Tutti Frutti And Disco Cuties (Soul June 20th 1970)

Fifty years ago this week on the Cash Box Top 50 in R&B Locations chart the #1 record was by a new group who were not only the Soul sensations of the day but were enjoying almost unprecedented success on the Pop charts. “The Love You Save” was the Jackson 5’s third #1 of the year & there would be another one to come. Tamla Motown had plenty of experience in the development & marketing of their acts but even they can’t have anticipated the sudden rush of Jacksonmania which became the popular music phenomenon of the year.

The Jackson family band, Marlon 13, Jermaine 15, Tito 17, Jackie 19 & Michael 10, from Gary, Indiana had been prepared even drilled for stardom by father Joe. With no disrespect to the other four it was apparent from their 1968 Motown audition that young Michael was an extraordinary talent. Initial recording in Detroit with producer Bobby Taylor was heavy on the Motown & contemporary covers, Smokey Robinson’s “Who’s Lovin’ You” captures the prodigy’s precocious agility, ability & maturity beyond his years. Label boss Berry Gordy wanted something extra. He moved the group to Los Angeles, assembled & included himself in a new team, “the Corporation”, who came up with “I Want You Back”, a song that captured the group’s vivacity & became the blueprint for their future singles. “I Want You Back”, as distinctive & fresh now as it was 50 years ago, is a landmark record, Soul music informed not by its Blues & Gospel roots but by the classic Pop & Tamla Motown of the mid-Sixties. Of course the teenagers loved it, the single & debut album “Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5” sold millions & the snowball was rolling.

“The Love You Save”, another Corporation joint is taken from “ABC”, the Jackson 5’s second LP, released just six months after the debut &, like the title track, another sure-fire smash. They are captured in all their glory, energy, threads, coiffures, confidence, choreography & beauty on this appearance on the prime time “The Ed Sullivan Show”. Such chart dominance couldn’t last & two more albums released in 1970 emphasised quantity of product over quality control. After just one more LP in 1971 Michael’s solo career was launched with the “Got To Be There” album & he was able to succeed by himself & with his brothers. In 1975 they left Motown, Jermaine, married to Gordy’s daughter, stayed as did the group’s name. The renamed Jacksons found the increased creative input they sought at Epic & we watched Michael grow into a teen idol. While filming “The Wiz” he met producer Quincy Jones & together they created his fifth solo LP “Off the Wall” (1979). The group’s “Triumph” (1980) included the hit “Can You Feel It”, written by Michael & Jackie, & sold a couple of million. The groundbreaking “Off the Wall” was a statement that Michael, still just 20, was ready to go, it redefined his career, became the first LP to have four tracks reach the US Top 10 & sold 20 million records. He was well on his way to becoming the “King of Pop”, the next record “Thriller” (1982) hit  sales of 66 million. Michael was in a different orbit to not only his brothers but everyone else too. We know the story, we all have our own views but it’s sure that such incredible fame & fortune for an individual who had grown up in public can lead to strange craziness.

This clip & record is new to me (it’s a big reason why I do this thing). We know the Three Degrees as the designated divas of the Gamble & Huff stable that the producer/writers were establishing in Philadelphia. Prince Charles’ favourite group whose “When Will I See You Again” was Bill’s off of “Kill Bill Volume 2” “favourite soul song of the 70s”. Well here are the pre-Philly Degrees with “Maybe”, rising 8 places to #21 on this week’s chart, their first 45 for Roulette records & the title track of their debut LP. It’s the same trio, Fayette Pinkney, Valerie Holiday & Sheila Ferguson, only this time it’s Valerie on lead vocals when we are so used to Sheila being at the front. The dramatic “Maybe”, here with a long spoken intro (“as evil as a wet hen”!), is a track they had first recorded in 1966, reached #4 on the R&B chart. It would be 1974 when they were the featured vocalists on MFSB’s chart-topping “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” that bigger success came their way.

There were just the two albums recorded with Gamble & Huff & while they subsequently made little impression in the US their popularity in Europe & the UK (two different places apparently) was maintained. A live LP was recorded at the glamorous (probably) Bailey’s nightclub in Leicester England. Fayette left, was replaced by former Degree Helen Scott & in 1978 they were matched with ace Disco producer Georgio Moroder & his Music Machine team. The two records they made in Germany were hardly “I Feel Love”, the Three Degrees always did lean towards middle-of-the-road cabaret Soul, but when the master’s electronic Disco barrage is at its most effective it was pretty good. It brought them more UK Top 10 hits, they seemed to be never off the TV & for a while there the Three Degrees were the most popular female group around here.

Back in the days of Rock & Roll Little Richard had been as sensational as the Jackson 5. During his stint at Specialty Records, from 1955 to 1957, the frantic, almost feral, accelerated take on R&B matched to an uninhibited, unpredictable showmanship changed & defined the new teenage music. The first hit “Tutti Frutti” (“A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-wop-bam-boom!”), a fresh, wild, kinetic explosion started a run of 17 Top 20 R&B hits before “The King of Rock & Roll” abdicated his position. “Long Tall Sally”, “Rip It Up”, Ready Teddy”, “Lucille”, it’s a list. His recordings in the next decade were Gospel-oriented & sporadic but Little Richard’s work was done, He influenced all his fellow rock & rollers from Elvis on down, inspired his fellow Macon, Georgia native Otis Redding & a generation of young British musicians, especially the Fab Beatles, in their own attempts to emulate him while the sexuality & stagecraft of Prince tips its beret Richard’s way. When Michael Jackson bought the Beatles’ publishing catalogue it included the rights to those Specialty songs & he gifted them back to the Originator, nice move.

In August 1969, two weeks before Woodstock, the Atlantic City Pop Festival had brought together a similarly impressive lineup of contemporary music. An electric performance by Little Richard, at a white grand piano, closed the concert & had brought an audience too young to remember his heyday to their feet. Encouraged Richard put up his own money & entered Muscle Shoals studio to record his first album in three years. “Freedom Blues”, climbing a healthy 15 places to #33 on this week’s chart, is the opening track on “The Rill Thing”, a meeting of Rock & Roll & swampy Funk which proves to be very effective. Richard’s voice is still gymnastic & surprising & the musicians, particularly guitarist Travis Wammack & the horn section grasp the space afforded by the singer’s production. “Freedom Blues” sets the tone, “Greenwood Mississippi” shows where John Fogarty & CCR were coming from & a spirited “I Saw Her Standing There” would make his Mersey Beat friends proud. The title track, a 10 minute long Funk instrumental jam, gives the band a workout that you don’t often & is a joy to hear. Little Richard’s death in May 2020 was marked by many tributes but there was a lot of bad news about in those days. He really was a treasure of our music.

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Boom Shaka Laka-Laka (Soul June 13th 1970)

In March 1970 the “Woodstock” movie gave fans the opportunity to experience the already seminal festival, 3 days of Music, Peace & Mud, from the comfort of a cinema seat. The documentary, a box-office smash, captured the spirit of the counterculture & showcased its music with new levels of camerawork, editing & sound. Of course Jimi’s incendiary “Star Spangled Banner”, the charge, the bolt, the buzz of “With A Little Help…” by Joe Cocker & the dynamism of the Who. Man, the film even made Ten Years After seem exciting. Another highlight had been a Sly & the Family Stone b-side in 1969 but “I Want To Take You Higher” was revived & climbing to #33 in the Cash Box Top 50 in R&B Locations for this week in 1970. Just two places above it was another version of the song.

 

 

 

In 1951 Ike Turner & his Kings of Rhythm featuring Jackie Brenston recorded “Rocket 88” now recognised as a foundation stone of Rock & Roll. When the record was released it was credited to Jackie Brenston & the Delta Cats it sold half a million copies & Ike & his band were paid just $20 each for the session. Undeterred he continued as a session player, songwriter (again not always credited) & talent scout, making connections with what seems to be most everyone on the R&B scene. Relocating to St Louis the Kings of Rhythm were a hot live act & in 1957 Ann Bullock, a young singer joined the group. Ike was offered real money ($20,000 in 1960!) by the Sue label who recognised the earthy power of his new vocalist. “A Fool In Love” by Ike & Ann, now Tina Turner, sold a million records & they were on their way. The Ike & Turner Revue, the Kings of Rhythm Orchestra, the Ikettes & the electrifying Tina regularly shook up the US TV Pop shows & I’m sure that anyone who saw a live show by them had quite an experience. In 1966 ace producer Phil Spector bought their contract so that Tina could front his Wall of Sound. The result, the monumental “River Deep Mountain High”, is an artistic triumph yet barely scraped into the US Top 100. In the same year the Rolling Stones invited the duo to join their UK tour.

 

In 1969 Ike & Tina supported the Stones again on a US tour, they were reaching a wider, more diverse, audience & Tina, photographed by film director Robert Altman, made the cover of the “Rolling Stone”. Ike, always astute to changing tastes, adapted the Beatles’ title track & Jagger/Richards’ “Honky Tonk Women” to his bluesy R&B for the “Come Together” LP (1970). Sly’s “I Want To Take You Higher” was another track that people would know. It’s lacking the flexibility of the Family Stone but became a furiously Funky opener to the Revue’s set, Tina & the Ikettes dancing & singing up a storm while the bandleader kept it tight. These were good years for the duo, their records were more popular, European tours were a great success & they travelled to Africa for the “Soul to Soul” concert. This goodwill towards them stood Tina in good stead when she relaunched as a solo singer. Ike Turner was undoubtedly a piece of work. I’m more inclined to believe Tina’s autobiography than I am the “What’s Love Got To Do With It” film but he was violently abusive towards Tina, controlling over her & his band. There’s no doubt though his talent as a Blues guitarist & arranger contributed to a great deal of fine music & kept Ike & Tina Turner at the top for over 15 years.

 

 

 

By 1970 Aretha Franklin was the “Queen of Soul” & she still is. While signed with Columbia there had been 9 varied LPs which established her versatility & her quality. A move to Atlantic Records, matched to more contemporary material, brought instant then enduring success. Between 1967 & 1974 every 45 but one released by Ms Franklin reached the R&B Top 10 while many of them & her albums crossed over into the higher reaches of the Pop charts. (The one exception was her remarkable live Gospel version of Marvin Gaye’s “Wholy Holy”, a highlight of the “Amazing Grace” filmed concert, which I’m guessing didn’t receive the same radio airplay as the others). The African-American female voice was very influential in the development of twentieth century popular music, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald & Nina Simone all brought an emotional honesty & a progression to their art. I grew up with “Respect” & “I Say A Little Prayer”, Aretha Franklin is as important as those great singers.

 

“Spirit In The Dark” is the title track of Aretha’s second LP of 1970. The lead track “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)” had been her ninth R&B #1 & the new release, rising to #17 this week, was on its way to the Top 3. The album, including 5 songs written by her, was recorded with three different bands, the New York session men, the Muscle Shoals boys, flown up the the Big Apple from Alabama & the Dixie Flyers, the new unit established at Atlantic’s Criterion Studios operation in Miami. The groove though is strong & consistent throughout another outstanding album for Lady Soul. Both singles credit the Flyers on the label & for “Spirit..” her friends & regular back-up Sweet Inspirations showed out adding to the lovely, extempore Blues-Gospel feel. In March 1971 Aretha, the Sweets & King Curtis’ group played three nights at San Francisco’s Fillmore West. Joined onstage by Ray Charles & Billy Preston, “Spirit…” became a joyous 15 minute long jam, one of the greatest things you could hear & see. In October 1970 Angela Davis, a former UCLA professor, an activist, a Communist, “a dangerous terrorist” according to President Nixon, was arrested & charged with aggravated kidnapping and first degree murder of a judge. Aretha Franklin, a friend of Martin Luther King Jr who had sung at his funeral, expressed her support for Davis & publicly offered to pay her bail. “Black people will be free. I’ve been locked up and I know you got to disturb the peace when you can’t get no peace”. I’ll just leave it at that

 

 

 

 

When we were kids my best friend & I always bought the British music weekly “Record Mirror” because their charts page included the US Top 50. We liked to be ahead of the game about any new sensations or the latest 45’s from our favourite acts. Bobby “Blue” Bland was a name we often saw in the chart’s lower reaches, the “Bubbling Under” & “New Releases” lists but his records were rarely played on even the UK pirate radio stations. When we did hear Bobby his music seemed to lack the immediacy of the shiny Soul sounds that excited us so much. Of course we were wrong, we were young. Bobby “Blue” Bland, absolutely from the top shelf of American singers, was making music for grown ups & I’ve been one of those for some time.

 

Bobby had been recording since 1951 & had been a big deal since his breakthrough with the swinging Blues “Further On Up The Road” in 1957. In the early years of the new decade his voice matured into a unique, often understated combination of sophistication & grittiness allied to an unsurpassed interpretive gift. With Joe Scott’s Big Band Blues arrangements there was a long run of R&B Top 10 hits including the stately, passionate “I’ll Take Care Of You”, a definitive “Stormy Monday Blues” & intense “Lead Me On”. It’s a list & if you know Bobby’s work then you have your own favourites.

 

Bobby Bland saw little of the cash generated by these hits. “If Love Ruled The World”, #48 in this week’s Top 50, was the latest to have his label head’s name on the credits of a song he probably didn’t write. The song’s idealistic lyric has its heart in the right place & Bobby’s performance finds both the heart & the soul of it. The records kept his name at the top of the bill on an endless & exhausting touring life often in clubs ill-suited to his talents. By 1968 he was disillusioned, dependent on alcohol & his band had quit on him but all Bobby could do was sing & there was a string of dates to fulfill. He continued with just a rhythm section before finding a new band &, in 1974, a bigger record label. The hits, including “Ain’t No Love In the Heart of the City”, kept on coming & so did the respect of a new generation of artists & fans (myself included). Bobby kept on keeping on until just before his passing in 2013 by which time he was in the Blues, the Grammy & the Rock & Roll Halls of Fame. Nowadays there’s little better than a Bobby “Blue” Bland album & a glass of fine single malt whiskey to indicate that maybe, just maybe, I’m finally a grown up.