45 Focus--Groove Thangs

The Originals!

I wanted to focus on a few 45's that I've picked up over the past few weeks.  First off, I wanted to start off with The Originals, whom worked closely with Marvin Gaye, and Gaye in fact wrote "We Can Make It Baby".  Vocally, it sounds like a Gaye track, more than anything, especially with the backing vocals repeating the lines of the lead vocals.  I picked up a compilation of The Originals months ago, but don't listen to it as often as I do with this 45.  

 

The Soul Excursions household is a big fan of anything Michael Jackson related, so anything by Jackson 5 (the first five albums up through Lookin' Through The Windows), The Jacksons (everything, with the exception of Victory), and early Michael Jackson (the Motown solo years through Thriller) is played anytime, and often.  "Ben" is the track off of Michael's second solo album, and is played often in my household, as it is the song that helps soothe my 1 1/2 year old son to sleep.  However, one of my favorite tracks from The Jacksons is "Blame it on the Boogie" off of Destiny.  You can tell MJ and company were beginning to perfect that disco-soul sound, and "Blame it on the Boogie" doesn't disappoint.  Somewhat of a precursor to "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" off of Off The Wall, released one year after The Jacksons Destiny album.  Love the video too, as MJ always succeeded in his videos, from The Jacksons through his solo albums. 

   

Regarding Eddie Holman's "Hey There, Lonely Girl", what else can I say about it other than it is perfect soul perfection, one of those perfect singles.  The falsettos, the oohs and aahs backing vocals, and the lovely accompanying orchestration make this such a treat.  Holman didn't record any other songs nearly as sublime as this. 

Finally, I wanted to throw out something modern, which I rarely do these days.  Recently dove into Jersey's own The One & Nines, as I recently listened to their recent 45 release "Tell Me/Make It Easy".  Released in October 2011, The One & Nines almost sound as if they stumbled out of a Stax Records session in Memphis, which is partially true, as this 45 was recorded in Memphis.  Stax influenced (I hear the keys come in on "Tell Me" and I'm reminded of Booker T and the MGs), yet also at the same time it also reminds me of Junior Walker (may be the driving horns), both "Tell Me" and "Make It Easy" work on a level where it appeals to the 60's/70's soul fan, yet they make it sound modern and original enough that it's interesting, and not the least bit retro-boring. Hopefully they make their way to Seattle in the near future!   In the meantime, here's a youtube clip of them peforming "Tell Me" live.