It’s one of the best ways to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder – I gather up as many classic 60’s hits and blast them in my car. Right now my SiriusXM radio in the Blackbird is tuned to channel 49, “Soul Town,” classic 60’s and 70’s Motown and Philly soul hits.
And I feel like sharing them with you today, so as the final leaves fall off the trees, hopefully these tracks will help you bounce through the day.
THE PLATTERS
With This Ring
You might know the Platters from their string of ballads in the 1950’s; they later moved to Musicor Records and had two Northern Soul hits, “I Love You 1000 Times” and this track, “With This Ring.” This is the waycool stereo version.
JAMES BROWN
There Was A Time!
There’s something extra-special about this James Brown track, it’s almost as if he’s trying to tell his musical life story with his funk band and horns adding a get-out-of-your-seat beat.
THE PHARAOHS
Is That Black Enough For You?
This is one of the first true “Chicago funk” songs that I ever stumbled across. The original 45 of this track can sell for about $30-40 to collectors; it also makes for some serious sampling sweetness.
LYN COLLINS, THE FEMALE PREACHER
Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again
This is an amazing funk track by Lyn Collins, who worked with James Brown and the JB’s on Brown’s People record label. Definitely work a spin and again and again and again and again and again and again…
THE VELVELETTES
Needle in a Haystack
If you’ve got to compete at Motown with the Supremes, the Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas… you’d better come up with a killer track and hope it gets discovered. The Velvelettes came up with a killer track. Unfortunately, it didn’t get as much play as it should have.
AL WILSON
The Snake
You might know Al Wilson for his #1 ballad “Show and Tell,” but this track, recorded a few years earlier, is just an amazing track, and it even has a bit of an Aesop’s Fable lyric throughout it.
JOY LOVEJOY
In Orbit
This Northern Soul stomper just starts out strong and never lets up. Horns, punchy drums, bouncy bass… totally awesome.
THE SEVEN SOULS
I Still Love You
I don’t know anything about the Seven Souls. I also don’t know why this spectacular track didn’t become a Top 40 hit. Maybe someone noticed that it had a snippet of Percy Faith’s “Theme From ‘A Summer Place'” in the intro… maybe…
THE WINSTONS
Amen, Brother
The Winstons had a monster hit with “Color Him Father,” but this B-side has a 16-beat drum break which became the backbone for hundreds of sampled R&B hits. That magic drum break starts at 1:29 of the video. I’m sure you’ve heard that drum beat before. Somewhere.
MANU DIBANGO
Soul Makossa
Yes, you’ve heard this lyric before… Rihanna… Michael Jackson… heck, if you’re old-school like me you might remember a rap with the Awesome Foursome. But this is the original and it’s da bomb.
Okay, so kick that Seasonal Affective Disorder out the door… and have a great day, thanks to K-Chuck Radio!!
Chuck The Writer 