Lesser Known & Obscure Northern Soul 45's Podcast

[Pete S]

For this podcast I thought I'd bring together a bunch of records I've either never played before or maybe just the once, and then forgotten them...you won't hear many of these at your local soul do's or allnighters - but maybe - in some cases - you should...or you may do soon once they get heard by a wider audience. Some of you will know these, some won't...listen with an open mind and you may discover something you like.

If you don't like the first few..stick with it...some great stuff here

https://www.raresoul.co.uk/wordpress/?page_id=11

click the blue triangle to listen or right click the title to the right of the triangle and click save link as to download

1) THE WOODEN LEG FORMATION DANCE TEAM - FEEL LIKE I'M ON MY WAY

Starting out like a folk revival cast-off, this turns into a pleasant boy/girl blue eyed dancer akin to Sonny & Phyllis

2) THE PAGEANTS - ARE YOU EVER COMING HOME

This is a truly brilliant group harmony dancer circa 1964 which literally does get better with every play. Note the Stand By Me bass riff which gets stronger throughout

3) SYLVIA THOMAS - AT LAST

Thankfully not the standard of the same title, this is a long-forgotten Detroit crossover dancer featuring a great singer and what used to be known as a "Cookin'" band

4) THE ELGINS - YOU FOUND ANOTHER FOOL

I was going to play the A side, an excellent beat ballad entitled "Street Scene", but on flipping it over I discovered that this side was even better!

5) GARNET MIMMS - LOOK AWAY

Lovely latin-tinged midtempo sound from the great Garnet Mimms

6) MARY SNEED - WHEN I WAS 15

This got a unanimous thumbs-up from the Soul Source panel when I posted it up a few days back and it just grows and grows...typical early 60's girl group sound but with a sprinkling of that magic extra ingredient

7) JIMMY RICHARDS - MY NEW FOUND JOY

Not my usual cup of tea at all this, and not really Northern by any stretch of the imagination, but what a rasping, rip-roaring vocal performance by this guy, and those screams - you know he means it!

8) DIANA NEWBY - WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING ME THROUGH

Memories of a very early Kent album with this excellent Kapp 45, archetypal femme Northern sound

9) THE MANHATTANS - I BETCHA COULDN'T LOVE ME

Sadly a lot of The Manhattans records get overlooked because they are so easy to find - but sometimes that's no pointer to the quality of the recording, and this is a brilliant slice of smooth New York City soul

10) RED WEST COMBO - MY BABE

I found this several years ago, though no doubt someone else will tell me they found it in the 60's, anyway I always thought this version of My Babe played over the Green Onions rhythm was a great mod sound

11) CHUCK CONLON - WON'T YOU SAY YES TO ME GIRL

Chuck sounds so redneck he must have a restricting order to keep him away from sheep but he's come up with a real stomper here, starts off quite innocently but within 30 seconds it's 100mph all the way

12) DEE DEE WARWICK - DON'T YOU EVER GIVE UP ON ME

Standing in the shadows of Worth Every Tear I Cry but taken at the same pace and possibly from the same sessions, this is a pretty good dancer, maybe lacking a really good hook but nice all the same

13) JUNE CONQUEST - ALMOST PERSUADED

Nice midtempo track from Fame records which was a perennial cheapie on Anglos lists in the 90's (as was Dotty & Millie!)

14) NELLA DODDS - P'S AND Q'S

If the rumours are true that Lillie Bryant's "Meet me half way" was withdrawn due to pressure from Motown saying it sounded too much like "This old heart of mine", if the people from the Motor City had ever heard this track they would have closed down Wand records becayse this is the most blatant rip-off of another tune I've ever heard...doesn't take much working out to hear which one!

15) JOHNNY TAYLOR - ROME (WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY)

On Sam Cooke's label and sounding for all the world like Sam himself, this is a good early dancer but is slightly marred by the backing singers doing a chain-gang type routine

16) FIVE STAIRSTEPS - DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

I do love The Shammettes cover of this but this original version is still brilliant

17) GENE CHANDLER - NO ONE CAN LOVE YOU (LIKE I DO)

Gene didn't make many bad records and this semi-duet is a good midtempo sound which I've had for years and never even played

18) BOB & EARL - MY TIME IS YOUR TIME

Another record which I've had for years and literally never played - this is the early version before the rerecording on Mirwood and it sees Bob & Earl attempting to become the Righteous Brothers. Lovely moody sound to this one.

19) JOHNSON, HAWKINS, TATUM & DURR - YOUR LOVE KEEPS DRAWING ME CLOSER

I've been crazy about this record since I furst heard it years ago and I never get tired of hearing it. Early 70's probably. Don't care!

20) RONNIE DYSON - WE CAN MAKE IT LAST FOREVER

If this was ever played - and surely it must have been a Mecca spin - it bypassed me completely. The slow beginning is deceptive as a minute in it goes way uptown and uptempo to turn into an excellent 70's dancer

21) HERBERT HUNTER - HIDE NOR HAIR

A copy of the Ray Charles hit version, not the Earl Grant Northern stormer. Not a bad vocal though.

22) ANN BYERS - DEAD END

I could never understand why this didn't go big, have to come to the conclusion that it's just too fast, but what a brilliant Motown influenced track

23) PEE WEE, SHUCK & HUEY - BESIDE MYSELF

This is just fantastic, been championing this for years now, and that's pre-Millionares Only cd release - still not sure if it's a girl or a boy singer though. From Los Angeles and helmed by Miles Grayson..Mick Smith's copy even has the groups contact number written on it

24) HONEY BEES - NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS

The sublime vocal version to the track on the flip of Jack Montgomery's "Don't turn your back on me"

25) THE FABULOUS JADES - COME ON AND LIVE

A brilliant late 60's dancer which was bootlegged way too soon for it to ever go massive. Utterly superb.

26) BILLIE DAVIS - NOBODY'S HOME TO GO HOME TO

From way out of left field, Billie's voice is a bit shrill but this track has a really good chorus

27) THE STER-PHONICS - DON'T LEAVE ME

One of my very earliest Ebay buys this...still kicking myself for selling it

28) PATTI AUSTIN - HE'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME

A lovely version of a number also cut by mary Wells for 20^th century

[Ezzie Brown]

is june conquest still aound £20? pageants good too!

[Pete S]

is june conquest still aound £20? pageants good too!

Probably even less than that mate. I sold a Pageants this week, kept one for myself, don't think I could part with it now.

[Wiganer1]

12) DEE DEE WARWICK - DON'T YOU EVER GIVE UP ON ME

Standing in the shadows of Worth Every Tear I Cry but taken at the same pace and possibly from the same sessions, this is a pretty good dancer, maybe lacking a really good hook but nice all the same

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great dancer this ...

ex vincent spin at wigan @ 75.....nice one pete

[Pete S]

12) DEE DEE WARWICK - DON'T YOU EVER GIVE UP ON ME

Standing in the shadows of Worth Every Tear I Cry but taken at the same pace and possibly from the same sessions, this is a pretty good dancer, maybe lacking a really good hook but nice all the same

=======

great dancer this ...

ex vincent spin at wigan @ 75.....nice one pete

Blimey, I had no idea Mark...good spot!

[Pete S]

Oh by the way, I made up the artist names on one of the tracks, bet you can't spot which one

[Pete S]

I don't even remember doing this podcast I"m afraid!  Absolutely no chance I've still got it, so can't identify track one.