One of the great groups of the soul era is The Impressions with Curtis Mayfield leading the way, many hits and good LP's but perhaps their best was the great[1964]Never Ending Impressions with the classic-I'm So Proud as well as the all time standard[Satin Doll]and they will tear your heart out with the sad[Little Boy Blue]and have you dancing with[That's What Love Will Do]of course this is just my opinion, but for my money this one stands alone, great album from a great group!

I'd have to say their 60's UK albums Big 16 & Big 16 Vol.2 are my faves as they are 2 of the 1st soul LPs I bought (alongside the 1st two Sam & Dave Stax LPs).

I have every Impressions album as they have always been my fave group PLUS the two Big 16s remind me of my youth AND getting into this great music. I was at night school at that time & would play the albums over & over in my bedroom as I did homework & studied. Great music, good times. 

17 hours ago, Roburt said:

I was at night school at that time & would play the albums over & over in my bedroom as I did homework & studied. Great music, good times. 

Bloody ell i was brainwashed and i thought i got into it all by myself

2 minutes ago, smudger said:

Bloody ell i was brainwashed and i thought i got into it all by myself

Now now Idris play nicely with your Adris.

I never touched my Adris

Ignore Kegsy, he's just jealous that we're both Dony Lads !!

Probably the most imitated group ever, no disrespect cos I love them but it was easier to try and sound like them rather than say the Temptations who consisted of four members out of five who could take lead sounding all completely unique, however, back to the Impressions, my fave, and there,s loads to choose from is "I,m still waiting" IMHO, absolutely awesome

Kev

Edited March 11, 20169 yr by kev cane
mistake

Same great LP Kev

Isle of sirens      always loved it

You need to read the book 'Spinning Around  -- the History of the Soul Lp (Vol.1) ... to learn which is the best Impressions LP (I'll give you a clue, in the 60's it wasn't 'The Versatile Impressions' which is noted as being their worst album outing).

Maybe from the critics standpoint it might be-Young Mods Forgotten Story or Keep On Pushing.

On ‎10‎/‎03‎/‎2016 at 19:35, Gotsoul said:

One of the great groups of the soul era is The Impressions with Curtis Mayfield leading the way, many hits and good LP's but perhaps their best was the great[1964]Never Ending Impressions with the classic-I'm So Proud as well as the all time standard[Satin Doll]and they will tear your heart out with the sad[Little Boy Blue]and have you dancing with[That's What Love Will Do]of course this is just my opinion, but for my money this one stands alone, great album from a great group!

And it includes the great Keep on Movin, covered so well by the Wailers

My favourite song by them is Gypsy Woman

Bought 'Impressions Big 16 Vol 2' on Stateside when I was 15 years old, from a junk shop in Keighley. 40 odd years later, I was fortunate to get the cover autographed by Fred Cash and Sam Gooden when they played the Bridgewater Hall In Manchester - amazing!

My top Impressions track - 'I Need You', unbelievable harmony and orchestration,  The Gentle Genius and  Johnny Pate at their very best.

Tim.

My top two are very predictable.

"You've Been Cheating" and "Can't Satisfy"

also like "You Ought To Be In Heaven" and "Never Could You Be" and "I'm The One Who Loves You"

it has to be "i loved and I lost" what an arrangement

18 minutes ago, Tim Richmond said:

My top Impressions track - 'I Need You', unbelievable harmony and orchestration,  The Gentle Genius and  Johnny Pate at their very best.

Tim.

We all know the Curtis passed many moons back (from complications that followed from his major on-stage accident  -- a massive lighting rig fell on him) but Johnny Pate is still around. I visited with Johnny when he lived in Vegas and we spent a great day together (well it was great for me as I got to interrogate him). Johnny always intended to write a book but nothing has appeared in print in the 15 years since we spoke together, so I guess that woun't be happening now. Lou R tells me that Johnny moved to Texas and just dropped off the radar .... SAD.

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Never Could You Be is my fav, I love the hitting of the high notes and we all know that no group could hit the highs like The Impressions. 

 

Not ever so knowledgeable about the Impressions so hard to pick a favourite. They are awesome though - and Curtis has one of the coolest voices/dialects ever. He the man - or was. 

Great stuff.

Peter

For those of you with the LP, listen to-Sister Love, a rollicking soul salute to the power that a woman's love can have on us, one of their best.