Northern Soul

[Tommy Tainant]

I wonder if this as just a British thing.

Long before ecstasy arrived to spark a wide-eyed, jaw-gyrating musical movement in the UK, Northern soul parties were the places to be for all-nighters in the '60s.

With a little help of amphetamines, northerners into soul records, old and new, originating from the United States often partied way into the next day, with the frenzied, sweat-inducing dancing on an importance par with the tunes being played.

There's a bunch of clubs integral to the northern soul story, from The Twisted Wheel in Manchester to Wigan Casino, and, luckily, photographers were in and among the madness to capture it.

As with any movement there was a lot of snobbery as the DJs sought ever more obscure tracks from the states. Very few Northern Soul favourites made it into the charts.

This track was recently voted the greatest Northern Soul track ever. It is an awesome piece of work and I wonder if Mr Wilson was a big name in the US ?

Enjoy.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

 

[Pogo]

I wonder if this as just a British thing.

Long before ecstasy arrived to spark a wide-eyed, jaw-gyrating musical movement in the UK, Northern soul parties were the places to be for all-nighters in the '60s.

With a little help of amphetamines, northerners into soul records, old and new, originating from the United States often partied way into the next day, with the frenzied, sweat-inducing dancing on an importance par with the tunes being played.

There's a bunch of clubs integral to the northern soul story, from The Twisted Wheel in Manchester to Wigan Casino, and, luckily, photographers were in and among the madness to capture it.

As with any movement there was a lot of snobbery as the DJs sought ever more obscure tracks from the states. Very few Northern Soul favourites made it into the charts.

This track was recently voted the greatest Northern Soul track ever. It is an awesome piece of work and I wonder if Mr Wilson was a big name in the US ?

Enjoy.

Neither the name nor the music is familiar to these ears.

Good point though --- the Beatles honed their music based largely on US "soul" music that was not as well known to (white) America as it was to them in Liverpool --- Isley Brothers, Larry Williams, Barrett Strong, even James Jamerson.

 

[Pogo]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

 

[Asclepias]

My mom says she knows the song but not the name of the artist.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

This is another "northern soul" classic. It was resurrected in a TV ad for make up and I suspect it is obscure as the first. The attendees of these all nighters were massive collectors and would spend half the night flicking through vinyl looking for something obscure enough to impress their mates..

 

[Marion Morrison]

Sounds Motown-ish.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Sounds Motown-ish.

More about acts that were on the edge of Motown.You had to be able to dance to it, that was a must.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

Hence the price tag I suppose. The song resurfaced around that time, I think it was another one used in a tv ad.

In UK record shops there used to be a section for Northern Soul compilations and there were new ones coming out every month. All DJ led. The big record companies tried to get into this market all the time but they always used to screw it up by picking a track that sounded right but nobody would dance to.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

This list is a good starting point and you will recognise a lot of these artists.

My fave track - cant decide between Ann Sexton (Youve been gone too long) or Betty Everett (Getting Mighty Crowded) and will probably change my mind tomorrow.

Rocklist.net...Steve Parker...Northern Soul 500..

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

I have an original copy of Frank Wilson's record I posted about it in my music thread I will get my post and post link to in this thread.

As ogo knows Pogo I have been collecting records since age 11 years in age and now have approx 20,000 thousand records this include 7" 10" and also a lot of Blues original 78"

 

[Meathead]

The Beatles honed their music largely under the influence of the Merseybeat around Liverpool of that time (and to a lesser degree, Birmingham). Part of that sound was as you said ties back to American pop, which included Buddy Hollie and the Crickets, which helped inspire the Beatles name.

Motown Really Had A Hold On The Beatles

"On their second album, The Beatles wore their influences on the record sleeve. Released in the U.K. less than three months before the Fab Four’s U.S. invasion, With the Beatles featured eight original compositions, one Chuck Berry cover, one show tune and a whole lot of Motown."

Now you're going to tell us that the Beatles were black, right?

Ya gotta love this guy.

Why would I tell you the Beatles were Black? They look very white to me even though one looks like he could pass for biracial asian-white mix..

So what? You called Hannibal black:

So what? Hannibal was Black. What does that have to do with the Beetles?

Why would anyone equate blacks with elephants? You put a jungle bunny on one side of a supposed coin and an elephant on the other, so that means it Hannibal? Decidely puny stuff; Al Shaprton School of History.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

That Soul Label record is 100% a Bootleg of the ACTUAL pressing, well not in literal sense ie. they got the Acetate and copy it direct but it's a traditional Bootleg and they put Soul on the label it is NOT an original copy ONLY two copies of the record now exist. Soul was a subsidiary of Motown that they set up in 1964, they had multiple subsidiary labels the most famous being Tamla.

Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" was pressed up on Soul and the catalogue number is S 35019 the B Side is "Sweeter As The Days Go By", the 7" was pressed up in ONLY 250 copies as a Promo Only record numbering and it was NEVER RELEASED as anything OTHER than a Promo as Frank Wilson decide that he did not want to go into recording artist at that time but instead continue just as a record Producer and Engineer at Motown and on Wilson's orders ALL existing Promo Copies that did NOT already get mail to Club DJs were incinerated INCLUDING the Acetate BUT someone in the studio secretly keep some of the 7" I am NOT certain if also they keep the Acetate, but it is from the secret amount that they keep that the below occur:

It DID get a different and OFFICIAL release in 1979 with the same B Side and released on 7" on Tamla Motown and the catalogue number is TMG 1170.

The Bootleg copies of the record were all made by either Club DJs and/or peoples associated with them.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

I have an original copy of Frank Wilson's record I posted about it in my music thread I will get my post and post link to in this thread.

As ogo knows Pogo I have been collecting records since age 11 years in age and now have approx 20,000 thousand records this include 7" 10" and also a lot of Blues original 78"

^^^^ This:

^^^^ I refer above to the ORIGINAL Tamla Motown record from 1965, this is very complicated to get into but Berry Gordy Jr also had pressed 50 copies in 1965 ON Tamla Motown they are NOT the SAME as the larger pressings from 1979 ON Tamla Motown anyhow the original 50 on Tamla Motown they also disappeared with the existing 1965 Soul Promo's on the 7"

Here is the link to my post # 8 in my thread:

What are you listening to?

As I comment in the above post the second greatest Northern Soul record ever, this is Barbara Acklin's "Just Ain't No Love", released on 7" in 1968 on Brunswick Records the catalogue number is 55388 the B Side is "Please Sunrise, Please"

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

I wonder if this as just a British thing.

Long before ecstasy arrived to spark a wide-eyed, jaw-gyrating musical movement in the UK, Northern soul parties were the places to be for all-nighters in the '60s.

With a little help of amphetamines, northerners into soul records, old and new, originating from the United States often partied way into the next day, with the frenzied, sweat-inducing dancing on an importance par with the tunes being played.

There's a bunch of clubs integral to the northern soul story, from The Twisted Wheel in Manchester to Wigan Casino, and, luckily, photographers were in and among the madness to capture it.

As with any movement there was a lot of snobbery as the DJs sought ever more obscure tracks from the states. Very few Northern Soul favourites made it into the charts.

This track was recently voted the greatest Northern Soul track ever. It is an awesome piece of work and I wonder if Mr Wilson was a big name in the US ?

Enjoy.

"I wonder if this as just a British thing."

No it is a European thing.

Another FANTASTIC record is The Impressions "Can't Satisfy" released on 7" in 1966 on ABC Records the catalogue number is 45-10831 the B Side is "This Must End" both written by Curtis Mayfield who was a genius and who begin in The Impressions before going solo. The 7" for the entire European market was released on His Masters Voice Records in Britain in 1966 His Masters Voice was a subsidiary of EMI Records and it was rereleased in Britain in 1968 on Stateside which was also a subsidiary of EMI Records.

 

[Lucy Hamilton]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

As a record collector I would not rely on Discogs.org that much, if I need to ask a question about a record I am not 100% certain about then I text my friend in London his name is Paul and his brain is totally unique he knows EVERYTHING, he also is the Editor of the magazine Record Collector the Bible of record collecting as it is the worlds leading authority on rare and collectible records, they have a website:

Record Collector Magazine

If you are a record collector also their Rare Records Price Guide is very important:

rare record price guide 2020 hardback edition

Rare Record Price Guide

 

[Tommy Tainant]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

That Soul Label record is 100% a Bootleg of the ACTUAL pressing, well not in literal sense ie. they got the Acetate and copy it direct but it's a traditional Bootleg and they put Soul on the label it is NOT an original copy ONLY two copies of the record now exist. Soul was a subsidiary of Motown that they set up in 1964, they had multiple subsidiary labels the most famous being Tamla.

Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" was pressed up on Soul and the catalogue number is S 35019 the B Side is "Sweeter As The Days Go By", the 7" was pressed up in ONLY 250 copies as a Promo Only record numbering and it was NEVER RELEASED as anything OTHER than a Promo as Frank Wilson decide that he did not want to go into recording artist at that time but instead continue just as a record Producer and Engineer at Motown and on Wilson's orders ALL existing Promo Copies that did NOT already get mail to Club DJs were incinerated INCLUDING the Acetate BUT someone in the studio secretly keep some of the 7" I am NOT certain if also they keep the Acetate, but it is from the secret amount that they keep that the below occur:

It DID get a different and OFFICIAL release in 1979 with the same B Side and released on 7" on Tamla Motown and the catalogue number is TMG 1170.

The Bootleg copies of the record were all made by either Club DJs and/or peoples associated with them.

Fantastic. Not for pl

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

I have an original copy of Frank Wilson's record I posted about it in my music thread I will get my post and post link to in this thread.

As ogo knows Pogo I have been collecting records since age 11 years in age and now have approx 20,000 thousand records this include 7" 10" and also a lot of Blues original 78"

Fantastic. Not for playing though ?

 

[Pogo]

This is another "northern soul" classic. It was resurrected in a TV ad for make up and I suspect it is obscure as the first. The attendees of these all nighters were massive collectors and would spend half the night flicking through vinyl looking for something obscure enough to impress their mates..

Hard to think of Ernie K-Doe as "Northern" soul since he's so identified with New Orleans. This tune was part of a 1972 eponymous album on Janus records, which pressed this tune as a promo but do not seem to have issued a single:

​

--- Most of the tunes written by producer Allen Toussaint. This one is also proliferated in bootlegs (although the one pictured here seems authentic).

Ernie K-Doe was quite the character and relentless self-promoter who ran a music club right up to his death. One particular Hallowe'en my gaggle of female friends decided to dress me up as Ernie K-Doe, a project on which they spent (seemingly) hours; when it was all done we went out to hang on Frenchmen Street. Nobody recognized me at all. I still have a wristwatch with an Ernie K-Doe quote printed on the face.

 

[Pogo]

A bit more from DJ Ian Levine -

The original version of this song is quite simply the most sought-after Motown and Northern Soul record of all time. The legendary Motown producer, Frank Wilson, made this solo record for Motown which was so rare, and so in demand, that someone paid fifteen thousand English pounds for a copy.

He was a big help with the Motorcity project, in 1989 and 1990, and he and his wife Bunny always stay at my house every time they're visiting London. The Motown single "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" became so huge that everyone wanted to see Frank perform it. For years he refused, but finally he gave in and did so at Fleetwood in 2000, in front of two and a half thousand people, the one and only time he said he would ever do this.

But previously to that, we had visited him at his Los Angeles home, and filmed him at the piano, so people got to see this legendary song being performed for the first ever time on The Strange World Of Northern Soul DVD. It is Wilson's only Motown single and is a prized item among collectors.

The record collector resource Discogs says the "Soul" label as pictured in the video is a bootleg and not affiliated with Motown, although Motown did have a sublabel by that name using a different design. And it lists this Wilson single as first released in 2012, even though the bootleg "Soul" label clearly credits "Jobete" and gives a copyright date of 1965.

---- which is not to say Motown itself never released it, as Discogs is a user-driven database and isn't comprehensive.

Lucy Hamilton

That Soul Label record is 100% a Bootleg of the ACTUAL pressing, well not in literal sense ie. they got the Acetate and copy it direct but it's a traditional Bootleg and they put Soul on the label it is NOT an original copy ONLY two copies of the record now exist. Soul was a subsidiary of Motown that they set up in 1964, they had multiple subsidiary labels the most famous being Tamla.

Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" was pressed up on Soul and the catalogue number is S 35019 the B Side is "Sweeter As The Days Go By", the 7" was pressed up in ONLY 250 copies as a Promo Only record numbering and it was NEVER RELEASED as anything OTHER than a Promo as Frank Wilson decide that he did not want to go into recording artist at that time but instead continue just as a record Producer and Engineer at Motown and on Wilson's orders ALL existing Promo Copies that did NOT already get mail to Club DJs were incinerated INCLUDING the Acetate BUT someone in the studio secretly keep some of the 7" I am NOT certain if also they keep the Acetate, but it is from the secret amount that they keep that the below occur:

It DID get a different and OFFICIAL release in 1979 with the same B Side and released on 7" on Tamla Motown and the catalogue number is TMG 1170.

The Bootleg copies of the record were all made by either Club DJs and/or peoples associated with them.

I knew it would be a good idea to invite you here Oosie.

One small correction --- Berry Gordy's original label was Tamla, and the Motown marque came later. This was his first release, 1959:

​

I love the line "Detroit 6, Michigan". This is how US addresses used to appear before ZIP codes came into practice, which was 1963. In this case "Detroit, zone 6". Later in I believe that same year Gordy came out with the Motown label, which took over predominance, but Tamla was actually his first marque. Note also this address on the label is not the Grand Boulevard house which he bought in 1959 (see below) that would become the Motown base.

I had a chance to visit the Motown Museum, "Hitsville USA" the converted house where Berry Gordy set up shop and churned out all those classics in Detroit. The visit was an experience one remembers for a lifetime.

As far as the "Motown sound" they explained that they would run a big speaker up to one end of that big attic on the top of the house, and run a mic to the other end to catch all the reflections, and mix that in for reverb. Of course that could be done artificially, even then, but this way they caught the particular 'character' of the house itself. After purchasing the house Gordy converted the garage spaces to a recording studio where it all happened. They walked us by the small office room where a secretary used to work until one day she was invited down to the studio to sing -- her name was Martha Reeves and the rest is history, churning out Marvin Gaye's "Dancing in the Street" with Gaye himself over on the side, slamming a rhythm on a steel plate with a tire iron, which is the insistent beat we can still hear on the record.

I tend to focus on that record specifically because there's a single verse in it that sums up everything that Motown was about --- in those daze of separate segregated cultures Gordy, a songwriter by trade, wanted to create art that was not "black" music or "white" music but universal music. As the verse eloquently puts it:

This is an invitation
Across the nation
A chance for folks to meet​

The deeper meaning of that phrase had sailed over my head until I visited the Motown Museum. Once Motown got rolling, black and white kids were not only buying the same music but dancing together, and that had simply never happened in this country before. It's an encapsulation of Motown's whole point. Berry Gordy and his project did that. So when the line says "this is an invitation", the word this refers not just to the song itself but to the entire Motown set of values.

Now since I've injected the earworm, listen to Marvin Gaye slamming that tire iron for that secretary.... the tire iron is covered by the snare drum but you can hear its reflections after the beat....

​

Fun fact: Berry Gordy's grandfather Berry Gordy Senior (the current BG is III) was also the great-uncle of Jimmy Carter's mother, Bessie Lillian Carter, so Berry Gordy and Jimmy Carter are blood relatives.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

This is another "northern soul" classic. It was resurrected in a TV ad for make up and I suspect it is obscure as the first. The attendees of these all nighters were massive collectors and would spend half the night flicking through vinyl looking for something obscure enough to impress their mates..

Hard to think of Ernie K-Doe as "Northern" soul since he's so identified with New Orleans. This tune was part of a 1972 eponymous album on Janus records, which pressed this tune as a promo but do not seem to have issued a single:

​

--- Most of the tunes written by producer Allen Toussaint. This one is also proliferated in bootlegs (although the one pictured here seems authentic).

Ernie K-Doe was quite the character and relentless self-promoter who ran a music club right up to his death. One particular Hallowe'en my gaggle of female friends decided to dress me up as Ernie K-Doe, a project on which they spent (seemingly) hours; when it was all done we went out to hang on Frenchmen Street. Nobody recognized me at all. I still have a wristwatch with an Ernie K-Doe quote printed on the face.

The term "northern soul" doesnt refer to any area of the US. It was coined to describe a type of music played in specific clubs in Northern England.


The phrase "Northern soul" emanated from the record shop Soul City in Covent Garden, London, which was run by journalist Dave Godin.[3] It was first publicly used in Godin's weekly column in Blues & Soul magazine in June 1970.[4] In a 2002 interview with Chris Hunt of Mojo magazine, Godin said he had first come up with the term in 1968, to help employees at Soul City differentiate the more modern funkier sounds from the smoother, Motown-influenced soul of a few years earlier. With contemporary black music evolving into what would eventually become known as funk, the die-hard soul lovers of Northern England still preferred the mid-1960s era of Motown-sounding black American dance music. Godin referred to the latter's requests as "Northern Soul":

I had started to notice that northern football fans who were in London to follow their team were coming into the store to buy records, but they weren't interested in the latest developments in the black American chart. I devised the name as a shorthand sales term. It was just to say 'if you've got customers from the north, don't waste time playing them records currently in the U.S. black chart, just play them what they like - 'Northern Soul'.[5]

Northern soul - Wikipedia

Although the popularity of the music spread across the UK and Europe. There is still a "scene" today but the lack of new music obviously limits its appeal. I found this the other day and thought that it was quite interesting. I think it really works.