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By Larry, April 19, 2016 11:32 am

The Crusaders on the cover of ‘2nd Crusade’

Listen/Download – The Crusaders – Gotta Get It On MP3

Greetings all.

I though we’d all ease into the middle of the week with something funky by the mighty Crusaders.

If you’re a seasoned digger, it’d just about be a miracle if you weren’t already deep into the Crusaders catalog.

Their records, both in their earlier incarnation as the Jazz Crusaders (for World Pacific/Pacific Jazz) and then in their time as the Crusaders (the funky instrumentals on Blue Thumb/Chisa, like today’s selection) and the smoother hitmakers (like ‘Street Life’ on MCA), are ubiquitous and almost always affordable, and in most cases, worth taking home.

Today’s tune, the very groovy ‘Gotta Get It On’ hails from their 1972 LP ‘2nd Crusade’.

Written by drummer Stix Hooper, the tune is pushed along by Joe Sample’s electric piano, the horns of Wayne Henderson and Wilton Felder, and Larry Carlton’s guitar.

The Crusaders always had a funky edge (‘small ‘f’ funky’ in the old school, down and dirty soul jazz stylee), and their early 70s albums pump it into upper case, creating a very tasty, bright, somewhat laid back Southern California groove that you can hear echoes of in early Steely Dan albums.

You probably won’t be spinning this stuff for a funk 45 crowd, but its ability to get heads nodding is second to none.

I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, April 14, 2016 9:26 am

Big Jay McNeely and Band – The Squat (Swingin’)
Big Jay McNeely and Band – Without a Love (Swingin’)
Leon Haywood – The Fat Fish (Fat Fish)
Leon Haywood – A River’s Invitation (Convoy)
Leon Haywood – Soul Cargo (Fat Fish)
Leon and the Burners – Whiplash (Josie)
Leon and the Burners – Crack Up (Josie)
The Packers – Hole In the Wall (Pure Soul Music)
The Packers – Go Head On (Pure Soul Music)
The Hideaways – Hide Out (Mirwood)
Leon Haywood – Soul On (Imperial)
Leon Haywood – Cornbread and Buttermilk (Imperial)
Leon Haywood – 1-2-3 (Imperial)
The Soul Machine – Bag of Goodies (Pzazz)
The Soul Machine – Twitchy Feet (Pzazz

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Leon Haywood at the Organ 1962-1968 MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, dropping each and every Friday with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen online via the TuneIn app or Mixcloud, or grab an MP3 right here at the blog.

News came down the pike last week that the great Leon Haywood had passed away at the age of 74.

Fans of 60s and 70s soul would have been familiar with vocal hits like ‘It’s GotTo Be Mellow’, ‘Mellow Moonlight’ or ‘I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You’.

However, as I discovered – quite by accident, years ago – Leon Haywood was not only a smooth singer, but a Hammond wrangler of the first order.

Turning over a few of his Decca and Imperial 45s revealed organ instrumentals, and then delving deep into the mystery behind that recording of the Packers’ ‘Hole In the Wall’, it was gradually revealed that in addition to a great singing voice, Haywood was just as comfortable on the keys.

He recorded on organ and piano frequently through the 1960s, often as a backing musician, or under a group alias, and then pretty much abandoned the sideline as he got more popular in the 70s.

I had this mix simmering long before he passed away, but as soon as I heard he was gone, I moved it to the front burner.

Born in Texas, he moved to California in the early 60s where he hooked up with the band of R&B saxophonist Big Jay McNeely, with whom he made his first records as an organist. I’ve included both sides of one of his 1962 McNeely 45s, both tunes co-written by Haywood. ‘The Squat’ and ‘Without a Love’ both feature Haywood using a wide open, slightly distorted/overmodulated organ sound in a heavily reverbed production. ‘The Squat’ is a wild R&B dancer, with it’s flipside working a more sedate, bluesy side of the street.

The next few songs fall into the window of 1965-1966, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t in exact chronological order.

Haywood recorded a full album for the LA label Fat Fish in 1966, which included a few vocal numbers (but did not include his big Northern Soul number ‘Baby Reconsider’ which was on a later Fat Fish 45), as well as a grip of piano and organ instrumentals. I’ve included three tracks from this album, including the tunes ‘Fat Fish’, ‘Soul Cargo’ and his swinging cover of Percy Mayfield’s ‘A River’s Invitation’, which appeared on the album as well as a Convoy 45 (where I first heard it).

Next up is both sides of a 45 that I had for at least 15 years before I realized it was Haywood, by Leon and the Burners. ‘Whiplash’ – which uses a similar organ sound to the McNeely 45 – owes a debt to Alvin Cash’s ‘Twine Time’. The flipside, ‘Crack Up’ has a lean, Memphis sound to it.

The next two sides see Leon Haywood walking into the midst of the one of the most interesting musical mysteries of the classic soul era. The Packers ‘Hole In The Wall’ was a Top 5 R&B/Top 40 Pop hit in the Fall of 1965. The session was put together by LA DJ the Magnificent Montague, and included most of Booker T and the MGs (minus Duck Dunn) who were in LA recording with Bobby Darin, saxophonist Packy Axton of the Mar-Keys, and none other than Leon Haywood on organ (Booker T on piano) and Earl Grant on bass.

All would have been clear enough had this been the only record the Packers did, but Axton went on (with a variety of other players) to record a bunch of “Packers” records over the next few years, as well as both sides of the ‘Hole In the Wall’ 45 being issued in the US and the UK as two differently named songs by someone named Joe S. Maxey (more here).

Complicating matters even more, is the fact that Nat Nathan, sometimes with Haywood (sometimes without) would also record a bunch of ‘Hole In the Wall’-esque 45s (you can see the roots of the Packers “sound” in Haywood’s Fat Fish sides), including ‘Hide Out’ by the Hideaways on the LA Mirwood label.

As I mentioned earlier, Haywood included organ and piano instrumentals on his Decca LP ‘It’s Got To be Mellow’ and on the B-sides of his Decca and Imperial 45s. Included here are the originals ‘Soul On’ (45 only) and ‘Cornbread and Buttermilk’ (from the LP) and the 45-only cover of Len Barry’s ‘1-2-3’.

The last two tracks in this mix are the two sides of a great, funky 1968 Hammond 45 that I was after for years, only bagging a copy late last year. The Soul Machine’s ‘Twitchie Feet’ b/w ‘Bag of Goodies’ (recently covered by the Incredible Say Whats) were played, produced and written by Haywood, during his time with the LA-based Pzazz label (where he also recorded with Little Janice).

Now, I have no doubt whatsoever that there are gaps in this mix, especially where Haywood’s work as a sideman, or pseudonymous bandleader are concerned. I have a few 45s that I suspect are his handiwork, but no hard evidence to go on. If any of you have any records to add to the list, please let me know.

Haywood spent time between his 60s and 70s hits working in the studio, backing people like Shuggie Otis. He also started his own Evejim label, and worked as a producer.

He was a talented performer, and will be missed.

I hope you dig the mix, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, April 12, 2016 11:57 am

Listen/Download The Chitlins – Sugar Woman

Greetings all

I first posted the Chitlins ‘Sugar Woman’ (a big fave) almost three years ago, with the small amount of info that I was able to unearth, mixed with some speculation.

Last week, group member Pete Killingsworth posted a comment fleshing out the details significantly.

“Hi Larry,
I somehow ran across your article about The Chitlins and Sugar Woman. I played guitar on that record. Decon John Moore also played guitar. Deacon John did most of the guitar work and I just played chops. The horns were from Deacon John and the Ivories. My brother Sonny Killingsworth played bass. Sonny Tanner is incorrect as he wasn’t on it. Chris Miller was the vocalist and piano player. Sam Roe played drums. Chris Miller and my brother has passed away so Sam and I are the only ones still alive. The producer was Allen Toussaint. Stanley Chaission was our Manager. It’s true we were The Soul Brothers from Pascagoula Mississippi and consisted of Chris Miller, Sam Roe, myself, and my brother Sonny Killingsworth. Deacon John and the Ivories were brought in for sweetening. The record company came up with name “The Chitlins”. We said we’d change our name only if it was a nationwide hit which it wasn’t. It did well in New Orleans though. I can’t comment on the record company itself as I don’t know anything about it except that they were out of New York. It was recorded at Cosimo’s recording studio in New Orleans. So there you have it from the horses mouth. Man that was a long time ago but I remember it like it was yesterday.
Best Regards,
Pete Killingsworth”

Thanks to Pete we now know that there were some NOLA heavy hitters in the studio, including Deacon John Moore and none other than an uncredited Allen Toussaint (the label lists Chase Records honch Stanley Chaisson) working the board!

I thought that it behooved me to re-post this most excellent record, along with the new info (original post below).

I hope you dig the record (or still dig it if it’s already a fave) and I’ll see you all on Friday with a special tribute to the keyboard expertise of the great Leon Haywood.

Keep the Faith

Larry

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Originally posted September 2010

Welcome to the middle of another groovy week.

The track I bring you today is both a fairly recent discovery for me and a major fave.

It is also something of a mystery.

A few months back I was perusing a new (to me) record site on the intertubes, and a glimpse of the Pala records label caught my eye.

One half of the York-Pala construct, it was run by two cats named Charlie Greene and Brian Stone. These operators are best known as music managers who came to prominence in mid-60s LA working with acts like Sonny and Cher, the Buffalo Springfield, the Poor and a cat you may have heard of named Dr John.

I had always seen the York/Pala credit on many records, but it was only in the last few years that I actually found a record on either label.

I have two 45s by The Poor (LA-based folk rock) but the Chitlins ‘Sugar Woman’ was the first Pala disc I’d ever encountered.

The label appears to have been very short-lived, with only one other release (by Larry Marks).

The Chitlins appear to have gotten their start – and spent much of their existence – as a white show band called the Soul Brothers, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

The first time I heard ‘Sugar Woman’, what grabbed me was the New Orleans guitar (sounds like George Davis to me).

As it turns out the band did in fact record their sole 45 in New Orleans for Stanley Chaisson’s Chase Records imprint.

I have not been able to confirm whether or not there was actually a Chitlins 45 released on Chase, or if it was a production deal that was licensed to Pala.

My suspicion – without any hard evidence, mind you – is that Green and Stone happened upon the Chitlins via one of the many New Orleans connections in their orbit. Harold Battiste was Sonny and Cher’s musical director, and both Mac ‘Dr John’ Rebennack and Alvin Robinson were both working on the West Coast during this period.

That said, ‘Sugar Woman’ is a positively scorching bit of garagey soul with fantastic lyrics like

Let her know she’s a real Jim Dandy, feed her candy!

And

Let her know she’s a ring-dang-doo sir, don’t lose her!

The guitar, bass and drums are in a deep, deep groove, and the horns and backing vocalists are spot on.

I don’t know who the lead vocalist is but he’s killing it!

Via some cross-referencing (and following a few hunches) I’m led to believe that the band included guys named Chris Miller, Sam Roe, Pete Killingsworth, Sonny Tanner, having had some crossover with a group called the New Grooves.

As I mentioned earlier, I hear the distinct guitar stylings of George Davis, but the entire record has such a New Orleans feel to it, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that this was the Soul Brothers/Chitlins singer fronting an entire studio full of NOLA pros.

In another interesting twist, the song is credited to country songwriter/producer Billy Sherrill, but I can’t find any instance of anyone else having recorded the tune.

The flip side, ‘The Next Time You See Me’ is an upbeat, bluesy shuffle.

“Sugar Woman’ was a local Top 40 hit in New Orleans in the Spring of 1967.

It is a truly remarkable tune, and one that I wish I’d had in my crates a long time ago.

I hope you dig it as much as I do, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived!

The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock.

They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US).

Click here to go to the ordering page.
Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (1)

By Larry, April 10, 2016 11:18 am

Travis Wammack

Listen/Download – Travis Wammack – Night Train MP3

Greetings all.

It behooves me to warn you that listening to the 45 you see before you may cause heart palpitations, nervous collapse or both, depending on how much coffee and or sugar you have ingested.

Travis Wammack is one of those names that keeps popping up on compilations of instrumental hits, due to his 1964 hit ‘Scratchy’.

Wammack was born in Mississippi but made his name playing in Memphis as a leader, sideman and working as a hired gun for giants like Little Richard (he was Mr Penniman’s bandleader for a decade).

Today’s selection, a cover of the strip club perennial ‘Night Train’. Written and performed by Jimmy Forrest in 1951, ‘Night Train’ was covered countless times by R&B, soul, jazz and rock performers, including the mighty James Brown.

Wammack’s version of the song is one of those instances of source material taken out back, draped over a pile of hand grenades, soaked in nitroglycerine and then blowed up (real good).

I mean, hot damn if this isn’t two and a half minutes of pure, unadulterated insanity. Wammack’s guitar sounds as if it’s being pumped through a Leslie speaker, and the band (just guitar, bass and drums) is recorded in as raw a fashion as I have ever heard on a major-label 45.

Ostensibly a showcase for Wammack’s guitar bad-assery, it serves more as a vivid example of what will happen when intoxicated people are let loose on musical instruments and recording equipment.

The flipside, ‘Karate Time’ is infinitely more subdued, but also quite groovy.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, April 7, 2016 12:50 pm

These are the JBs!

Listen/Download – The JBs – Music For the People MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so is the Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast, which drops every Friday with the best in soul, funk, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud, or grab an MP3 right here at the blog.

Today’s selection is yet another of the countless chapters in the saga of the mighty JBs.

‘Music for the People’ written by “Sweet” Charles Sherrell, and released in 1977 (as the flipside of ‘Crossover’, actually the backing track of Lyn Collins ‘We Want To Parrty Parrty Parrty’) is a funky groover in the late-period JBs stylee.

It has that clockwork James Brown groove to it – dig the bass and guitar – and a group vocal running on top of things. Deep in the disco era, it still delivers the funk (especially the reference to ‘sardine sandwiches’!) even if the production is a tiny bit slick.

It is still – as are all JBs records – essential, so go out and get you some.

See you on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

____________________________________________________________________________

Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, April 5, 2016 11:39 am

Listen/Download – The Majestic Choir and the Soul Stirrers – Why Am I Treated So Bad MP3

Greetings all.

I hope the middle of the week finds you all well.

The tune I bring you today is a favorite of mine (which has appeared here –on the blog or the podcast – in other versions by the Staple Singers (Pop Staples wrote the song), the Sweet Inspirations, Bobby Powell, the Wildare Express and Brian Auger Trinity).

Not only is it a very groovy song on its own – sonic – merits, but also because it has a certain genre flexibility and depth that made it a standard, but in several different settings.

Originally recorded by the Staple Singers in 1965, the song was a perfect distillation of the group’s unique mixture of blues, soul and gospel, bringing with it an explicit civil rights message that couldn’t have been more timely. The Staples even took another – more modern/soul – run at the tune a few years later, with Larry Williams at the board.

The version I bring you today was recorded in 1967 (released in 1968) combining the voices of Harold Smith’s Majestic Choir (who had done a few gospel albums for Checker) and the legendary Soul Stirrers (who were also recording for Checker at the time).

Sounding as if it were recorded 100% live in the studio, their version of ‘Why Am I Treated So Bad’ manages to come on with a soulful edge, due in large part to the funky backing band and the tight harmonies.

Interestingly enough, Checker appears to have been reaching for a soul/gospel crossover with the Majestic Choir (starting with a 1967 45 including versions of ‘People get Ready’ and ‘What the World Needs Now’) that predates the breakthrough of the Edwin Hawkins Singers by two years.

I dig this version a lot, and I hope you do too.

See you on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, April 3, 2016 1:40 pm

Listen/Download – The El Dorados – The Knock Knee MP3

Listen/Download – The El Dorados – The New Breed MP3

Greetings all.

The record I bring to you this fine day is something of a mystery.

First and foremost, it doesn’t appear in most discographies I’ve found of Port Records, and R&B and soul imprint that started in the 50s and went into the late 60s (though there is no doubt that the label and the catalog number check out, placing it sometime in 1965).

It also doesn’t help that the group has the same name as the storied Chicago R&B/doowop group the El Dorados that had a string of hits for VeeJay, including 1955’s ‘At My Front Door’.

This does not appear to be that group, though apparently they broke up and the name got reused a few times, so anything is possible.

That said, ‘The New Breed’ is a fast moving mod soul dancer pushed along by pounding drums and some tasty fatback guitar winding in and out of the proceedings.

The A-side, ‘The Knock Knee’ is the kind of greasy soul that is just a half-step and a heavy downbeat away from funk (dig the bass and the horns especially).

One name of interest on the record is Johnny Terry, who produced the record and co-wrote ‘The Knock Knee’ who I think may be the same Johnny Terry that was a member of the Famous Flames (and a somewhat prolific songwriter).

If any of you can string any of these facts together (or pull them apart where need be) please do so in the comments.

Either way, it’s a groovy 45, and I hope you dig it.

See you on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, March 31, 2016 10:42 am

Listen/Download – The Bobby Sockers – Sock It To Me Bobby MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is near, and so is the appearance of the latest episode of the Funky16Corners Radio Show podcast. The show drops every Friday with the best in soul, funk and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, check it out on Mixcloud, or grab yourself an MP3 right here at the blog.

Today’s selection is the unusual (soulful) by-product of a string mid-1960s comedy-novelty 45s by a guy named Bill Minkin.

Minkin, along with an assembledge known as the Hardly-Worthit Players (the name being a play on then famous newsmen (Chet) Huntley and (David) Brinkley) released a version of the Troggs’ ‘Wild Thing’, as performed in the (impersonated) voice of Senator Bobby Kennedy. Though this is little-known to anyone that wasn’t around to hear it the first time, it was a fairly substantial pop hit in the Winter of ‘66/’67.

As has always been the case, the parties involved decided to milk the success as much as they could, eventually releasing three 45s (and two LPs on Cameo/Parkway called ‘Boston Soul’ and ‘Senator Bobby’s Christmas Party’) between 1966 and 1968, with covers of Donovan’s ‘Mellow Yellow’ and finally Mitch Ryder’s ‘Sock It To Me Baby’.

The tune I bring you today was the flip side of that final 45. Billed as ‘Sock It To me Bobby’ by the ‘Bobby Sockers’, what you get here is a straight cover of the Mitch Ryder tune, with the ridiculous Bobby Kennedy imitation stripped off, returning it to its roots as an upbeat dancer.

The only downer (as it is) is the inclusion of a super-white-sounding female chorus running under things.

That said, it’s still a groovy record, which I included in one of my 2014 Pledge Drive mixes.

It’s a cool 45 (with a cool story) and I hope you dig it.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

____________________________________________________________________________

Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, March 29, 2016 6:36 pm

The Delacardos

Listen/Download – The Delacardos – They Put a Spell On You MP3

Greetings all.

The tune I bring you today is not only an excellent 45 on its own merits, but also a part of a small but very interesting chapter in the classic era of soul.

If you are a regular reader of Funky16Corners you already know that I believe Otis Redding to be the greatest soul singer of all time. He was an absolute master, hugely influential and one can only imagine what he might have produced had he not been cut down at the age of 27.

That said, for all of my deep and abiding respect for Otis, it was only fairly recently that I discovered that he had produced a couple of records for other people.

The list is short, including Redding’s protégé Arthur Conley, organist Jackie Hairston, singer Billy Young, and the group behind today’s selection, the Delacardos.

A North Carolina group, which included a singing front line – Vernon Hill, Chris Harris, Harold Ford and Robert Gates – and their backing band, the Delacardos recorded ten 45s between 1962 and 1967 for Elgey, Shell, Imperial, Dimension, United Artists and Atlantic.

Today’s selection, ‘They Put a Spell On You’ was the last of their Atlantic sides, two of which (including this one) were produced by Otis Redding*.

They had worked with Redding’s manager/business parter Phil Walden earlier in their career, which is probably how they ended up working with Otis.

‘They Put a Spell On You’, co-written by group member Chris Harris and band member Ronnie Grier, is a gritty, mid-tempo burner that sounds like a not-too-distant cousin to Sam and Dave’s ‘You Got Me Hummin’. It features a great lead vocal and some tasty harmonies by the group.

As far as I can tell, despite working with Redding and Walden, the Delacardo’s recordings didn’t see any commercial success.

They split up after this 45.

I hope you dig the track, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

*One of the two 45s has production credited to Redwal Productions, but I have seen mention that in this instance it is in fact Otis producing

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, March 27, 2016 10:35 am

Chuck Wood

Listen/Download – Chuck Wood – Seven Days Is Too Long MP3

Greetings all.

I thought we’d get the week started with an honest to goodness Northern Soul anthem.

Naturally, there’s a story to go along with this one, which will stand as a testimony to my occasional obliviousness and the nature of luck.

Many, many years ago, before my wife and I were blessed with our kids, she used to accompany on the occasional digging expedition.

I would usually provide her with a basic criteria as to what kind of stuff I was looking for, and she would dig through the crates with me.

Over the years she managed to pull a couple of real winners, and today’s selection is one of them.

Now when she saw the title ‘Soul Shingaling’ (the flipside of this 45), the alarms went off and she handed it to me. Though I’d never heard of Chuck Wood, I couldn’t in good conscience pass up a 45 with that title, so I put it in the keeper pile and gave it a home in my crates.

Now, at the time, though I was a fan of the Northern Soul “sound”, I didn’t know much of the canon, so it was a few years until I flipped over ‘Soul Shingaling’ and discovered just how good ‘Seven Days Is Too Long’ is.

Recorded in 1967, ‘Seven Days Is Too Long’ was actually a minor regional hit on the East Coast, especially in Philadelphia (I scored my copy on the outskirts of that city), but was pretty much all the success that Chuck Wood ever had.

That was until the record was rediscovered by the UK soul crowd, who embraced the record, making it a huge Northern Soul hit, getting it reissued (it had seen an original 1967 pressing in the UK on the Big T label) twice, in 1971 on Mojo and then in 1975 on Pye.

The record’s Northern Soul popularity should come as no surprise, since its bright, poppy hooks and driving pace and anthemic chorus sound tailor-made for those dance floors.

There’s not much in the way of information about Wood himself out there, which is odd considering the popularity of the record (I was lucky enough to find the picture above in a book on Northern Soul).

The song was covered in 1980 by Dexys Midnight Runners.

It’s a fantastic record and I hope you dig it as much as I do.

See you on Wednesday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

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By Larry, March 24, 2016 11:49 am

Funky16Corners Presents Go Go Shoes – Mix for Night Train Radio Show
The La Salles – La La La La La (VIP)
Jimmie Preacher Ellis and the Odd Fellows – (C’Mon) Let’s Dance to the Drum Beat (Kris)
Tina Britt – The Real Thing (Eastern)
Johnny Jay and the Gangbusters – Gangbusters Blues (Josie)
Gene Waiters – Shake and Shingaling Pt2 (Fairmount)
Cannibal and the Headhunters – Shotgun (Date)
Dottie Cambridge – He’s About a Mover (MGM)
Gravities (Bobby Newton’s Band) – Do the Whip (Instrumental Version) (Mercury)
Lonnie Youngblood – Go Go Shoes (Fairmount)
Ronnie Rae and the Dynamics – Funky Shuffle (RJR)
Soul Continentals – Bowlegs (Sound Stage Seven)
Big Maybelle – 96 Tears (Rojac)

Listen/Download – Funky16Corners Presents: Go Go Shoes MP3

Greetings all.

A while back Steve and Paul of the Night Train radio show (92.3 Sheffield Live in the UK) asked if I’d put together a guest mix for their show.

That mix airs this Thursday, (3/24 11pm GST/ 7pm EST), and you can pick yourselves up a download right here at the blog.

The Night Train guys requested a tight half hour, and that’s what you get, with soul, R&B and Northern sides mixed together for your dancing (and listening) pleasure.

These are all (with a few exceptions) fairly new additions to the Funky16Corners crates, so aside from a play or two in the podcast, they haven’t appeared here before.

So tune into the Night Train, pull down the ones and zeros, and have yourselves a great weekend.

I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

Comments (2)

By Larry, March 22, 2016 12:24 pm

The Four Larks

Listen/Download – The Four Larks – Groovin’ at the Go Go MP3

Greetings all.

I come to you, mid-week, with one of the greatest 45s ever made, and a story to accompany its dulcet tones.

Many years ago, in the early days of the Funky16Corners blog, I got an e-mail from a reader (whose identity is sadly lost in the sands of time) saying how much they dug the blog, and asked for my address so that they could send me something.

So, a couple of weeks pass, and then I get a package in the mail. I opened it, only to be greeted by a genuinely shocking sight.

There in the package was one of my personal holy grail 45s, ‘Groovin’ at the Go Go’ by the Four Larks, in stone mint condition, with a note saying how the sender had come across it at a stoop sale in Brooklyn, knew that I had sung its praises on the blog (mentioning of course how I had been unable to score a copy), and thought they’d send it my way as a token of their appreciation for my efforts.

Now, I should mention – for those of you who are not record collecting obsessives, or Northern Soul fans – that this is no ordinary garage sale/flea market find. This is a record that regularly fetches between 200 to 350 dollars in this kind of condition (way out of my price range) and this sainted soul dropped a mint copy in my lap for nothing.

That, my friends, is what the Jewish members of my family would describe as a mitzvah. A really big mitzvah.

Sadly, I soon lost the box with the sender’s name and address, and despite asking on the blog for contact info, have not heard from them again (if you’re still out there, PLEASE drop me a line).

They should know, that over the years, when I wasn’t feeling the love (blog-wise), that act of kindness was a well that I could return to over and over again to restore my faith in the readership, and mankind in general.

That all said, it is undeniable (at least to me and most Philly soul heads) that the Four Larks ‘Groovin’ at the Go Go’ is a monument to the greatness of the Harthon sound specifically, and Philadelphia soul in general.

The lead vocal by Vivian McDougal is first rate, and the backing by the Four Larks (including her then-husband, the mighty Weldon), and the instrumental backing (flawless) are both among the best of the era, and the tune, written by Philly giant Thom Bell is amazing.

‘Groovin’ at the Go Go’ is a Northern Soul favorite for all of the obvious reasons, including the hooks, bright pop-soul sound and that driving beat.

The 45 holds a place of honor in my playbox, and when I had the opportunity to spin at the legendary Subway Soul night in NYC, I made sure to give it an airing.

I hope you dig it as much as I do, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.