Dayo

The guy has a deep voice, whoever he is, but it's not THAT deep! No-one is. Have a careful listen and you can hear that the vocal was slowed mechanically. In other words, you record the track, play it back at a slightly faster speed to record the vocals, then you master the disc at the correct tempo and the voice is magicly deeper. It was a common technique in the 60's, but usually employed in reverse, that is the vocal was recorded at a slower tempo and key, then speeded back up to the correct pitch. It was an analogue form of pitch shifting if you like. Never forget hearing that one on the great sound system at Blackpool Mecca. And it's right, you can't get more Northern. Now pass me a bottle of coke... PS Once called my girlfriend a "fine foxy thing". She's still laughing now!

Did anyone spot John Farrell at the record bar!?

I never listened closely to the so called Soul Fox Strings things - and I don't own any of them - but I'd always assumed they were synth strings or Mellotron. The strings on this one sound like real playing to my ears. Perhaps just one player double tracked.

If you're talking about the intro, it's a standard blues progresion used on countless songs. One that springs to mind for me is the Newbeats, Bread and Butter.

Fab Pete. I love the commentary - so twee.

Fab!

Brill - thanks Pete!

Wow - thanks Pete! I never thought I'd see a vid of the COD's. One of the first soul records I ever heard - cheesey, charming and lovely to get on a Stateside demo (never seen one!) Colin

That's what I always thought. Wheel monster, but it has dated hasn't it?

EXACTLY! Motown arrangers would never have used brass in that way on a vocal track. Brass occupying the same kind of frequency range as the human voice, Motown tended to use large brass sections as punctuating stabs and fills. In the case of six by six, the brass section takes the lead melody. In other words, it's way to brassy to ever have a successful vocal on it. All for you was a different kind of arrangement with more "space" for vocals

Both solid gold Northern classics. You gotta be a dancer to feel it maybe!

I wouldn't doubt the credentials of the Magicians for a second. It just sounds "right". Be great to hear the story though. One of the most exciting new finds in recent years, from what I've heard.

Brilliant and one of my faves too.

Of course ska, rock steady and reggae shows good taste! I was a first generation skinhead and, as far as I remember, music was a small part of the lifestyle compared to causing random mayhem. Most of the skins up here were brainless, racist, petty thugs. The media loves to portray late 60's skins as music lovin' trendsetters. It's a great story but in my experience, it just wasn't true. The kids I knew may have bought the odd Tighten Up collection, but I never knew a single serious devotee or collector. Of course, it may have been diffrent elsewhere...

Well, I guess it's ok to tell the story now. It was 1981. I was playing funk and disco in a club in Luxembourg on a two month contract. It was a hangout for some of the 208 staff and DJ's. I was friendly with another English jock out there who was working part time at the 208 record library helping them to catalogue stuff. It didn't take too much pestering before I got an invite to go and have a mooch. It was the most awesome collection of vinyl that you've ever seen. And on the far wall a few boxes of "rubbish 60's flops we're sending to a local fair" (Luxy equivilant of a jumble sale). Would I like to look and see if there was anything I wanted? Gulp.

Skinheads and good taste in music do not really go hand in hand. My feeling is that the whole skin/ska link has been overstated - at least for first generation skins. There was far too much rivalry between skins from various towns for them to get together and groove to Prince Buster just for the vibe of it. They would meet for a ruck, but not for love of music. Football, fags and skinhead girls all ranked higher on the average skins list of priorities. Col

I'm not sure there was any such thing as a "ska do". Unless your counting "Blues Parties" held in private houses in West Indian neighbourhoods. Ska and reggae was just part of the dance or early disco culture, but you'd hear it alongside Stax, Motown, Atlantic as well as loads of pop. Skinheads might travel a few miles for a ruck, but the only clubbers who were going long haul were post-mods or Wheelites IMHO.

My favourite Motown record full stop.

What a good thread this is. So many faves mentioned. Good to see Linda Jones getting the respect she deserves. Same for Big Maybelle. Keep 'em coming!

A twisted Wheel spin Paul - good call.

Totally agree. Neptune stuff was the staple of many a soul pack back in the 70's. Gamble and Huff polishing the slick uptown soul that was all set to conquer the world a couple of years later. My faves would be Linda Jones, that when i'll stop loving you & O'jays, one night affair. Shame the pressing of the singles was no match for the quality of the music. My Neptune stuff almost always sounded thin, and I've never yet found a copy of Deeper in love with you that didn't hiss or crackle. Maybe it's just me! Col

I went through a short phase where I preferred Donny Hathaway's version of What's Going On. Great as it is, on reflection, Marvin's was the work of genius. To think he had that killer melody in the trunk - not to mention a sublime arrangement. Marvin could have used it to write a memorable love song. Instead he chose to give the world a message. And it got through. That kind of musical intergrity is missing from today's popular music. Can you imagine anyone writing a song in 2006 that touches the conscienceness like WGO, or Lennon's Imagine? Col

Thanks Tone!

Thanks for that. You've got me thinking there may be some other Impressions recordings in 3/4.

Love that tune!