Two From the Pen of Joe South
The Tams
Dobie Gray
Listen/Download The Tams – Untie Me
Listen/Download Dobie Gray – Rose Garden
Greetings all
The day of the hump is upon us, and so I feel that it behooves me to provide a soundtrack to push us all up and over the top.
Since his passing back in the beginning of September, I have been deeply involved in a rediscovery of the music of Joe South, through his own recordings and via other artists versions of his songs.
Though he is best known to most as a writer other people’s hits – folks like Billy Joe Royal, Lynn Anderson and the Tams – South was an incredibly solid artist in his own right. The records he made between 1968 and 1972 for Capitol are a remarkable mixture of soul, country, rock and even psychedelia that deserve a much bigger audience.
It was during the process of digging into those albums that I was amazed not only by South’s own versions of his most famous songs (I’d say without hesitation that his is the definitive version of the oft-recorded ‘Hush’) but also pleasantly surprised to discover that he had written a couple of songs that I already loved in versions by other artists (like the Tams ‘Shelter’ and Billy Harner’s ‘She’s Almost You’).
The two songs I bring you today are two more excellent, soulful covers of great Joe South songs.
The first, the Tams ‘Untie Me’ represents both that group’s first hit, as well as South’s initial success as a songwriter.
‘Untie Me’ scraped the edge of the R&B Top 10 in the Fall of 1962, and it’s not only a great song but a great record as well. Produced (and with piano) by Ray Stevens, ‘Untie Me’ struck me the first time I heard it as a perfect tune to be turned into a beat ballad. Once I did a little digging I discovered that it had indeed been covered by Manfred Mann in 1964.
The tune is a great showcase for a restrained vocal by the mighty Joe Pope, and the arrangement is fantastic.
The second cut today is something previously unknown to me that I happened upon while digging.
I’ma huge fan of Dobie Gray’s mid-60s Charger sides, and certainly knew of his later hits, but had no idea that he had recorded three singles for the White Whale label in 1969 and 1970.
Among these was an excellent take on South’s ‘Rose Garden’, two full years before it would be turned into a mega-hit by Lynn Anderson.
Gray’s version is subtly funky – a little more so than South’s original – and sounds to me like the kind of record that should have been a pop hit (it does seem to have gotten some play in a few regional markets in the East and the South).
Given enough time, it wouldn’t be hard to put together a mix or two of Joe South covers, but these two will have to suffice for now.
I hope you dig them, and I’ll see you all on Friday.
Keep the faith
Larry
* Simtec and Wylie were having their hits for the Mr Chand label at the same time as the Krystal Generation, and Simtec Simmons very own T-Box’s band provides the backing on this 45
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Themocracy
A Joe South mix would be most welcome. Big fan here. Always loved his singles. Lucked out about thirty years ago and found a copy of “Introspect” in excellent condition. Thank you!
great great stuff. Lowery had an incredible stable of writers and artists. And Dobie Gray was awesome (his “Loving Arms” is best in my opinion).
I’m doing a project cataloging old Billboard mags and discovered the Tams’ “What Kind of Fool” went to #1 in the UK in the fall of ’71 prompting a state-side re-issue. Timeless music.
Porky
Someday I’m going to have to research and write a piece on all of the US soul tunes that the UK Northern Soul scene pushed back into the charts in the 70s. It really is remarkable how many times it happened.
Larry
yeah, right after I posted that I wanted to add that The Tams ’71 re-entry was the first one I came upon. I’ve heard about that UK phenomenon, mainly Hank Mizell’s “Jungle Rock” becoming a hit out of the blue and helping spark the rockabilly craze of the 70’s/80’s.
One of my Northern Soul books has a list of all of the NS-related records that made it back into the UK charts. I’ll have to dig it out.