Dean Parrish – I’m On My Way
Dean Parrish
The US OG issue (above) and the 1970s UK reissue (below)
Listen/Download – Dean Parrish – I’m On My Way
Greetings all.
The end of the week is here and I am all but exhausted.
Lots to do hereabouts and despite the fact (or because of it) that everything is going as planned all I want to do right now is find a spot on the couch and nod off for an hour or two.
That said, a certain level of excitement is working its way through my stupor.
I have happened upon a couple of exceptional records in the last few weeks – which will naturally appear in this space soon – I got news of a very groovy DJ gig coming up this spring, and, best of all (at least for this moment) I get to end this week of Northern Soul with a truly stunning record.
I do not recall exactly when or where I first heard ‘I’m On My Way’ by Dean Parrish (I suspect it was on a mix tape many years ago) but it blew my mind and dug its claws deep into my brain (and my want list).
I searched for thus record high and low for a long time, getting outbid time and time again (it is a very popular record), eventually picking up a 1970s UK reissue so I could have it in my record box, and then, in a near mystical stroke of kismet, a nice, minty OG fell into my lap.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with my Timmy Thomas ‘Have Some Boogaloo’ saga – wherein I chased the record forever, won a copy, seemingly lost it and then via a series of trades and the vagaries of the international postal maelstrom, ended up with not one but two copies of said record – but ending up with doubles was a very groovy thing indeed.
On the very day I got that extra copy of Timmy, a DJ buddy contacted me to ask if I might be up for a trade, I asked what he had to swap and who should be sitting at the top of his list, but Mr Dean Parrish.
It was as if the hand of fate had slipped this monster of a 45 directly into my record box.
Released in 1967, the last of a string of a half dozen 45s Parrish (born Phil Anastasia) had recorded since 1964, ‘I’m On My Way’ is one of those 45s (particularly Northern Soul faves) that sounds every bit a huge, hit record, but was actually – like so many others – an abject commercial failure.
Though Parrish had had a regional success with his 1966 record ‘Tell Her’, ‘I’m On My Way’ – written by Eliot Greenberg and Doug Morris (who had written ‘Sweet Talking Guy’ for the Chiffons, and another Northern killer ‘The Next In Line’ for Hoagy Lands) went nowhere*.
This is (as I alluded to earlier) not a unique story, but once you’ve heard the record in question it is especially puzzling.
‘I’m On My Way’ grabs your attention instantly with its opening fuzz guitar line, leading into a brief opening verse before launching into a chorus that is so mind-bendingly anthemic you’re likely to bruise yourself rushing to turn up the volume.
Though Northern Soul favorites are often noted for their steady, four on the floor dance beat, ‘I’m On My Way’ bucks that trend with verses that could almost be described as rhythmically awkward, but when you take the chorus – so much musical rocket fuel – into account, it is very easy to understand why the record was the last of the legendary “3 before 8”** at Wigan Casino (the records played before closing time at every allnighter).
The chorus of ‘I’m On My Way’, with its mix of soulful vocals (by Parrish and the backing vocalists) and the soaring melody, from the moment where Parrish shouts ‘Baby!’ to the reprise of the fuzz guitar that closes the chorus, what you are hearing is 30 seconds of purely blissful music.
It’s easy to picture a room full of nearly exhausted dancers whipping themselves into one last frenzy, grabbing the last few minutes of the night and wringing all that they can out of them, a tableaux played out on countless dance floors all over the world since people started spinning records for people to dance to.
It is an anthem in every sense of the word and a fitting way to close out the week.
Make sure you grab yourself an earful of the Funky16Corners Radio Show, this Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio, or pick it up as an MP3 over the weekend here at the blog.
Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you all on Monday.
Peace
Larry
*It has to be noted that after it gained Northern popularity ‘I’m On My Way’ was reissued on Jonathan King’s UK records in 1975 and proceeded to enter the UK Top 40.
**The ‘3 before 8’ were “Time Will Pass You By” by Tobi Legend, “Long After Tonight Is Over” by Jimmy Radcliffe, and “I’m On My Way” by Dean Parrish.
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Blue Eyed Soul, Digging, Funky16Corners, Northern Soul, Soul, Soul 45
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Themocracy
Killer 45 Larry!!! This record collecting lark can be soul destroying but then you get a break with one like this or in you’re case two,including Mr Thomas.All the heartbreak is worthwhile!
I think Dean did a record on Boom, one of my favorite label designs.
Doug Morris did pretty well; isn’t he head of Universal or one of those multi-national music groups? A long way from a mom and pop operation like Laurie….
Doug Morris did do well. When I worked for Warner Elektra Atlantic he was head of Atlantic and then Warner Music briefly. He then headed up Universal and just recently moved to the head of Sony. Pretty much did ’em all!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Morris
Saw Dean last year at an allnighter in London — I’m not being polite but merely stating a fact in saying that his voice and energy are 100% intact. In the best possible way he sounded just like the record(s), wonderful gig.