A BURNING QUESTION GUARANTEED TO SET YO' FEET ON FIRE...
...that is the question!
What makes one record a Northern Soul anthem and another, which seems just as good, a big nothing? Influence. Personal taste. Audience response.
This special episode, long in the works, explores the je ne sais quoi (or X-Factor) that separates the bangers from the hangers--the winners from the binners (as in trash binners). It's as elusive as a Republican senator's Grindr account, but remains one of the defining mysteries of record collectors and soul music fanciers!
In this chock-full-o'-grooves special, you'll hear my take on this global phenom, which has existed for 60 years and rescued many a lost record (and performer) from oblivion. The British club DJs who spun little-known r&b, soul and pop singles had the constant litmus test: did a track get 'em on the dancefloor? Were people curious what the record and/or performer were? Overnight, unknown singles became must-have items for this legion of influencers and their fans.
There's a lot to unpack here, and I'm sure some of my choices are controversial, but I've tried to reflect the evasive, personal nature of this style (not a real one, but borne of dancer and fan reaction) and show off some of the NS faves from my ever-swelling horde of vinyl and styrene. Here's the hit list:
01 Orlons/Don't You Want My Lovin'
Cameo C-372/Jul 1965
02 Pat Lewis/Can't Shake It Loose
Golden World GW-42/Mar 1966
04 Skyliners/Get Yourself A Baby
Jubilee 45-5512/Aug 1965
05 Penny Carter/Why Did I Lose You?
Verve VK-10405/May 1966
06 Chuck Jackson/Hand It Over
Wand 169/Oct 1964
07 Harvey Fuqua/Come On An Answer Me
Tri-Phi 1024/Apr 1963
08 Shangri-las/Right Now And Not Later
Red Bird RB 10-036/Aug 1965
09 LaBrenda Ben/I Can't Help It, I Gotta Dance
Gordy G-7021/Aug 1963
10 Kim Weston/I'll Never See My Love Again
Gordy G-7041/Apr 1965
12 Artistics/This Heart Of Mine
OKeh 4-7232/Oct 1965
13 Lou Johnson/It Ain't No Use
Hilltop 551/Jan 1964
14 Sapphires/Let's Break Up For A While
ABC-Paramount 45-10559/Jun 1964
15 Dee Dee Sharp/Standing In The Need Of Love
Cameo C-375/Sep 1965
SAME TITLE-SAME RELEASE MONTH-DIFFERENT SONG!
16 Betty Everett/Too Hot To Hold
Vee Jay VJ-699/Aug 1965
17 Major Lance/Too Hot To Hold
OKeh 4-7226/Aug 1965
18 Jackie Lee/Oh My Darlin'
Mirwood 5527/Oct 1966
19 Headliners [Pittsburgh]/I'm So Tired
Val 1000/1966
20 Vibrations/End Up Crying
OKeh 4-7220/Apr 1965
21 Maxine Brown/Let Me Give You My Lovin'
Wand 1128/Jul 1966
BONUS:
22 Magica Brown/I Won't Be Back
20th Century-Fox 553/Dec 1964
Hear this dizzy dissertation here; and be prepared for some toe-tappin'!!
👏 👏 👏
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