is one monster five note hook on repeat. Musically you could doubt its credentials, but in this case hook + energy = stormer. Maybe not one for home listening... 

100% with you here - love it, and think it sounds just as good at home. Repetitive and musically simple yes, but raw and exciting.   

Thanks for the US info though Robb - very interesting

[Angus]

Played on the mod scene first-well before the northern scene touched it-can remember hearing it at various events in the early 9ts-great record!

 

 

[Ted Massey]

for something a little different

 

 

[hullsoul]

10 minutes ago, Ted Massey said:

for something a little different

 

 

Ted

Not for me,loses all that oomph with her weak vocals,needs a 60-a-day vocal

Cheers

Martyn

[dthedrug]

HI ALL this classic I got from Contempos in a Soul pack in 1971, I'm sure that got played in the 6ts soul clubs, however I can't remember hearing it played out until the year 2000????KTF

[Robbk]

7 hours ago, cover-up said:

"Pretty boring cut with no real hooks" - no real hooks? Are you joking? That's like saying "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones doesn't have a hook. The whole track is one monster five note hook on repeat. Musically you could doubt its credentials, but in this case hook + energy = stormer. Maybe not one for home listening... 

Alright.. No changes, then.    "Satisfaction" has plenty of changes that keep it from becoming too repetitive, with no re-introduction of energy.  I agree with you that no one could argue that it's not good for dancing.

[Sebastian]

King George Clemons (same guy that did a couple of 45s on US RCA) recorded a version of "My Baby Likes To Boogaloo" retitled "Boo-Ga-Loo" after he had moved to Scandinavia in 1967. It was only released on a 45 in Denmark. Can't find it on YouTube, but it's a slower, dirgier version. 

[Benji]

6 hours ago, angus said:

Played on the mod scene first-well before the northern scene touched it-can remember hearing it at various events in the early 9ts-great record!

 

 

So do I. Played at literally every Mod dance I attended mid/late 90s.

[Chris Turnbull]

7 hours ago, angus said:

Played on the mod scene first-well before the northern scene touched it-can remember hearing it at various events in the early 9ts-great record!

 

 

That makes sense, I can it well imagine at at mod do's

[Chris Turnbull]

7 hours ago, hullsoul said:

Ted

Not for me,loses all that oomph with her weak vocals,needs a 60-a-day vocal

Cheers

Martyn

Not heard that version before - doesn't have the sheer power of the DG version but cool al the same. Surprised you don't like it Martyn, could imagine it being one of your spins 

[hullsoul]

13 hours ago, Chris Turnbull said:

Not heard that version before - doesn't have the sheer power of the DG version but cool al the same. Surprised you don't like it Martyn, could imagine it being one of your spins 

Chris

As you know I love a girlie tune but it doesn't work for me once you've heard DG's version,for me the girlie vocals don't sit well

with that full on backing track

Cheers

Martyn

[Andybellwood]

On 5 February 2016 at 20:52, Kris Holmes said:

amen to that

actually, add Amen Brother to that 

i am still guilty of playing both from time to time though  (i think i might have played My Baby Likes To Boogaloo in Seattle with you guys last year)

half the time I'll play The Emperors version of My Baby Likes To Boogaloo though.

Much prefer Emperors 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G4-rAL-qHA0

[Chris Turnbull]

1 hour ago, andybellwood said:

Much prefer Emperors 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G4-rAL-qHA0

Emperors a decent stab but brings to mind Willie Mason ' Why' - once you've heard Nat Hall nothing else will do 

[Soul Shrews]

I find it awful to tell the truth. Only reason I keep hold of my copy (styrene ex+) is for the ballad flipside "Where Did Our Love Go" which I like a lot.

Cheers Paul

[Chalky]

It was about years before but I don't think it was considered good enough or rare enough (not saying it is a bad record either) in comparison to what was about at the time.

 

[Ted Massey]

9 hours ago, hullsoul said:

Chris

As you know I love a girlie tune but it doesn't work for me once you've heard DG's version,for me the girlie vocals don't sit well

with that full on backing track

Cheers

Martyn

Bloody hell your hard to please lol

[Peter99]

I don't like it.

[hullsoul]

32 minutes ago, Ted Massey said:

Bloody hell your hard to please lol

Ted

.......you sound like Lynn.

Cheers

Martyn

[Frankie Crocker]

Ultimately, it is just another dance-craze record. Whereas a song like The Duck was recognised early on as a decent dance record, for US party goers and subsequently Northern followers, this offering by Don was overlooked by the pioneers as it lacked the classic ingredients. Nowadays, with a broader spectrum of acceptable sounds to meet the variety of tastes, Boogaloo fits into the category of poppy RnB that crosses over to all sorts of dancers.

[Soultrainer]

I bought it mid-70's so I must have heard it at Casino or some Dayers around that time?

[Wiggyflat]

Angus has it right a mod scene record from 87/88.It was hammered.It would never have got a look in on the northern scene around that time as it is a gritty boogaloo record.I have heard Berts Apple Crumble is being played....why? there's hundreds of great uptempo soul records out there.

[Peter99]

8 minutes ago, wiggyflat said:

Angus has it right a mod scene record from 87/88.It was hammered.It would never have got a look in on the northern scene around that time as it is a gritty boogaloo record.I have heard Berts Apple Crumble is being played....why? there's hundreds of great uptempo soul records out there.

Now that is one hell of a nasty record. There may be some apple in that crumble - but there ain't any fecking soul.

Orrible fecking thing.

 

[Chris Turnbull]

8 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Now that is one hell of a nasty record. There may be some apple in that crumble - but there ain't any fecking soul.

Orrible fecking thing.

 

I like that one too  In a Julian Covey kind of way

[Peter99]

4 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

I like that one too  In a Julian Covey kind of way

Dunno why - but that made me smile Chris!

After all, I was sitting on the fence.

LOL 

[Prophonics 2029]

Still the same backing track with Don playing the drums.

[Pomonkey]

Tracked down Lewise about 7 years ago, lives not too far from here, she was then touring as a "Shirelle" but funnily didn't know any of the Shirelle songs we all like on the scene, purely an oldies circuit setlist version of the group, she remembered the record and we talked briefly about the possibility of us bringing her in when we were putting Don Gardner on stage but she wasn't super enthused about the record so never went any further.

[Casino76]

On 07/02/2016 at 22:14, wiggyflat said:

.I have heard Berts Apple Crumble is being played....why? there's hundreds of great uptempo soul records out there.

Your correct, there was one on ebay the other week it went for £122.00 i think, i nearly bid on it then changed my mind, thankfully.

[Sebastian]

On 2016-02-06 at 19:56, Sebastian said:

King George Clemons (same guy that did a couple of 45s on US RCA) recorded a version of "My Baby Likes To Boogaloo" retitled "Boo-Ga-Loo" after he had moved to Scandinavia in 1967. It was only released on a 45 in Denmark. Can't find it on YouTube, but it's a slower, dirgier version. 

Here it is, I uploaded it to YouTube:

 

 

[lincsmod1970]

Big on the Mod rallies since 1986/87 first time I remember hearing it at CCI / Phoenix dos... 

[Pga1]

In my eyes/ ears  it was  dave rimmer who made this tune so popular in the uk - Europe.  Always likes to keep the dancers happy,  cheers