THE NORTHERN SOUL YEARS - 1976

[Pete S]

THE NORTHERN SOUL YEARS – 1976

 

Here is the second of three parts.  A mate asked me to do a mix of the kind of stuff that was big when we first started on our Northern Soul journey – 1975, 1976, 1977 – well it turned out to be an epic journey and 1975 alone has 68 tracks!  So I hope you enjoy the music and the anecdotes.  As I do 1976 and 1977 there will be less talking and more music but I felt I needed to set the scene and explain what things were like back then.  The records are all from my own collection so if I haven’t got it, then it’s not on the list.  And it’s not a ‘biggest sounds of 1975’ kind of thing, it’s a true reflection of the records we listened and danced to.

 

Danny Monday – Baby Without You

Rpm Generation – Rona’s Theme

The Matta Baby – Do The Pearl Girl

Mel Britt – She’ll Come Running Back

Anderson Brothers – I Can See Him Loving You

James Fountain – Seven Day Lover

Jean Carter – Like One

Earl Jackson – Soul Self Satisfaction

Dean Parrish – Determination

Billy Prophet – What Can I Do

Jeanette Harper – Put Me In Your Pocket

Johnny Vanelli – Seven Days Of Loving You

Maurice Williams – Being Without You

Candi Staton – Now You’ve Got The Upper Hand

G. Davis & R. Tyler – Hold On, Help Is On The Way

Mikki Farrow – Set My Heart At Ease

The Poppies – There’s A Pain In My Heart

The Savadors – Stick By Me Baby

The Velvet Satins – Nothing Can Compare To You

Willie Mitchell – The Champion

Detroit Executives – Cool Off

Sandy Hadley – Since I Found A Love

The Tiffanies – It’s Got To Be A Great Song

The Perigents – Love On A Rampage

Nancy Wilson – The End Of Our Love

Joey Dee & The New Starlighters – How Can I Forget

Lee Andrews & The Hearts – Can’t Do Without You

Lenny Welch – A Hundred Pounds Of Pain

The Moods – Rainmaker

The Moments – Nine Times

Babe Ruth – Elusive

Yvonne Baker – You Didn’t Say A Word

Shawn Robinson – My Dear Heart

The Reflections – Like Adam And Eve

Otis Blackwell – It’s All Over Me

The Present – Many’s The Slip

Marsha Gee – Baby I Need You

Margaret Mandolph – Something Beautiful

Lenny Curtis – Nothing Can Help You Now

The Jades – I’m Where It’s At

Jerry Fuller – Double Life

Kenny Smith – Oh Lord What’s Happening To Your People

Larry Hale – Once

Joe Hicks – Don’t It Make You Feel Funky

Bernie Williams – Ever Again

The Carmel Strings – I Hear A Symphony

Danny Wagner – I Lost A True Love

The Del Larks – Job Opening

Dobie Gray – Honey You Can’t Take It Back

Detroit Soul – All Of My Life

The Embers – Watch Out Girl

The Flirtations – Stronger Than Her Love

Gwen Owens – Just Say You’re Wanted (And Needed)

George Blackwell – Can’t Lose My Head

Idle Few – People That’s Why

Norma Jenkins – Can You Imagine That

James Bynum – Time Passes By

East Coast Connection – Summer In The Parks

Dooley Silverspoon – Game Players

Kim Tolliver – I Don’t Know What Foot To Dance On

Barbara Pennington – Twenty Four Hours A Day

Richard (Popcorn) Wylie – Rosemary, What Happened

Matt Lucas – Baby You Better Go Go

Bobby Hutton – Lend A Hand

Lainie Hill – Time Marches On

Ronnie Mcneir – Sitting In My Class

The French Fries – Danse A La Musique

Billy Woods – Let Me Make You Happy

The Yum Yums – Gonna Be A Big Thing

The Mvp’s – Turnin’ My Heartbeat Up

Roscoe & Friends – Broadway Sissy

Rain – Out Of My Mind

Ron Holden – I’ll Forgive And Forget

https://www.mixcloud.com/mayfairmenthol/the-northern-soul-years-1976/

[Zed1]

Late 76 Was the start of my Journey so I was hearing all these tracks for the first time.... FABULOUS. 

 

 

 

 

[Petesi]

Yep that's pretty much what we danced to at Tiffanys  all dayers circa 1976.

 

Plus a few others like Freddie Chevez, Little Richard, High keys, Larry Santos etc ...

 

Good list.

 

 

[Frankie Crocker]

Another fine selection Pete. Pretty much as it was around the country, Wigan particularly, but also Blackpool, Manchester, Cleethorpes and elsewhere. There are probably a few others such as Topics 'Women's Liberation', William Bell 'Happy' etc but your listing does justice to the sheer quality of sounds that were rising to classic status.

[Pete S]

16 hours ago, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

Another fine selection Pete. Pretty much as it was around the country, Wigan particularly, but also Blackpool, Manchester, Cleethorpes and elsewhere. There are probably a few others such as Topics 'Women's Liberation', William Bell 'Happy' etc but your listing does justice to the sheer quality of sounds that were rising to classic status.

Correct - again, I've got them, but they aren't in my boxes so I couldn't play em.  If we were going to go by massive records, I'd have included the two Tavares 45's as well, especially Don't Take Away The Music.  But I guess to be definitive, it would run for 5 or 6 hours!

[MisterM]

Great stuff Pete.
I started going in 1976 Wigan and Yate mainly. As I lived in South Wales at the time.
Forgot about a few of these - great choice. The first all nighter I went to in '76 I bought three singles which were Sam & Kitty - I've Got Something Good , Gene Chandler - Mr.Big Shot and Danny Monday - Baby Without You. Still have them in my collection.

Anyone remember the racks of records that used to be in newsagents back then  - also in some service stations if I remember correctly. Used to have loads of US & UK soul 7" in them. They were about 40p a single I think. Anyone know who distributed them? I always wondered where they came from. I bought so many records just in my local newsagents alone.

Rob M

Edited August 18, 2017 by MisterM