Freddie Scott – (You) Got What I Need
Freddie Scott
Listen/Download Freddie Scott – (You) Got What I Need
Greetings all.
I hope all is well in your corner of the universe.
I thought – after what turned out to be an entire week of obituaries – we’d get the new week off to a killer start with a record that I chased for a long time.
There can hardly be a person left on the face of the earth who hears the opening bars of ‘(You) Got What I Need’ and doesn’t immediately think ‘Biz Markie!’
However, there are without a doubt a large portion therein who cannot follow that thought with the name of the original recording artist, Freddie Scott.
I love playing this record for people whose eyes light up with the opening, and then get even wider when they hear an unfamiliar voice and song follow.
When Biz Markie hit in 1989 with ‘Just a Friend’ it’s hard to imagine that many of his contemporaries (other than the DJs) had any idea at all about the sample source.
Though Freddie Scott had a Top 40 R&B hit with ‘You Got What I Need’ in 1968 (the second to last hit in a chart run that started in 1963 with ‘Hey Girl’), the record did not subsequently find a spot in the rotation of oldies radio. His music was strictly the purvey of soul collectors and members of an older generation when the Diabolical Biz Markie slapped on a powdered wig and let loose.
As groovy as the Biz was (is) the really cool thing is, when you sit down and give the Freddie Scott OG a good listen and realize what a fantastic record it is.
Then you take a look at the label and get your second surprise, that being that ‘You Got What I Need’ was written and produced by none other than the mighty Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff!
Though Gamble and Huff had written and produced a grip of amazing local Philly stuff, when Bert Berns handed Scott over to them they had only had one national hit, 1967’s ‘Expressway To Your Heart’ by the Soul Survivors (the Intruders ‘Cowboys to Girls’ would hit the charts only a few months before ‘You Got What I Need’).
Scott had hit the R&B and Pop charts more than half a dozen times in five years. He had moved from Colpix/Columbia to Shout in 1966.
‘You Got What I Need’ manages to be both tuneful and funky (dig those drums), and a great showcase for both Scott’s voice and Gamble and Huff’s producing/arranging talents.
I’m surprised that the record didn’t make a bigger dent in the charts, but following Bert Berns’ death in late 1967, Freddie Scott would only record one more 45 for the label.
He went on to record briefly for Probe, and then Mainstream, but my the mid-70s had moved on to writing advertising jingles.
He passed on in 2004.
I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll see you all later in the week.
Keep the faith
Larry
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Themocracy
Truly a gem, and I only heard it for the first time a year or so ago — and had exactly the OMGWTF reaction you describe above. A wonderful record.
love this 45, never far from my DJ box.
Great post Larry….love his I’ll Be Gone too…fills the dancefloor!
Who’s Biz Markie?
Pete – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aofoBrFNdg
Thanks for putting this in the context of Philly soul…Did you get to meet my dad last summer? He was one of the Soul Survivors’ managers. Now this song means that much more than the Biz backstory!
Elliot
I was only introduced to your father briefly. I had no idea he’d worked with the Soul Survivors!
Larry