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B.B. King
Philadelphia by B.B. King
B.B. King recorded two great LPs with a Philly backing group, produced by Dave Crawford:
To Know You Is To Love You
Friends
DiscoMusic.com member Remicks provides the following:
Yes this 6:03 song called Philadelphia is a sparse instrumental low-end groove driven by high hat, horns, and guitar. Sparse and yet it somehow continues to build ever so slightly, drops out, rebuilds, drops out, rebuilds... B.B. King's guitar work is perfect (big surprise) and a most unique feature for a disco song.
Anyone that likes the Philly Sound, that MFSB sound, the Harris Machine... oughta get this one. The ABC album called "FRIENDS" recorded at Sigma Sounds, Philadelphia in 1974.
Here's the disco who's who:
Background vocals: Dave Crawford and Charles Mann
Drums : Earl Young
Bass: Ronnie Baker
Guitars: B B King , Norman Harris , and others
Keyboards: Ron "Have Mercy " Kersey , Dave Crawford
Congas : Larry Washington
Strings : Don Rinaldo, Philadelphia Strings
Horns : Memphis Horns
Vibes: Vince Montana Jr.
One other disco connection, his redo of the song "BABY I'M YOURS." ...And who wrote that ol' classic? Van McCoy.
The album basically could be an O'Jays or a Teddy Pendergrass release, but I very much like B.B. King's vocal work here and I admire his interest in exploring this "new" sound coming out of Philly.
Listen to Philadelphia by B. B. King:
Submitted by DiscoMusic.com (3705)
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Sep 04, 08 | 1:58 pmIt Ain't Snowing In Memphis
Looking out the window.
Feeling cold inside.
It ain't snowing in Memphis.
Chilling to the bone.
Baby by my side.
It ain't snowing in Memphis.
How I wish I were in Memphis.
Walking down Beale St.
Sipping on a Coke.
Hearing BB sing the Blues.
Cause it ain't snowing in Memphis.
Cause it ain't snowing in Memphis.
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Mar 11, 08 | 11:58 am
I understand why you got B.B. KING as an UNLIKELY artist. He was OLD when DISCO was in its PRIME! Always a BLUES/JAZZ artist, I couldn't envision him getting on the dance floor.When you look at who was backing him up in the PHILLY days, it surprises me that nothing became a hit? The talent was there! The music business is fickle, this didn't really make it, and a piece of junk like DISCO DUCK did!!!????
I used to have the original LP Album but as time has somehow gone past and we lose track of many items sadly this was one of my lost treasures. To actually find this song "Philadelphia" and be able to hear it once again brigns back so many fond memories. Thank you so very much for making this old heart young again.