Talk about a song dripping with slow sexy soul. this little diamond from the great doo-wop group-The Cruisers is all that and more, just smooth and vocally superb from the opening line to the fade...a soul classic!!

"I Need You So" shows off the Cruisers doo-wop heritage & will be a popular cut with the likes of RobbK (I'm sure).

HOWEVER, I never play this side of the Gamble 45 COZ I love the 'Chicago soul' sounding tuva side ... "Take A Chance".

Gamble & Huff were obviously trying to update the group's sound at the time (summer 67) and so laid down the more 'cutting edge' TAC with that in mind. It reminds me of the Artistics "I'm Gonna Miss You" (a Sept 66 release & the ender record from my 1st love niter venue).

BTW, this Gamble 45 was also released in Canada (on Apex).

Anyone got a copy of the Canadian 45 that they could post up here ?

One of their 1960 V-Tone 45s also escaped in Canada (on Reo), so this group were certainly favoured north of the border, which is something that puzzles me a bit ........... search the net & little or nothing seems to be available on the history / career of this fine group. The outfit was in existence for at least 9/10 years (if not more), they had 4 x 45 releases & yet they don't seem to have left any digital footprint.

We really are losing '60's soul knowledge' at a worrying rate now.

 

Edited March 11, 20169 yr by Roburt

Seems that my old mate Gene Dozier worked with the group on their last 2 outings (both sides of their 2nd Gamble 45) -- he co-wrote the 2 songs.

The group's leader was Eugene Williams by all accounts. Anyone have more info on Eugene & the other members (who's names are listed in the SHS book) ?

Happier days for the group ....... 1960 .... and their V-Tone 45 was selling enough copies (in most areas) to make the US Top 100 Pop Chart ... but the V-Tone guys didn't have sufficient cash to 'tip' enough radio DJs, so "If I Knew" wasn't being played in many areas of the south & west ...... so it's impact was downgraded & it just missed making the main charts over a 4 week period ...... they did however place higher than the likes of Teddy Vann, Neil Sedaka, Bill Haley, Elvis, Teddy Randazzo, Ray Bryant & the Coasters during that month ...........

i spin both sides with some regularity ("i need you so" with my "firme rolitas" set and "take a chance" with normal soul stuff). great double sider. 

Both sides are great.  I have all their records.  I had their Reo release, but traded it off many years ago.  I've traded off more than half of my Canadian records over the years.  I had already moved to USA when their Apex release came out.  But, I've had pressings from 2 or 3 different plants.