The Exciters – Blowing Up My Mind!
The Exciters
Listen/Download – The Exciters – Blowing Up My Mind!
Greetings all.
I hope that all of you have had a chance to dig into Monday’s mix, but also the lively exchange of ideas that popped up in the comments thereof.
What started out as a stylistic defense/cri de couer for Northern Soul (in response to some hostile commentary I had encountered elsewhere) ended up spurring a convo about the nature of scenes/genres and the way ideas and perceptions are formed about both.
Heady stuff, indeed, but I didn’t want the original thrust of the post to be lost, that being that I dig me some Northern Soul.
There have been several Northern-themed mixes posted in the space over the years (see the Podcast Archive and Soul Club tabs), and if I haven’t gotten my point across by now, I’m not sure what else I can, or should do.
I realize that it’s not like there’s some kind of crusade against Northern Soul out there that demands a response, but blogging being a personal pursuit, sometimes I am inclined to personalized an issue or two, toss it into my mental Cuisinart and give it a few spins.
Ultimately, I don’t suppose I’m going to change anyone’s mind, but it is always possible that the music will.
It is in furtherance of that cause that I’m going to spend the rest of the week posting a couple of particularly lively Northern faves that you might whip on doubters whenever they might cross your path.
The first of these is a song that I only heard for the first time last year, and as is often the case, my wig was good and truly flipped.
Previous to that moment, my knowledge of the Exciters was limited to ‘Tell Him’ – their huge, Golden Oldie hit from 1962 – and ‘Do Wah Diddy’ (from 1963) their OG of a tune that would be catapulted to similar status a year later by Manfred Mann.
I knew that their discography continued on for several years, but had no inkling that it contained anything of value.
Until – that is – I heard ‘Blowing Up My Mind’.
Released in 1969, not a year one would expect to associate with a Northern Soul classic, ‘Blowing Up My Mind’ is not only very popular with the soulies (as well as with collectors and DJs, making it fairly pricey) but an unusual, exceptional record in its own right.
The first few times I heard this record, the main impression upon the pleasure centers of my mind was limited to the melody and tempo. ‘Blowing Up My Mind’ moves forward at a very brisk pace, abetted by a pulsing bass line, combo organ signature and of course the driving lead vocal by Brenda Reid.
What I didn’t pick up until I got myself a copy of the 45 and gave it countless repeat spins, was the groovy, slightly crazy lyrics.
“Dynamite and nitroglycerine is like a firecracker compared to you…”
“It’s like a mountain climber took a ton of lead and dropped it from the highest peak right on top of my head…”
Etc etc
And the extra cool thing is that the hyperbolic nature of the lyrics is 150% justified (see what I did there…) by the explosive nature of the tune.
Northern Soul playlists are generally packed as tightly as possible with floor-filling anthems, and there’s no denying that ‘Blowing Up My Mind’ fits the bill perfectly.
Though the record sounds like it might have come out a few years earlier, one need only flip it over to get the 1969-y vibe, with the surprisingly funky ‘You Don’t Know What You’re Missing (Til It’s Gone!)’ (which I included in my recent guest mix for Amen Brother).
The bottom line, is that ‘Blowing Up My Mind’ is a killer 45, no matter how you roll stylistically.
I hope you dig it, and I’ll be back on Friday with something cool.
Peace
Larry
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Themocracy
A superb tune. I love it when vocalists push the song that way.
Btw, I def enjoyed participating in the comments on the last post, although I hope I wasn’t too off beam with mine. Sticking with the program has never been my forte.
I agree. Brenda Reid was a great singer. I’d like to find their albumsto hear more.
And you weren’t off beam at all. I wish we had more exchanges like that around here.
“I wish we had more exchanges like that around here.”
Cool. I would wish the same of my my own blog.
Larry – what about ‘Reachin’ For The Best’? A NS sure-shot!