Sunday, August 07, 2016

Ten non-Blackamerican dancefloor side dishes


Cloudnine Soul Squad


TEN NON-BLACKAMERICAN DANCEFLOOR SIDE DISHES

Special numbers we (should) have introduced...

  • 1. Dum maro dum - Asha Bosle
    You can imagine dancing to a Christian spiritual, but a 1966-sound with the refrain "Hare Krishna Hare Ram"? Try it!
  • 2. Neem me mee sexy natel - 12345
    Admittedly, from a difficult-to-spin bootleg, but the original artists or record company can be encouraged to give it a legal (re-)release. Draw some excited surprise from Britons. Should add that it is a version of Al Wilson's Snake...
  • 3. Eli's coming - Laura Nyro
    She has written quite a few good songs for others - but this original is a revelation. Difficult starter, then breaking out in an amazingly fast sound and ending slow again, but people on the floor should be used to complicated rhythms these days. Also to watch out for is her version (together with Labelle) of Monkey time.
  • 4. Dans tous les pays - Richard Anthony
    Since you would not dare to spin the original of Dancing in the street, try this one instead.
  • 5. Senza te - Kiki Dee
    San Remo entry 1965. You thought that magic carpet number was slightly interesting? This one is much more suitable for the dancefloor.
  • 6. When will I be loved? - Manfed Mann
    Should have been a British club hit, US only release - amazing what can be done to a country rocker. And talking about the Everlies:
  • 7. Somebody help me - The Everly Brothers
    Faster and better beat than Jackie Edwards or the Spencer Davis Group. Why not? Good combination with nr. 6 of course.
  • 8. Find me love - Jackie DeShannon
    Browsing through a stack of 45s bought in New York for a dollar a piece I found this B-side. Collecting anything by Jackie that is my way of discovering such a tune. But I have found out that it has been noticed before... Her version of I'll turn to stone and another B-side, the folksy Don't turn your back on me will certainly also work.
  • 9. Right of way - Andrew Oldham Orchestra
    Amazing instrumental I never see mentioned - you cannot call it soulful, but the same goes for the T-Bones and other adopted "white" (=non-jazz?) instrumentals.
  • 10. She comes with the rain -The Weather Prophets
    Hey, you and I have lived through several decades, meanwhile... A mid tempo English guitar band number from 1987 with an unexpected motownesque edge. See if you notice it. Has not been a chart hit on this side of the North Sea anyway.
We have been told that it is daring to play the Intruders' I'll alway love my mama part 2, it might catch up. ("You'll never get away with the A-side" - but why not?) And while I was writing this down we were playing some Trojan material and decided The jerk by Derrick Harriott can pass any point of criticism. But these are Blackamerican. KTF in 2005...

This listing was first posted on the Soul Source Forum and unfortunately drew the usual xenophobic irrelevant remarks. At a forum dedicated to Blackamerican music we would not have expected to be targeted that way. But judging by the sexist and homophobic remarks tolerated over there we should have known better. Well:

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem

Eldridge Cleaver

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