JONES THE VOICE DOES NORTHERN!

Artist: TOM JONES; Title: NEVER GIVE AWAY LOVE/STOP BREAKING MYHEART; 

Label: DECCA; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: F.12349; Year: 1966; Country: UK

Looking today at this 1966 single from Tom Jones released on Decca - which features two storming tracks that I'm quite happy to file under Northern Soul. One which is fairly well regarded in that respect, one that isn't. 

 The one that generally isn't is the single's A Side "Never Give Away Love", which prior to listening to do the post for this I'd pretty much forgotten just howgood it and Tom Jones were at this point in the mid 60's.  Written by Tom's manager Gordon Mills and produced by Peter Sullivan and it's one that's really been given the full treatment in terms of production.  And definitely well worth checking out - and one I'm more than happy to consider as blue-eyed Northern Soul.

The flip side - the excellent "Stop Breaking My Heart", is the one that has been picked for plays by the talc and spin brigade.  And rather good it is too!  First came across in the context of UK recorded Northern on the Decca Northern Soul compilation CD that Deram issued a few years ago - and it's here that Jones the Voice's contribution to the genre holds its head up with pride.  Be nice to see him dust this down and do it on The Voice perhaps!

KIWI SOUL

Artist: SAM COOKE & BUMPS BLACKWELL ORCHESTRA; Title: YOU SEND ME; Label: LONDON; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: 45-NZ.281; Year: 1958; Country: NEW ZEALAND

Looking today at this New Zealand issued classic from Sam Cooke - so we're back onto the international pressings again vinyl fans!

The A Side is the classic and sublime early Soul that is "You Send Me" - and interesting it's co-credited to Bumps Blackwell's Orchestra, which as far as I remember isn't the case on the UK issued singles from the same period.  I seem to remember that I can across this one Brighton, and bought at the same time as a couple of singles by The Drifters.

The B Side is another good one - this rather good version of "Summertime" - and like the A Side well worth checking out! It's interesting to see how Sam Cooke took what started out as almost classical piece in Gershwin's black opera 'Porgy & Bess', and transformed it into this piece of Soul music. It's one of Sam Cooke's tunes that doesn't get heard too often these day, which is a bit of a shame.

The other thing I noticed with this is it's on Decca's London imprint (which was their main outlet of blues R'n'B, and what we'd later regard as Soul) but here pressed up their behalf by HMV in New Zealand - one of those quirky things that being a record collector is about to a level.

VINYL INTERNATIONAL - (CONT.) EUROPEAN DECCA 45s

Slightly different format for this entry - as I'm just concentrating of the sleeve art of these three european 45s and one LP - all released on Decca in the 60s.

ARTIST: Lulu & The Luvers; TITLE: Shout; LABEL: Decca; FORMAT: 7"; Cat. No.: DL 25 148; YEAR: 1964; COUNTRY: NED.
First up is this 1964 offering.  Which I think is the  Dutch issued version of Lulu's debut - and here still credited alongside her backing band The Luvers.  And a cracking version of the Isley's tune - which I fairly certain most people SHOULD know!

ARTIST: Lulu; TITLE: Can't Hear You No More; LABEL: Decca: FORMAT: 7"; Cat. No. (Not Given); YEAR: 1965; COUNTRY: NED.
This second one from Lulu is from around 1965 - and def is Dutch - having picked up a couple of Dusty Springfield single form this favorieten express series the last time I was in Amsterdam, and is the Goffin & King penned "Can't Hear You No More" - which carrying on with the Dusty connections also crops up her 2nd LP 'Everything's Coming Up Dusty' issued around the same time as this single.

ARTIST: The Who; TITLE: Out On The Street; LABEL: Decca; FORMAT: 7"; Cat. No.: 45-GO 6409; YEAR: 1965; COUNTRY: NED.
The next one is this Dutch issued single from The Who "Out On The Street - and the opener to their debut LP 'My Generation'.  Interesting to note that it's part of Dutch Decca's 'American Series' - were the marketing people attempting to push the band as a US/black R'n'B act I wonder?

ARTIST: Them; TITLE: Them (One More Time); LABEL: Decca; FORMAT: LP; Cat No.: (Not Given); YEAR: 1965; COUNTRY; NED.
Last up is the sleeve of this Dutch LP from Them - and I'm guessing is the follow up to the debut 'Angry Young Them' as the track listing's comprised of single A & B sides and the tracks their EP's issued in the UK.  And the fact that tracks like the cover of Dylan's 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue aren't listed.