The Shells – When I’m Blue
Listen/Download – The Shells – When I’m Blue MP3
Greetings all.
The record I bring you today is the b-side of one of my al time favorite 45s.
I wrote up the a-side ‘Whiplash’ thirteen years ago in the earliest days of the Funky16Corners blog.
I was hepped to the 45 way back in the day by my buddy Haim and it quickly moved into a permanent place in my Top 10.
Though the record was produced by Jerry Butler, when I managed to ask him about it years ago he absolutely to recollection of the session.
The group – brothers Charles and James Calvin,Willie Exon, and Billy Harper (not the same Shells that recorded doowop out of NYC) – went on to record one other 45, ‘Hot Dog’ for Volt, but it’s their debut effort that ought to cement them a spot in the soul hall of fame.
While both sides of the 45 manage to keep a foot in an earlier vocal group harmony style there is no mistaking that they are pure 1965 soul.
Though ‘Whiplash’ is the unmistakable dancer, ‘When I’m Blue’ has always held a special place in my heart. It combines unusual production and arrangement (the band almost sounds like a rock/garage outfit) with a haunting melody, with the Shells sounding like their being piped in from another dimension.
Both sides combined make this one of the most unusual and unique 45s to come out of Chicago in the 1960s.
It appears to have garnered some regional airplay (‘Whiplash’ was an R&B Top 20 hit in St Louis and ‘Hot Dog’ was popular in NY and Philadelphia) , but nothing significant.
I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you all next week.
Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Keep the faith
Larry
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Themocracy
A real ghostly track.
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