Trying To Make a Fool of Me - The Delphonics
- Album: The Delfonics
- Information: After the massive success of their previous single, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", this was the second single and the last top-40 single from this album, which was the last Delfonics album produced by Philly soul pioneer Thom Bell.
- Personal Thoughts: After a cool smooth intro (complete with flute tweeting), we get a nice song filled with Philly soul. It does seem like a follow-up to "Didn't I" from it's presentation but that doesn't take away from the song as it's able to stand on it's own merits. I really do like the weird "descending" effect the song has during the chorus, accompanied by the harp sort of directing it along.
Tell It All Brother - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
- Album: Tell It All Brother
- Information: The title track from the 6th album by the country/rock/pop/psychadelic band notable as one of the pioneers within both country and pop music.
- Personal Thoughts: Let me just start by saying this: I can't take the fact that Kenny Rogers, THAT Kenny Rogers who became such a massive factor in country and pop in the late 70s and early 80s...was in a psychadelic band. Its just a weird reaction I have with his works with the First Edition: whenever I hear one of his songs with that band and not something more notable and later, I just have to laugh hysterically. (then again I blame one of the first First Edition songs I've ever heard: "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"...which is just so insane that it just never made me take them seriously at all and made me promptly ignore the fact that Kenny Rogers even had a career before "Lucille" broke him through with his solo stuff in '77) As for the song...well, the drum beat is rather prominent and I do like Rogers presentation of the song, but it's just so psychadelic and so much of the time it's tough to really tell it apart except...well, it's Kenny Rogers.
Maybe - The Three Degrees
- Album: Maybe
- Information: Though notable as a popular nightclub act in the 1960s they did not make an album until 1970. The band had covered this Chantells single once in 1966 with the lead vocalist as Fayette Pinkley, but this version of the cover had Valerie Holiday on lead vocals.
- Personal Thoughts: While stated as a notable song from the doo-wop era of girl bands, I really do like this version of the song, probably just due to it's presentation. You really get enraptured into what Ms. Holiday is saying with that organ blowing through...until...BAM, here comes the song and those tuneful vocals. It really does feel more like a nightclub act in some ways from how it was done, which somehow fits for the Three Degrees at this point in their prolific career, even with the weird horns that fit them way better than...well, Elvis.
In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry
- Album: Mungo Jerry
- Information: Stated by some to be one of the best-selling singles of all time throughout the entire world, the song was released in an unusual format as a single: a 33RPM as opposed to a 45 with the song "Mighty Man" also on Side A and a cover of Woody Guthrie's "Dust Pnumoneia Blues" on Side B. Yet while the single was the biggest hit in the UK of 1970, it only hit #3 on the Billboard charts.
- Personal Thoughts: Now who doesn't know of this song...that folk sound with the washboard, that freewheeling piano, and the lyrics talking about just relaxing and having fun and fooling around during the hottest days of the year. It even has a sing-along with a lot of weird vocal stylings! It almost even sounds like there is a guy playing the jug with the bass...but of course it's just the bass accompanies in a way that deceives the ears regarding that performance. It's just a toe-tapping classic, pure and simple.
(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You? - Ronnie Dyson
- Album: Salvation
- Information: After his massive success as part of the cast of the musical "Hair" (and becoming notable as the singer who introduced it's main anthem "Aquarius"), Dyson moved on to another rock-musical, this one about a religious man's search for spirituality and ultimately moving from hard Baptism to a Timothy Leary-like guru. His recording of this song was his first single as a solo artist and one of his biggest hits in making the top 10. The show, on the other hand, became notable in ultimately introducing the world to the likes of Barry Bostwick and Bette Midler.
- Personal Thoughts: It's hard to imagine this song as yet another song from a musical, considering it really doesn't sound like something akin to the "Hair"-style. But it does sound unique from it's usage of the marimbas and the swirling violins and Dyson's performance is honest, though somehow it just somehow still feels a tad distant...don't ask me why. Maybe it's just, once again, the lyrics of the era seeming somewhat generic amidst all the love-and-peace style that the musical style gives off. It's not his fault though considering that he is enthusiastic about it...though the lyrics of "I can make love to you but I can't touch you"...so...is it imaginary masturbation of some sort, please tell me now so I can just figure out what he means.
War - Edwin Starr
- Album: War and Peace
- Information: Originally recorded and set to be released by the Temptations, Motown prevented it's release due to the fear of backlash by conservative groups who still supported the Vietnam War, leading instead to the release of "Ball of Confusion" as part of their album. But with the division vast on whether or not the Temptations version should be released, "second-tier" Motown artist Edwinn Star (brought in due to Motown buying up the company he previously worked for) chose to re-record the song himself, amping up productions values, adding in backing from The Undisputed Truth and turning it into one of the most successful protest song ever.
- Personal Thoughts: Another one of those songs that doesn't need any introduction at all, it is just running on all cylinders from the getgo and doesn't let you go until the end. From the backings of horns and the chorus in the background to Starr's presentation to the lyrics and classic lines like "Friend Only to the Undertaker" and of course "Who Wants To Die" just showing off the horrors not just of Vietnam but just of war in general and the failure of accomplishments that it gives off. I really like the guitar work both on the main guitar and the bassline on this song, and...well, the horns need no introduction considering that the almost stuttering motion they give in the midst of the chorus are probably just as iconic as Starr and the chorus themselves. I know I sound old when I say this, but this is just one of those songs that really shows off this era and can't ever sound old no matter what.
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