BEST R&B/SOUL 45 EVER?

[Richardo Caerleoni]

OK, I know this is a Jazz site…But from being around almost six months (that long!),We all seem to have a common blues base …

So ,for me, growing up in Europe ….It was Otis Redding “MY GIRL/DOWN IN THE VALLEY”c.1966 …pre then…Ray Charles,”ROCKHOUSE” or WHAT D’I SAY”…?.....YOURS?

[Pete C]

I don't know about best, but in my consciousness the recording that really introduced me to soul was Aretha's "Respect."

[Sergio Zamora]

Not a single, I think, but top of my head I'd say 'Mighty Mighty Spade and Whitey' by Curtis Mayfield on the album 'Curtis Live'

[Lore]

Many come to mind, but for various reasons Nathaniel Mayer's 45s are amongst my very favorites.

New Yorkers may want to pay mind to Mr. Mayer's upcoming gigs in town at the end of October. The man can still get down with the best of 'em, on stage as well as off.

[Chris D]

For best, most-effective contrast on a two-sided 45 hit, I'll go with Otis Redding"s "I Can't Turn You Loose/Just One More Day."

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Lore

New Yorkers may want to pay mind to Mr. Mayer's upcoming gigs in town at the end of October. The man can still get down with the best of 'em, on stage as well as off.

I don't know the name. Tell us about him & the gigs. Thanks.

[Pete C]

From AMG:

Biography by Steve Leggett
Nathaniel Mayer is best known for "Village of Love," a 1962 hit for Detroit's Fortune Records, a small independent label run by Jack and Devora Brown. Mayer was only 18 at the time, yet his vocal on this classic track is a worldly and gritty croon, while his backing band, the Fabulous Twilights, explodes behind him with a sort of raw garage soul, making "Village of Love" somewhat of a magnificent lost nugget. A Detroit native, Mayer has a couple other memorable sides to his credit, including "I Want Love and Affection (Not the House of Correction)" and "I Don't Want No Bald-Headed Woman Telling Me What to Do," which was released on Norton Records. Known for his wild and woolly stage style, Mayer has remained a minor cult figure for over 40 years, surfacing occasionally with a new record, like 1980's Raise the Curtain High on Love Dog Records. Mayer signed a 2004 recording deal with Fat Possum Records and has been doing shows with a new band, the Shanks, led by ex-Detroit Cobra Jeff Meier.



I love discovering new old stuff!

[HenryMc]

Sam Cooke's "A change is gonna come" from 1964

Why? Sam is at the top of his game, the song represents itself in time and place and I love it

[Root Doctor]

"I Don't Know What You Got (But It's Got Me)" by Little Richard

[Lore]

Pete C,

Nathaniel Mayer will be performing at Pianos on Thursday, October 28, and at Union Pool in Brooklyn the following Saturday. Norton Records' A-Bones will also perform on the Saturday bill.

Another write-up about Nathaniel is here:

http://www.knights-maumau.com/music_...athaniel+Mayer

Also, the radio archive of this Jan. 1, 2004 show gives a fine idea of what could be expected:

http://wfmu.org/playlists/MS
(if I recall correctly, the Mayer-related stuff begins ~half an hour into the program; phew!)

And finally, some photos:

http://www.mvlimbert.com/PhotIndexMAYER1.html

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Agree about Sam Cooke [the album with Ray Crawford - Nightbeat ?- is wonderful -forget the title .Just Sam in a studio etc.]-

Can I also add Joe Tex..."Because,your love is so hard to find"

[Enforcer]

Thanks, Pete, for mentioning Northern Soul. Detroit, representin'!

[steve(thelil)]

It may not even have been a hit or a single, but Otis's Try a Little Tenderness always tears me up. The live recordings of him doing it at Monterey and also on the Stax in Europe set aren't too shabby either.

[Gentle Giant]

Even if the flip side of "Let's Stay Together" was just Al Green and Willie Mitchell making fart noises with their armpits, that 45 would have to be a contender.

[Chazro]

Wazzup All!

Don't know about the 'best ever' but this thread reminded me of the 1st 3 records/recordings I ever bought:

Wake Me, Shake me - 4 tops
Goin' to a Go Go - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Ain't To Proud To Beg - The Temptations

Which reminds me of the 1st 3 ALBUMS I ever bought:

Vanilla Fudge
Supremes Greatest Hits
Sgt. Peppers

long, LONG, time ago!

[Boris Badenov]

James Carr, "The Dark End of the Street"

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Nowhere To Run -- Martha & The Vandellas

A Change is Gonna Come -- Sam Cooke

One Monkey Don't Stop No Show -- Joe Tex

Warm Your Heart -- Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters

Night Owl -- Tony Allen

Shake A Hand -- Faye Adams

Bo Diddley -- Bo Diddley

He Don't Love You -- Jerry Butler & The Impressions

Early In The Morning -- Louis Jordan

[Richardo Caerleoni]

Originally Posted by Boris Badenov

James Carr, "The Dark End of the Street"

Boris ...Brilliant! I was wondering how long it would take for James Carr to come up...Better than Otis?

Garnett Mimms, Chuck Jackson...hey many to call!

Who did "I had a talk with my man last night" ...Millie Collier? Great drum fills on this!

[milesbeyondjazz]

My two all time favorites, Sittin on the Dock Of the Bay by the late great Otis Redding,and When A Man Loves A woman by Percey Sledge.

[steve(thelil)]

Originally Posted by Gentle Giant

Even if the flip side of "Let's Stay Together" was just Al Green and Willie Mitchell making fart noises with their armpits, that 45 would have to be a contender.

If the flip side was armpit fart noises I would have a case for copywright infringement. (As would Mad Magazine, for their old flexidisc of Alfred E Newman doing "It's a Gas"

[John L]

It's a hard choice, but I have to go with the 45 that packed a musical revolution in 1967:

Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)/Do Right Woman, Do Right Man


Sam Cooke's "A Change is Going to Come" is certainly a contender. I would not give it the edge if for no other reason than the 45 left out the verse about "I go to the movies and I go downtown, somebody's always telling me, don't you hang around."

[Brian Olewnick]

My Girl

[willfb]

What, no JB here!

"Say It Loud...I'm Black and I'm Proud!"

a couple of others:

"Hitchhike" by Marvin Gaye

"Midnight Mover" by the wicked Pickett

there are hundreds more of course but this is a start

[AntManBee]

It's an impossible question to answer, but Marvin Gaye's "Love Starved Heart", "Reach Out I'll Be There" by the Four Tops, Al Wilson's "The Snake" and "Soul Galore" by Jackie Wilson are among the first that leap to mind.

[Jim Dye]

Sam & Dave "Wrap It Up" / "I Thank You"

[hornplayer]

Originally Posted by John L

It's a hard choice, but I have to go with the 45 that packed a musical revolution in 1967:

Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)/Do Right Woman, Do Right Man


Sam Cooke's "A Change is Going to Come" is certainly a contender.

... and somebody stole my copy! (the original 45.....)

add to these Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" and Little Milton's "We're Gonna Make It," and Baby Washington's "Only Those in Love."

[Mike P]

Beware - Jesse Belvin
Oh What A Night - The Dells
All Nite Long - Joe Houston
Come Go With Me - The Dell-Vikings
Jivin' Around - Ernie Freeman
Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett
Blue Monday - Fats Domino
Honest I Do - Jimmy Reed
Miss Sue - Don & Dewey
You Cheated - The Shields
You're So Fine - The Falcons
Think - The "5" Royales
In The Still Of The Night - The Five Satins
I'm A Fool - The Turks
Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
(I Do The) Shimmy Shimmy - Bobby Freeman
I Need Your Loving - Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford
Ko Ko Mo - Gene & Eunice
No More Doggin' - Rosoe Gordon
Oop Shoop - Shirley Gunter
Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley
A Sunday Kind Of Love - The Harptones
Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris
Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
Moments - Jennell Hawkins
Louie Louie - Richard Berry
A Thousand Miles Away - The Heartbeats
Pachuko Hop - Chuck Higgins
Buzz Buzz Buzz - The Hollywood Flames
Gypsy Woman - The Impressions
Why Don't You Write Me? - The Jacks
The Way You Look Tonight - The Jaguars
The Wallflower - Etta James
Fever - Little Willie John
Please, Please, Please - James Brown
Over The Mountain - Johnnie & Joe
Earth Angel - The Penguins
Heaven & Paradise - Don Juian & The Meadowlarks
Sick & Tired - Chris Kenner
Since I Met You Baby - Ivory Joe Hunter
Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Sweet Sixteen - B. B. King
Confidental - Sonny Knight
Tossin' & Turnin' - Bobby Lewis
R. M. Blues - Roy Milton
True, Fine Mama - Little Richard
Willie & The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis
Rudy Rudy - Little Willie Littlefield
Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
There Is Something On Your Mind - Big Jay McNeely & Little Sonny Warner
Cherry Pie - Marvin & Johnny
Gloria - Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns
The Walk - Jimmy McCracklin
Treasure Of Love - Clyde McPhatter
The Town I Live In - McKinley Mitchell
Sincerely - The Moonglows
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Western Movies - The Olympics
Jim Dandy - Lavern Baker
Miss You So - Lillian Offitt
Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
Hand Clappin' - Red Prysock
Cherry Lips - The Robbins
Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee
A Casual Look - The Six Teens
Goodnite Sweetheart - The Spaniels
Part Time Love - Little Johnnie Taylor
When You Dance - The Turbans
Shake Rattle & Roll - Joe Turner
Eternally - The Twilighters
Sixty Minute Man - The Dominoes
Those Lonely, Lonely Nights - Johnny "Guitar" Watson
C. C. Rider - Chuck Willis
What'd I Say - Ray Charles
Mary Lou - Young Jessie
Don't Let Go - Roy Hamilton
For Your Love - Ed Townsend
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
Harlem Nocturne - Earl Bostic
I Pity The Fool - Bobby Bland
Candy - Big Maybelle
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Pretty Girls Everywhere - Eugene Church
Devil Or Angel - The Clovers
Down In Mexico - The Coasters
My Baby's Got Soul - Larry Williams
Double Crossin' Blues - Little Esther
Next Time You Se Me - Little Jr. Parker
Glory Of Love The Velvetones

[lazarus]

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

GREAT list, Mike!!


No Charles Brown yet, so let's add Merry Christmas, Baby

&

No blue-eyed soul yet, so let's add:


Roy Head -- Treat Her Right

Righteous Brothers -- You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling

[Gary Sisco]

Best one ever?

James Brown -- I Got You

No contest. My favorite single of all, and a flawless performance by perhaps the best band ever.