Dayo

Ok, here's mine (could have been fifty!) Yes, they're all well known, and for good reason! In no particular order... Linda Jones - Just Can't Live My Life So, I'm at Va Va. It's 1973 and I'm just a kid. In my y-fronts is an enourmous bag of blueys (they'll never search you Col, you look too young). We'll divvy 'em up in the loo. The loo is chocka with people doing the same. Half an hour later I'm flying and the dance floor is rammed. Searling drops the needle on this and I'm in orbit. My first time with Linda. The harp intro, the backbeat, the lyrics, the breakdown... the pain drenched vocal. What a memory, what a record! It's A Shame - Spinners Probably the first soul record I bought. The jangly guitar intro has never been bettered for taste or sheer style. The vocal arrangement still blows me away and I just adore the way it builds in intensity. I rate the Spinners so highly that Sweet Thing is also in my top ten. Never tire of it and, like everyone, I've heard it a zillion times. You Better Go - Derek Martin Bought a UK demo of this blind back around 1980. Funny it had escaped the dragnet till then. Sublime vocal performance from one of the most under-rated guys in soul. The tortured "I love you" in the fade out is probably my fave part. Definitely good to the last drop. Just Walk In My Shoes - Gladys Knight and the Pips It's appropriate to credit the Pips on this track, because their contribution to this magical production is immense. In fact, everything about this record is so perfect to me, that I can hardly bare to play it, just on the off chance that it's not as awesome as I remember it is! My fave track, from my fave singer. Our Love Is In The Pocket - J.J. Barnes It's the very epitome of Northern Soul. And that's why it's here. A representative track from the golden era. Could have picked a hundred other Torch or Wheel classics, but this one sums everything up. Perfect beat, perfect tempo, perfect lyrics. Of course, I love D. Banks; it's the one I heard first. But over the years I've really grown to appreciate the slightly cooler phrasing and vocal texture that J.J. brings to the party. Going Out Of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials Perfect soul music that is almost operatic in scale and almost too gorgeous to listen to. A heavenly experience from the first note to last. Time to push the button. I just know I'll regret leaving out the Salvadors! Have a nice weekend Colin

Thanks for kicking it off Chris. Great selection. I'm guessing Open the Door will turn up in more than one list! Don't know the Sonny Childe track at all. Must try and dig a soundfile or something. I'll post mine shortly, but it's what to leave out! I started with a list of ten and now it's down to seven...

My girlfriend reckons I've got at least 50 records in my all time top five! So it set me thinking, and I've almost narrowed it down. Will post mine in a day or two. Meantime, if you've a spare few minutes, how about sharing your all time top five soul records? Might take some thinking about - that's why I'm not being hasty in posting mine. Would be great to get a short note from you about each one too, why it grooves you so much, memories etc I'm certain the comments would be as interesting as the choices themselves. I'll bet anything that someone will post more than five! Discipline yourself! In an ideal world we'd all comment on eachother's selections (ooooh that's a corker etc) - in practice there is never time, but I'll certainly read them all with interest, I'm sure most of us will be nodding silently in appreciation too. Thanks in advance Colin

Definitely beans. Dave Godin printed the lyrics in an ancient issue of B&S. It's a great album; Caviar and Chitlins.

Wasn't taking issue Mark - you may well be right. And I totally agree, NS of the highest order!

Had NO idea that Little Ritchie was white! Paul Anka = probably the epitome of Northern (soul!?) That's a can of worms... Mitch Ryder does it for me everytime. You get your kicks and Breakout.

I'm so jealous. Love to see her live. LMDE - One of me all time faves. Great pole dancing record too! Or, so i'm told, by people who dance with poles! Good call on Walter Jackson... a big fave with the early mods. So was his soulful version of Where Have all The Flowers Gone. Colin

I dug out Roy Lee Johnson's Boogaloo No. 3 last night. Hadn't heard it decades. UK Action copies were quite easy to come by and it was one of the first things I ever bought. I never heard it played out (in my day) - the beat was just a little too funky and perhaps it didn't rack up against instrumentals of the quality of Bari Track, Exus Trek, Festival Time etc. Maybe it's been a hit on our scene at some venues, I've been away tooooo long. I know a few so called rare groove jocks jumped on it. However.... Has this record aged well or what?! Boogaloo No. 3 If you haven't heard it in a while, crank it up loud. You might be glad you paid it another visit - I was. Colin

Sounds I'd lurve to hear out again.... They call me Jesse James (+ the flip Charge) - Jesse James & the Dreams Band Do the 45 - Sharpees You're not lovin a beginner - Jesse Fisher Uhuru - Jomo (never heard this anywhere!) It's also been a zillion year since I heard Mary Love's Turned my bitter into sweet.... but it's such a classic I'm sure someone is still hammering it. Colin (penchant for Wheel sounds) Day!

Miff - you're spot on. I've always considered the Clapping Song to be a rap record. Surely Shirley Ellis though?

I'm certain that never got the plays it deserves.

Don't know that track. Funny how the backing vocalists are so distant...

1973. Year of my avatar pic. Er... been downhill since ! lol

Anyone else think Nico is here to wind us all up!? C'mon.... Tony Joe White, Rick Astley, Elvis.... Respect to you and your music taste Nico but someone needs to play you some quality soul. Best wishes Colin

Well I'd be first in the Q for that. Where's Ady when we need him!?

Steve Certainly sounds like Derek Martin, and it's a great record whatever. Thanks for the post. Regarding the Sly Girl comments elsewhere; couldn't agree more. Perfect Northern Soul. Leaving out DM's vocal, the bass line is stunning, don't you think? Colin

Just a note to say thanks to Craig & Rowley for posting those great tracks. Would be fantastic if someone could put together a Derek Martin CD. Ady?

Derek Martin. Brilliant genius, or what? Here's the thing; first time I heard You Better Go, I was well confused. I mean here's this song with a strange construction, full-on emotion drenched vocal, gorgeous jazzy chords and sublime lyrics. But then there's a problem. Big one. It's the backing vocals. Part of me thinks they are angelic, but part of me is also thinking of White Horses (Jackie, remember?) Took me a while, but I finally put them firmly in the angel category. It's been one of my top five records ever since. But it's his voice I keep coming back to. His tone. His way with a lyric. His range. Does he have the recognition he deserves? Anyone else rate this guy as high as I do? Has anyone got any lesser known tracks to recommend? Colin

Chuckling

I imagine Glen Campbell may have played on a lot more soul stuff than we'll ever know. If memory serves, wasn't he one of the most in demand sesion guitarists on the West Coast? He certainly played on loads of Phil Spector stuff and also toured and played with the Beach Boys (Good Vibrations was one of his sessions, ditto Pet Sounds). Personally I love what he did with those Jim Webb songs. A big, big talent.

Both points agreed!

Matt Munroe. About as far away fom soul music as you can get. Nevertheless, I've got a small soft spot for him too. Under rated and under appreciated, he had superb tone and a delicate gift for phrasing. Also copped for some cracking songs from the best of Britain's Tin Pan Alley. On the subject of MOR stuff, my girlfriend is a huge fan of Doris Day. It's got to be said, she was a great actress, but an even greater singer. I wouldn't call myself a fan, but again; fantastic tone, and gorgeous arrangements. And, yes, I realise she is something of a gay icon, and no I'm not My other loves include ska and reggae, blues (if it's earthy like John Lee Hooker). Folk does nothing for me, I just don't get it - and jazz is ok if you're stoned. But... My love affair with black American soul music goes back 36 years. I may flirt with other musical genres, but I'd rather hear the bridge from Just Can't Live My Life, than anything else on the planet.

Late eighties, saw him live at the Albert Hall, along with Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra. He blew them both off the stage. An amazing perfomer. Soulful, perhaps. Soul music, no. (IMHO)

Realise that a lot of the records mentioned here are hard ones, but just wondered if anyone had any soundfiles to post; low quality, just half the disc, whatever. Would love to get a flavour of some of these... Thanks Colin

Good points, all well made. I'm absolutely certain that there have been some stunning soul records discovered over the last twenty odd years. It's the quantity and quality of the Northern element that may be an issue, as defined by records like Bob Relf, Linda Jones, Morris Chestnut etc. (And by the way, no-one is disputing the amount of tripe amongst the goodies - at Wigan, in particular). Mello Souls is often held up as the champion of more recent discoveries, but would it have been a big record at the Torch? I don't think so. A marginal spin at best. And yes, ok, I know, one of the biggest records at the Torch was The Shakers. Love on a mountain top was hardly gritty, heart felt soul either. I think it's a fascinating debate this one, and I'm sure it'll go on and on. Best wishes Colin (Still waiting and praying to be convinced)