Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

dont think your get many arguments against your chioce, top tune indeed

for me there are many but the one tune of all tunes for me nowadays is

Little Tommy - Baby cant you see.

The only thing i dont like about the tune is that i dont actually own a copy yet

Bearsy

Velvet Satins - Nothing can compare to you

Pat Powdrill - Do it

Orlons - Spinning top

I had trouble with these 30 years ago, I'd probably collapse if I tried dancing to them now

all of them!

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

I can you see its all in the groove:rolleyes:...Delxx

Howard Tate....."You're lookin' Good" Utopia........i still sit down and give it the fast Stafford shuffle.....Fabbo 45......

Soulettes 'Bring your fine self home' Scope

Love the intro but the beat is relentless

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

There is none,dance to anything and everything me

Velvet Satins - Nothing can compare to you

Pat Powdrill - Do it

Definately go along with those two and I"d add Bobby Hill "To The Bitter End"

Cheers Paul

allways had trouble with ;tough girl - billy arnell

anyone else?

russ

allways had trouble with ;tough girl - billy arnell

anyone else?

russ

oh yer, another ; magic touch - melba moore

russ

allways had trouble with ;tough girl - billy arnell

anyone else?

russ

Vocal or instrumental??

The Kindly Shepherds---Lend Me Your Hand

Getting to fast for me now, Jesus Jesus Jesus Lend Me A Hand.

Kev

Not fast... but tricky:

The Chandlers - Your Love Makes Me Lonely - Col Soul.

That waltzy section in the middle... what do you do?

Changes tempo constantly:

The Tang Geers - What's The Use Of Me Trying - Okeh

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

Chris Clark " From Head To Toe " ......

a son of a bitch which used to do me in .......

Malc Burton

Falcons, I Can't Help It. Absolutely love this but can't dance to it - quite quirky

The Who Who Song Jackie Wilson could never get that one nailed just right

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

Had no problems with "Baby Don't You Weep" at all - at least back in the day! However I always found Linda Jones' "You Hit Me Like TNT" really tricky and awkward to dance to (much as I love her) If however you mean "just too much for my tired old bones", then attempting to do justice to The Gems' "I'll Be There" would definitely see me carried off the dancefloor in a box nowadays!

Edited May 9, 200718 yr by mel brat

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Would anyone care to nominate classic northern soul dance classics that although brilliant in almost every respect, have a beat that make them just about impossible to dance to? A record that invariably occasions one of those "oh that intro" moments, followed by a dash to the dancefloor, and then the sudden realisation that getting into that particular beat is as easy as rinsing your mouth from a burst water hydrand? The record has to be good though! My nomination:

Edward Hamilton and the Arabians "Baby don't you weep" (Mary Jane)

Hi Michael

You certainly have a way with words!

Your post sure bought a smile to my face.

Some good nominations so far.

Here's one of my favourite tunes:

Nick Allen - "Hard way to go" (Walas)

Look forward to hearing soundfiles on this thread!

Larry Wright - Sweet Sweet Kisses - A-GO-GO

Towanda Barnes - "You don't mean it", could never get to grips with that cardiac arrest beat!

Dont get this one ! Especially 'Baby Dont you weep' - one of the most dancable northern tunes ever !!! Here I am standing at the bus station suitcase in my hand I'm coming home - Sort it out !

Towanda Barnes - "You don't mean it", could never get to grips with that cardiac arrest beat!

Great Tune would still have a go at it even at the risk of a coronary

Dont get this one ! Especially 'Baby Dont you weep' - one of the most dancable northern tunes ever !!! Here I am standing at the bus station suitcase in my hand I'm coming home - Sort it out !

It's fast, granted, and a fantastic fabulous record, also granted. (I wouldn't part with my copy!) My point is that it doesn't have a distinctive rythmn that you can catch hold of for the purposes of bopping from side to side in time to the beat. What is prominent is an uptempo string arrangement, which works brilliantly for the record, but makes it a toughie to dance to.

What is the "it" I am to sort out?

Another one, equally brilliant, equally awkward to dance to:

Linda Jones "I just can't live my life" (Warners)

Two to tie you in knots - Lela Martin "You can't have your cake" and Cindy Scott "Time can change a love"

Todays People, 7th Wonder and East Coast Connection.

It's fast, granted, and a fantastic fabulous record, also granted. (I wouldn't part with my copy!) My point is that it doesn't have a distinctive rythmn that you can catch hold of for the purposes of bopping from side to side in time to the beat. What is prominent is an uptempo string arrangement, which works brilliantly for the record, but makes it a toughie to dance to.

What is the "it" I am to sort out?

Another one, equally brilliant, equally awkward to dance to:

Linda Jones "I just can't live my life" (Warners)

Michael, michael, michael. Both this and the Edward Hamilton are probably the most easily danceable tunes on the Northern scene. Both rhythically very easy to follow. I suspect you may have difficulty hearing a beat in your head. Now, the Towanda Barnes is a different story but has anyone ever flipped it over to hear the other side - a monster tune and IMHO just as great as 'you don't mean it'.

Warren

Two to tie you in knots - Lela Martin "You can't have your cake" and Cindy Scott "Time can change a love"

Don't know the Lela Martin side, but you're damned right about Cindy Scott! Another old Cats side that I cherish, but it always WAS a bit rhythmically awkward, dancewise! More a case of beaten UP by the rhythm!

I mentioned Bobby Garrett "My Little Girl" on another thread, and how it almost killed me last time I danced to it a few months ago. (I ain't joking either!)

Edited May 10, 200718 yr by mel brat

Jackie Wilson - Since You Showed Me How To Be Happy

The Artistics - Girl I Need You

Mel Wynn - Stop Sign (and did anyone her that fu*$in' idiot 'Abs's' version a few years back?)

Finally and Ironically - Martha Reeves - I Cant Dance To That Music You're Playing

Neil Jones

Edited May 10, 200718 yr by burysoul

Had no problems with "Baby Don't You Weep" at all

Me neither, nor some of those other uptemo numbers. At least they have a distinguishable beat. It's the slower mid-tempo numbers that can be a bit of an arse. All time fave track - Pyramid not a walk in the park - again it's the beat!

Michael, michael, michael. Both this and the Edward Hamilton are probably the most easily danceable tunes on the Northern scene. Both rhythically very easy to follow. I suspect you may have difficulty hearing a beat in your head. Now, the Towanda Barnes is a different story but has anyone ever flipped it over to hear the other side - a monster tune and IMHO just as great as 'you don't mean it'.

Warren

Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense. The most easily danceable tune on the northern scene is either the Wooden Nickles "Nobody but you" or Freddie Butler "Give me lots of lovin" or, well there are millions of them... And in none of those millions you to have to waltz uncomfortably around waiting for the main chorus to erupt again as I always have had to do with Linda Jones -- not that that would ever stop me trying, amazing record as it is.

What about Lou Pride I'm Coming Down In The Morning (copyright Mr M's circa 1975?)??

What the hell do you do in the break?

Embarassing enough when you're 17 and can't do enough backdrops, spins etc to fill the gap.

At 49, it's a walkoff.

At the Casino I always felt like Mr Bean shuffling around aimlessly while the acrobats did their stuff. Please can we never hear it again?

PS Sorry - don't get what's wrong with Edward Hamilton and Linda Jones either, they both fill the floor every time and have done for 30 years

Agree with Wooden Nickles fantastic tune to dance to... Edward Hamilton always thought it was ok and Linda Jones,Lou Pride's break would cause serious problems now probably could have a full scale conversation with someone while waiting .

Ray Pollard's Drifter love it but for some reason cant dance to it

Another Jackie W Track - Higher and Higher

and

Lou Johnson - Unsatisfied

Not fast... but tricky:

The Chandlers - Your Love Makes Me Lonely - Col Soul.

That waltzy section in the middle... what do you do?

I know what you mean with that, then it takes a while to get up to speed again so you flounder a bit!

Night Owl although I love it is a bit off beat and ends rather abrubtly

Not fast... but tricky:

The Chandlers - Your Love Makes Me Lonely - Col Soul.

That waltzy section in the middle... what do you do?

errrrrr...........waltz?

Absolute Bees Knees of a Northern Soul record. Impossible to dance to in time

Willie Tee - Baby, Please dont go.

>>>

PS Sorry - don't get what's wrong with Edward Hamilton and Linda Jones either, they both fill the floor every time and have done for 30 years

>>>

I never said there was anything wrong with them. Quite the opposite in fact. I just said that I find them quite difficult records to dance to. I'm not surpised they've filled the floors for 30 years; they're brilliant. I dance every time I hear them as well; even when in the living room or, more embarrassingly, when listening to my iPod on public transport. Now I don't know about other people, but I dance to a record partly because I enjoy dancing, partly as a kind-of-tribute-and acknowledgement-of-love for a record, and partly also as an outpouring of excitement at hearing a great tune. This sometimes means dancing to records that one, when one thinks about things a little too much, finds it somewhat tricky to dance along to. I was just curious as to what people, individually, found those records to be.

terrible tom " we were made for each other"........dancefloor fodder back int' day,,or was it???.Like my hair,can't do a thing with it now!!!!

Howzabout Skip Mahoney-Janice. Full version?

Great record, but after four minutes you're going "okay, please end"

"please end" "please END!!" as the sweat pours off you and he starts ad libbing.

PS Stupid anecdote re Edward Hamilton

In the Casino days, on Monday nights we got quite chatty with Richard S.

One night about 1975ish he gave me mate a pile of "new" records to borrow and see what we thought.

Amongst them for sure was Edward Hamilton and Mel Britt!!!! (obviously on original labels)

We all taped them on our trusty portables, said they were okay but might not go at the Casino, and returned em a week later unmarked.

Need a securicor van for that lot now

It's fast, granted, and a fantastic fabulous record, also granted. (I wouldn't part with my copy!) My point is that it doesn't have a distinctive rythmn that you can catch hold of for the purposes of bopping from side to side in time to the beat. What is prominent is an uptempo string arrangement, which works brilliantly for the record, but makes it a toughie to dance to.

What is the "it" I am to sort out?

Another one, equally brilliant, equally awkward to dance to:

Linda Jones "I just can't live my life" (Warners)

They are both awesome records Michael. Sorry, didnt mean to offend, I just meant that baby dont you weep is to me almost the epitome of classic Northern style dancing. But who cares how you dance as long as youre enjoying yourself.

My missus says I frown when I dance, when I'm totally happy ! - Honest !

It's weird - when I took my wife to her first Northern do she thought that people wernt dancing to the actual beat of the record but some other weird rhythm they heard somewhere else in the music. Another non soulie friend told me he thought everyone looked like they were desperate to go to the toilet !

I love the image of you dancing on the bus to your i-pod tho !! Brilliant.

Just thought of one ! 'Like the Lord said' What were they thinking when they cut that one !!!!

I've just had a bop in me kitchen to this one....yep can still keep up... Delxx

Me too Del ...still love it too!!

Mand

Latest in a line of utterly contrived threads, each serving as one displacement activity more wretched than the last.

Which other threads are you reffering to ?

Btw how about "if you loved me" by peggy march impossibly slow bits in the middle making it difficult to dance to

Edited May 10, 200718 yr by Madmandy

Can I de-nominate Nick Allen, 'Hard way to go' as I just had a good bop to it with my daughter, who can dance to anything.

I don't remember hearing it played out more than once yet it is such a great record. (Don't go to Northern do's often so does it get played and what kind of response does it get?)

Come to think of it, the only tracks I can't dance to are the ones I don't like.

Just thought of one ! 'Like the Lord said' What were they thinking when they cut that one !!!!

I love that, but by the gods you have to concentrate

For me its anything downbeat (sorry, midtempo). I always find myself doubling up on the beat to find a groove I can settle into.

And The Pyramid? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

And Re: Skip Mahoney full version - off at a complete tangent I know, but it put me in mind of Morecambe nighters which lead to the 12" of Heaven in the Afternoon. Is it just me that wants to start singing 'we want you, we want you, we want you as a new recruit' a la Village People on the middle extended break?

Sorry!

One of my all time favs. 4.00am, Casino, Searling spin, The Immortal, Joe Matthews and his superb offering IMO. Aint Nothing You Can Do. Just couldnt get my feet going in time to the damn thing, and boy did I try. Nowadays I can make a decent attempt sat in the armchair, but back then no way. Could have been due to illegal substances of course. I am writing this now and I can smell the Casino. Wonderful . Just wonderful.

triumphs, im coming to your rescue, struggled with it in 1974, just tried again and got to "hey girl i know that your looking.." and had to have a cup of tea

the three degrees,"contact" have not heard it for years but remember it losing its way (like me!!!) halfway through????...

triumphs, im coming to your rescue, struggled with it in 1974, just tried again and got to "hey girl i know that your looking.." and had to have a cup of tea

cut my teeth on that tune Cod (comin to your rescue ) at the assembly rooms derby and notts palais love it today i love the break ...it sent the dancefloor absolutely wild!!!

Mand

Larry Wright - Sweet Sweet Kisses - A-GO-GO

youre playing the wrong side Phil