FOR BEN E. KING

Artist: BEN E. KING (feat. JIMI HENDRIX); Title: II'S ALL OVER; Label: ATLANTIC; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: AT 4007; Year: 1964; Country: UK

This is a post I've been meaning to do for a couple of weeks now - but've only just gotten round to, as a tribute to Soul legend and former Drifters frontman Ben E King who we lost recently.





Looking today at this 1964 release of his which features the classic Soul format of the period - big ballad A Side and more up-tempo B Side.  In this instance the A Side gives you "It's All Over" - co-written and produced by Bert Berns (using his Bert Russell moniker for the writing credit). It's another of those great slow-burning big soul ballads with some great backing vocals from the Sweet Inspirations (line-up around this time comprising Doris Troy, Dee Warwick, Cissy Houston, and possibly even Dionne herself).  Although not as well know as some of the better known Ben E King stuff - this is still well worth checking out.



As is the B Side - "Let The Water Run Down".  As already mentioned this is more up-tempo of the two sides on offer here.  Written again by Bert Berns as Bert Russell - and again with Doris Troy and Co. on backing vocals - it's another good one! And did I mention that the guitarist on this is none other than Jimi Hendrix? It's from that period when Hendrix did a lot of session work for Atlantic - alongside this he proivided the guitar-breaks on Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy" as well the Isley's "Move Over And Let Me Dance" (which I've featured on a previous post a while back). An excellent track that's again well worth checking out!

SOME DRIFTING NORTHERN SOUL

Artist: THE DRIFTERS; Title: BABY WHAT I MEAN; Label: ATLANTIC; Format: 7"; 

Cat. No.: 584065; Year: 1967; Country: UK

Carrying on with the Northern Soul vibe from the previous post - looking today at this one in the genre from The Drifters.

 Released on UK Atlantic in 1967 "Baby What I Mean" is a good (and here I mean really good) uptempo offering from Johnny Moore and Co.  It's from that period of their career where the big hits of the early 60's were gone - but they were still knockout gems like this that although weren't massive sellers still did the business on the dance floor; especially those in the UK where these semi-obscure 45s suddenly got picked by the DJs in the Northern Soul clubs. And doubtless part of the reason why UK Atlantic reissued this along with a number of their other tracks in the early 70's - resulting in a lot of them getting back in to the UK charts and doing the business very nicely indeed!

The flip side gives you "Aretha", and I'm thinking pretty much one of the last things Bert Berns wrote (here alongside Jeff Barry) and produced for them before dying of a heart attack.  Song-wise it's another fine Drifters tune - more in the mid-tempo range, and although not quite in the same league as the A Side well worth a listen.  It's just a shame that both sides of this single didn't make it on to that excellent double CD compilation 'The Definitive Drifters' that Rhino issued in the early 00's, as their output from the latter half of the 60's is slightly under-represented.  Any plans out there for The Drifters - The Northern Soul Years'?

SOUL TANGO - PART 2

Artist: THE ISLEY BROTHERS; Title: TANGO; Label: UNITED ARTISTS; Format:7";

Cat. No.: UP-1034; Year: 1963; COUNTRY:UK

Continuing the Soul tango theme from the last post, the only place you can really go next is this 1963 offering from The Isley Brothers issued on United Artists.

The A Side is the aforementioned "Tango" - but a tango done in that distinctly Isley Brothers style.  Topped off with a  great lead vocal from Ronnie Isley the production comes courtesy of Bert Berns, and it's one of those tunes that doesn't disappoint in the slightest.  Although the image that thrown up is a bit of an interesting one to say the least!

The B Side's pretty good too!  Which in this case is another Isley's penned tune in the shape of "She's Gone".  A great bit of dramatic Soul in the style of Jackie Wilson (and don't forget that 'Shout' was developed from a improvised vamp on another Jackie Wilson tune) and again well worth a listen.  Like the A Side it's one that I first came across on the compilation that Stateside put out in the late 80's 'Let's Go' which pulled together most of the sides the Isley's did for United Artists - with the exception of the one that came out on Veep just before they signed to Motown (and alleged to feature Hendrix on guitar).

KIKI DOES NORTHERN

Artist: KIKI DEE; Title: WHY DON'T I RUN AWAY FROM YOU?; Label: FONTANA; Format: 7";
Cat No.: TF 669; Year: 1966; Country: UK

Today's single under the spotlight is the great bit of British Northern Soul from Kiki Dee - dating from the so called golden year for Northern Soul - 1966. And a decade before her breakthrough duet with Elton John. 

The A Side is Kiki's superb version of this Bert Berns penned tune "Why Don't I Run Away You?". Originally done by Tami Lynn on Atlantic - this is one of those songs from the period when the UK labels flew to the States to see what the US (labels more as often Atlantic) to see what they had that was about to be released, then getting the tracks back over here and getting ta UK cover version out before the original version was issued.  (And hopefully having a hit in the process!) The Tami Lynn version was actually a hit when in was reissued on Mojo in the early 70's - and one I remember hearing on the radio at the time.  The version here doesn't disappoint - and Kiki really gives in her all. Which shouldn't really comes a surprise considering her work with fellow soul fan Dusty Springfield. Plus Dusty's on backing vocals too!

The B Side's good too!  I'm more than happy to consider "Small Town" as Brit Northern Soul too, as it has the same feel - allbeit at a slower tempo.  Written by Les Reed it's an excellent showcase for Kiki's voice, and in a couple of places the arrangements put me in of the 'Barbarella' soundtrack.  As to whether Bob Crewe was a fan or aware of it I don't really know.  And like the A Side well worth a listen.

DELIA & THE DOCTOR

Artist: Delia Derbyshire & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop; Title: Dr. Who (Theme); Label: Decca; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: F.11837; Year: 1964; Country: UK.

Today's post celebrates the unsung genius of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop - namely the late, great Delia Derbyshire, and the one tune that's indelibly linked & associated with her - namely the "Doctor Who" theme.  And quite apt as the second half of the current series gets underway at the end of the month - 27th August according to the Facebook Doctor Who page.  BBC One in the UK, and BBC America in the US.

Released on Decca in 1964 this still has to be one of innovative (as well as most recognizable) TV themes created - and one the first to be done through electronic means.  Composer Ron Grainer's reaction was such for him to attempt to get Delia credited as co-composer, only to fall foul of BBC policy of not allowing company employees to profit from their creations, and the attitude of keeping the actual members of the Workshop effectively anonymous. (The other classic case in terms of Doctor Who being the designer behind the look of the Daleks Raymond Cuisick.)

Vinyl trivia for the B Side - as it features a Bert Berns produced (done whilst supervising the sessions for Them perhaps?) version of "This Can't Be Love" by Brenda & Johnny.  Who were...?

Next up is the 1973 reissue of the "Doctor Who" theme - this time in stereo on the BBC's own label - RESL 11, and which this time does give the 'Realised by Delia Derbyshire' credit on the label (and on the 1976 reissue of this actually credited on the sleeve.  Although somewhat ironic as she'd left the BBC by this point.  The flip side of the has "Reg" composed and performed by Paddy Kingland - who fufilled a similar in the 70's at the Radiophonic Workshop as Delia had done in the 60's.

Valuewise - you're looking at £30 for a mint copy of the original Decca issue, £10 for the 1st issue of the BBC version in the Tardis picture sleeve, and £6 for the 1976 reissue in its picture sleeve.