The Dells were an American R&B vocal group. Formed in high school in 1952 by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Mickey and Lucius McGill, under the name the El-Rays.

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my picks:

give your baby a standing ovation

stay in my corner (long version)

bring back the love of yesterday

oo i love you

always together

it's all up to you

just as long as we're in love

dells + dramatics - love is missing from our lives

my picks:

give your baby a standing ovation

stay in my corner (long version)

bring back the love of yesterday

oo i love you

always together

it's all up to you

just as long as we're in love

dells + dramatics - love is missing from our lives

Good calls Bob .

For me , selecting a number of recordings from such a tremendous catalogue as favourites is nigh on impossible , so I will not .

Malc

'Inspiration' has to be their hidden gem.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

... Make Sure is one hell of a choon and makes me wanna listen again and again....

'It's all Up To You'. - Fantastic building tune written by Terry Callier.

'Closer'. - Brilliant vocals (but aren't they all)

Stay In My Corner - Just pure class soul music

The Love We Have Stays On My Mind - TC again

Can We Skip That Part, Sweetness, That's How Heartaches Are Made. All from their 80's album 'The Second Time'

If Carlsberg did soul groups they'd be The Dells

Kev

I Wish It Was Me You Loved is IMO fantastic.

Just As Long As Were In Love and When You're Alone are for me the only highlights of the Sweet As Funk Can Be LP

I also like their version of Its Not Unusual

Who can't have a soft spot for either the 7" or LP versions of I Touched A Dream.

Cmon you lazy blighters, lets remind the world just how the greatest (possible and probably) vocal group in our lifetime, probably ever actually, sound and look.

Dells - I Wish It Was Me You Loved - Cadet

Great choicesMr Reed, as you would expect, although haven't heard their version of INU, off to find it.

Hats off and tributes to one of the top greatest singers around, Mr Junior, and lets not forget though just how good they sound together, I don't think he would have been as brilliant solo.

Sounds that I will take to my grave as providing the soundtrack to my life.....

The Mighty Mighty, Really Mighty Dells

Already added by that Man of exquisite taste in music Mr Cane (and the footballer England let get away if his late night stories over the oven chips are to be believed), just absolutely chill inducing music. created by the best and really as good as it gets, transcends all scenes.Beautiful music.

Dells - Just As Long As Were In Love - Cadet

Possibly one of their greatest, but then whats not great about them, very few and I can forgive them. Surely if you had to describe soul you would just play Marvin to them.

Baz hope you have bought a clean copy since this, cheapskate

Dells - The Love We Had - Cadet

I'll chip '84's - 'Don 't Want Nobody' in.

Jeez how great does this sound now, good shout Mr A, and good shout Blake H, would love to hear this out, not sure I have danced to this since early Southport days, just magnificent.

Dells - Bring Back The Love Of Yesterday - Chess

Always loved this track beyond just sheer lust, you just knew it was going to be foreever with this song. If only all relationships were this reliable, and strong......

Dells - Always Together - Cadet

Majestic Soul indeed,, initially posted by one of the Sweeney Brothers, bloody hell that household bred some quality soul boys.

Not forgetting the obvious when we all had energy to burn........

These 2 were both 'era defining sounds'

..anthemic tunes from the early nighters of our scene

Old buggers will have memories of dancing to these

Run for Cover

Wear it on our face

Epitome of me the new world of crossover this, old Jim O'Hara tip, this posted by Mr Chalkster proving what those in the know now, he ain't just no 60's macho man, great choice Mr White and great taste.

Bloody hell, how good does this sound now, again can't remember last time I wobbled to this,

Dells - Closer - Soul-tbc

'It's all Up To You'. - Fantastic building tune written by Terry Callier.

Yep, I'll third that...amazing uplifting tune that just builds and builds...superb production...faultless lead/harmony vocals.

Ahh who cares about finishing the work I am supposed to be doing, this is much more fun. Changing my mind on what is my favourite track so often I should be furnishing a frock, this is just one of the greatest moments on vinyl, ever, fact. And as Bob says the long version only, just sit back, pop open the Gin, swill it around in the glass and listen, can their be any greater satisfaction.

Dells - Stay In My Corner - Cadet

Perfection.

Amazed its not on here, but here it is, fantastic upbeat dancer, another Allanton monster, oh yes it was.

Dells - It's Up To Me - Cadet

Would love to post "Do what you gotta do babe" from the Sweet as funk can be set from 1972 but don,t know how to transfer from Refo on this thread. Don,t agree with John for once, I don,t think there is a weak track on the set. Coincidently was watching them live on Youtube the other night singing "Always together" and "Stay in my corner" such was the power in Marvins voice I came to think that they actually must have toned him down in the studio if that seems possible. Teddy P says in his biography that he remembered the first time he had heard them live, he stated that the room or and windows actually shook when the great man came in. Lets not underestimate the awesomely soulfull pleading vocals of Johnny Carter, complementing Marvins Bass brilliance.

Right with you there Jock, possibly and probably the greatest soul singers and performers ever, I find it hard to listen to their more intense stuff (and theres plenty) in the company of others, they do things to you that few others can. And you are right Jock, did you see that shower at Wembley yesterday, they were crying out for someone like me mate

So come on, get posting and show everyone exactly how immense these guys were and still are to us soulfreaks.

Kev

'It's all Up To You'. - Fantastic building tune written by Terry Callier.

'Closer'. - Brilliant vocals (but aren't they all)

Stay In My Corner - Just pure class soul music

The Love We Have Stays On My Mind - TC again

Can We Skip That Part, Sweetness, That's How Heartaches Are Made. All from their 80's album 'The Second Time'

If Carlsberg did soul groups they'd be The Dells

Kev

'It's all Up To You'. - Fantastic building tune written by Terry Callier. .......... a masterpiece of a record

also these 3

There is

Hallways of my mind

Hey sugar/Poor little boy

kev

Your wish is my command Mr Cane, you just need to create a new file in the refosoul single file and then embed it here, bit of a faffle but not to bad,

Anyway back the to aural satisfaction that only the Dells can provide, its a suck and a blow at the same time when he lets go on this

Dells - Do What You Gotta Do - Mercury

One of my favourites from many.

"Private property"

Don,t agree with John for once, I don,t think there is a weak track on the set.

For some reason the LP's never clicked with me, I think I should take some time to re-digest it.

One of my favourites from many.

"Private property"

Mp3 format - how do I get this from Refosoul?

Okay last one for me or I will be working to midnight and beyond, put this on while ago, from one of my favourite LP's, and memories of great days spent in company of the man who made me buy this LP, Dave Molloy, eternally grateful for this and many other things to Mr M, And this song probably proves the old adage, they could sing the phonebook.....

And lets not forget some of the great arrangements on this period, get the headphones on and listen to the percussion all the way through this perfection, that and the most soulful whistling ever committed to vinyl, fu*k me what more could you want

Dells - Trains Boats And Planes - Cadet

You either need to set it up as a new file here

Use the post clip and then go through the motions, that or if it is already on use the embed button in top right corner and then copy and paste the code that starts with rs

Not as easy as it used to be, but still worth it for the pleasure of sharing the Dells.

...Lets not underestimate the awesomely soulfull pleading vocals of Johnny Carter, complementing Marvins Bass brilliance...

Kev

Very true, Kev.

No doubt Marvin and Johnny could both have had successful solo careers but the blending of their remarkable voices was the magic that made The Dells so unique and irresistible.

Now it's hard to imagine one voice without the other.

Oh what a group.

Paul

What a great thread this is, just sublime soul music.

A few to add to the thread. Love this in it's entirety but when Marvin comes in it's fabulous.

Sorry, the clip takes about 10 secs to start but well worth waiting for.

Dells - Does Anybody Know I'm Here - Cadet 5631

Love this fellas.

Dells - That's How Heartaches Are Made - Veteran

Gutsy mid-60s dancer which to me sounds rather dated now. however after 45 years it is gonna be I suppose.

Dells - Thinkin' About You - Cadet 5538

AND A NEWIE

Dells - (you Bring Out) The Best In Me - Soul-tbc

KEV

 

Don't Trick Me, Treat Me

 

Here's a few scans to add to this little lot:

 

3 pieces of soulful perfection from the Mighty Dells

Good shout from the 2 Mr B's, special kudos to Mr Benson for the scan of this and that WD, never seen Inspiration on that label, just the one sided blue copy, whatever label on its stimulant in disguise as vinyl, absolute woosh of a sound. Sure it was one of the very many Ady Harley tips

Dells - Inspiration - Cadet

Cmon boys, these are already on here. Good shout Mr J, I think this is one of the first records I ever bought, sure heard it from Dave Evison at Clouds and couldn't believe it was £1.50 or something like that. Still sounds absolutely thrilling.

Dells - Run For Cover - Soul-tbc

Probably adopted by too many as thinking mans record to play (by too many who weren't really thinking) but it still sends shivers, just absolutely wonderful. Dance hall perfection.

Dells Make Sure, oh for a miners welfare in Allanton somewhere, someday....

Dells - Ztbc - Soul-tbc

Not their very best, which is not necessary an insult with this band, but a very happy sing along, played at right time in right dance floor just hits the spot, for me anyway.

Dells - Don't Trick Metreat Me - Lp ?

And saving the best for last, having raided the archives, will go and record some more this week. This is probably more played out than any of the FW's or AW's but it still stops me in my tracks, memories of a golden time when it was all so much simpler and records like this were shattering my parameters of taste wide open.... Just one of the greatest 70's dancers ever (even though it was recorded in 1980 ).

Sometimes its easy to forget that the reasons some things are overplayed is because they were so damn good in the first place. Ta

I want a ski jumper again..

Dells - Your Song - Soul-tbc

Not keen on the wave of you tube clips, unless they are doing something different or special, and this certainly is, Not great quality clip but good enough to have the hairs on the soul of my feet standing to attention.

Fantastic memories of balmy night in Stoke, one of the greatest ever.

Some brilliant vinyl tracks mentioned on here, but one of the finest CD's in my collection is Standing Ovation- The Very Best of The Dells 1966-1981

39 tracks put together by Richard Searling in 2007 and featuring many of these from the posts.

Steve

Not forgetting the obvious when we all had energy to burn........

These 2 were both 'era defining sounds'

..anthemic tunes from the early nighters of our scene

Old buggers will have memories of dancing to these

Run for Cover

Wear it on our face

Run For Cover has allways done it for me,Im waiting on the There Is album coming from the States with the lovely Higher And Higher on it,did H AND H get released on 45? Wrighty.

Agree with most of the above posts.......arguably the best ever group .......and I consider myself very lucky to have seen them live......twice !!!

Don't think anyone's mentioned the musical genius of Charles Stepney yet......whose name for me is inseparable from The Mighty ones Cadet work

.His arrangement of their take on "Walk On By", for example, never fails to amaze me .

Cheers Paul

Jeez how great does this sound now, good shout Mr A, and good shout Blake H, would love to hear this out, not sure I have danced to this since early Southport days, just magnificent.

Dells - Bring Back The Love Of Yesterday - Chess

Yes you did Jock and I must have been there as well because it was Colin Curtis who played this and " Its all up to you" as a revival but for me the first time and they were brilliant. I was lucky enough to see them at Stoke a great performance.

too many favourites to name but "its all up to you" has to be there.

You doing July just Soul?

? why the double post?

Agree Jocko (is that you Mr o Connor)? Your Song was massive earley 80s Wigan,Clifton Hall. If its you Jock dont bother with those jumpers,i remember them !

Couple of later tracks that should get a mention

I Touched a dream. Great ballad.

What ever turns you on. Great modern dancer.

Cheers Doris Troy aka Pete Doonan.

Having a little dig in all things Dells and am settling on 'Don't Make Me No Promises' from the '74 album ''The Dells Vs The Dramatics'.

Definately Dellsingly Dramatic. (D3)

 

Artist of the Week revisits The Dells