It’s A Love Rights Thing (Soul August 28th 1971)

As a compilation of Aretha Franklin’s hit records had been released only two years previously, for the 1971 “Aretha’s Greatest Hits” collection the singer recorded three cover versions that had not been included on either singles or albums. In May “Bridge Over Troubled Water” had become the tenth of her 45s to hit the #1 spot on the R&B chart. “Spanish Harlem”, climbing two slots to #2 on the Cash Box Top 60 in R&B Locations of 50 years ago, was just a week away from being her eleventh. 1971 was, as if there was any doubt, the year that Aretha’s “Queen of Soul” title was confirmed.

In 1960 Pop prodigy Phil Spector, just 20 years old, had flown across the US to network with the great & good of New York’s R&B music community. Ace writer/producers Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller were working on material for Ben E King, the lead voice on enduring hits they had crafted for the Drifters. “Spanish Harlem” was written by Spector & Leiber, though I’m sure that Stoller was in the room too, & it provided the singer with his first major hit. A couple of tunes Spector had written with lyricist Doc Pomus were recorded at the same session as was “Stand By Me” & we all know how that one goes. The original had the slow samba baion rhythm so popular in NY at the time. Aretha added a little pace, a little Funk, changed the red rose to black & the song was a hit again.

This was the second time that Ms Franklin had revived a King tune. In 1970 “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)”, one from 1962, had been another R&B #1. “Aretha’s Greatest Hits” was to be released in September, her “Live At The Fillmore West”, a great achievement, had come around earlier in March. A nonpareil singer was at her commercial & artistic peak. She had the “Young Gifted & Black” album ready to go, a record that included five songs that made the R&B Top 10. Even Aretha’s B-sides were making the chart in 1971.

Women were representing for the Hot Wax/Invictus labels, the operation set up by the crack team Holland-Dozier-Holland on moving across Detroit from Tamla Motown. The vocal trio Honey Cone are at #7 with “Stick Up”, on its way to emulating the chart-topping “Want Ads” while Freda Payne, known for “Band Of Gold”, had “Bring the Boys Back Home”, sweet Soul with a rock hard centre of Vietnam protest, a message that got itself banned by the overseas American Forces Network. Up three places to #32 is a singer who is possibly less remembered but Laura Lee’s “Women’s Love Rights” had got it going on.

Laura Lee was from the pool of Detroit talent who joined a new label where their potential could be more realised. She had sung & recorded with the Meditation Singers since she was a pre-teen, having a couple of solo Top20 R&B hits in 1967 when Chess Records sent her down to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. Back in Detroit she was matched with one of the less heralded former Motown staffers William Weatherspoon who had co-written “What Becomes Of the Broken Hearted” & other great hits for Jimmy Ruffin while also producing the attention-grabbing orchestral “When You’re Young & In Love” by the Marvelettes. The two talents proved to be in synch.

With a strong, assertive voice to write for Weatherspoon, together with Angelo Gold who also had a credit on the Freda Payne single, provided Laura with plenty of attitude. You better be a do right man or else, as “Women’s Love Rights” says “Love who you wanna ’cause a man is sure gonna”. The song was the title track of an album with titles like “I Don’t Want Nothin’ Old (But Money)” & “It’s Not What You Fall For, It’s What You Stand For”. I’m not sure if they were but it really does sound like the Funk Brothers were moonlighting at the Town Theatre studio because the whole thing absolutely grooves. A further LP, “Two Sides Of…” combined imaginative cover versions with more smoking, sturdy originals. Unfortunately as Hot Wax/Invictus folded Laura became seriously ill & retired from music for some years before returning to Gospel. Around this time Millie Jackson was mining a similar seam on the theme of modern love, selling millions of albums that were no spunkier or funkier than the two Laura Lee made.

Ralfi Pagan, from the Bronx, New York, had first recorded as Ray Paige before signing with Fania Records, a label started by bandleader Johnny Pacheco as an outlet & showcase for the Latin music community of the city. Ralfi’s debut album, all in Spanish then re-released with a couple of songs in American highlighted some fine, romantic, falsetto balladry. Young & handsome, Ralfi’s sweet Latin Soul was very popular. “Make It With You”, #35 this week, a cover version of David Gates’ song for Bread, a hit in 1970, is embellished by his delicate, emotional voice, expanded by an excellent arrangement. It was in 1971 that the Fania All Stars, an assembly of stellar Latin musicians, played their “Live At the Cheetah” concert which, when released, deservedly gained them worldwide reputation & recognition of Salsa. Some of these guys were in the studio making Ralfi’s music & it is certainly classy. A particular tip of the fedora to the guitarist.

The singer moved to Los Angeles & was a success with the Californian Chicano audiences. In 1978 Ralfi was touring in Colombia when his body was found on a local beach. Accepted as a murder the case remains unresolved. His brother puts the finger on an unnamed promoter/business associate while there are more lurid versions involving cocaine. I’m not looking for clues so I’ll just say that Ralfi Pagan was 30 years old when he died. As the appreciation of Latin music grew surely such a honeyed, individual voice as his would have become more widely known.

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It’s The Keeping It Real Thing (Soul August 14th 1971)

The Top 3 of the Cash Box Top 60 in R&B Locations for August 14th of 50 years ago was packed by the heavy hitters of Soul. “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” by Marvin Gaye displaced James Brown at the top spot while the Isley Brothers remained at #3. The two fastest rising records in the Top 10 were both by groups finding themselves in such exalted company for the first time. I am not too familiar with the bands or the tunes but they are both pretty, pretty good so let’s get to it with those two.

In 1971 Philadelphia, through the two partnerships of Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff with Thom Bell & Linda Creed, a Philly identity was being established that would emulate the commercial success of Soul music from Detroit, Chicago & Memphis. A melodic, string drenched sound which, according to James Brown’s trombonist Fred Wesley was “putting the bow tie on Funk”. Two of the most recent hits from the City of Brotherly Love had been released by the Phil-LA of Soul label (it’s a fishy pun, say it quickly), a conduit for local talent & for what was happening down in Miami. Both “Boogaloo Down Broadway” by the Fantastic Johnny C & Cliff Nobles & Co’s “The Horse” were distinctive, danceable, deserved but surprise hits & the small label was unable to follow up such success. This week, with “I Likes To Do It” by The People’s Choice, rising five places to #5, they had found themselves another break out hit.

There had been a People’s Choice recording out of Detroit before Frankie Brunson & David Thompson took that name for their new Philadelphia band in 1971. Brunson had made solo records in the 50s & 60s as well as being a member of the Fashions alongside Thompson. He wrote & played keyboards on “I Likes To Do It”, their debut 45 for Phil-LA & what a groovy record it is. Like a funky Ramsey Lewis Trio, not as Jazz-based but with the same simple, insistent, toe-tapping groove. Very nice. There was no big successor to “I Likes…”, no album recorded for the label. The group had been spotted by Gamble & Huff & in 1975 moved across to Sigma Sound Studios to record the “Boogie Down USA” album. The lead single “Do It Any Way You Wanna”, as funky as Philly Soul had ever been, was an R&B #1, Top 20 Pop smash & a proto-Disco international hit.

There’s not much I know about Electric Express. A group from Greensboro, N. Carolina, their debut 45, “It’s the Real Thing” was moving on up a healthy 6 rungs of the chart ladder to #10. There were only to three more singles after this hit, all four written by band members James Powell & Vick Hudson & despite “I Can’t Believe We Did (the Whole Thing)” being on the larger Avco label an album was never forthcoming. “It’s The Real Thing” certainly is, Part 1 is a raw, saxophone led stone Funk groove, the other records are too. All the members of Electric Express are fondly remembered by family & friends in Greensboro & nights at The Carlotta Supper Club or The El Rocco Supper Club on Market St with the group laying it down sound like a great time. In fact any club playing Electric Express & the People’s Choice in 1971 is our kind of place.

OK, “the sweetest woman in the world can be the meanest woman in the world, if you make her that way”. On it’s second week in the chart, rising a healthy 11 places to #39 (pop pickers), The Persuaders, a vocal group begun in New York by former members of the Independents & the Topics, were crossing the “Thin Line Between Love & Hate”. By the second verse lead singer Donald “Smokey” Scott is “laid in the hospital, bandaged from feet to head”!. It’s a cautionary tale, distinctive, dramatic & catching enough ears to eventually spend two weeks at the top of the listings of October 1971. “Thin Line…” was written by the Poindexter Brothers, Robert & Richard, along with Jackie Members, Robert’s wife. The subsequent album, a Poindexter’s production, highlighted the vocal adroitness of the quartet & included “Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out)”, another R&B Top 10 hit.

In 1974, with only Scott remaining from the original line up, the Persuaders were sent to Philadelphia to capture some of the shimmering sound that was sweeping the nation. Their third album was produced by the writer/producer trio called the Young Professionals who included Tony Bell, the younger brother of the famous Thom. From this came the group’s third & final entry into the R&B Top 10. “Some Guys Have All The Luck” has been covered by Robert Palmer, Rod Stewart & Maxi Priest. It’s a sweet Philly Soul cracker.