Extra-Senior-Pre-Disco Era Musical Question

[canadiantire]

Whenever I have a minute, I go through some stuff that I have purchased a long time ago and never really had the chance to enjoy.

Lately, I have found a song on a 1975 Warner Music compilation:

Sample here

The "co-singer" in the excerpt sounds a lot like the unique voice of the Stylistics main singer but the song credits is by a group called Blue Magic.

Am I audio-hallucinating or not?


- Marcus

[Simon White]

BLUE MAGIC

Stop To Start

ATCO 6949

73

Marcus, you're fine don't worry !

I always had problems with Russell Thompkins Jr. (lead voice with The Stylistics) voice for some strange reason (I cant listen to Anita Baker or James Ingram either!) but love the voices of Ted Mills (Blue Magic) and especially William Hart (The Delfonics) and Little Anthony (Gordine) of The Imperials who all have a similar Philly sound.

Whenever I have a minute, I go through some stuff that I have purchased a long time ago and never really had the chance to enjoy.

Lately, I have found a song on a 1975 Warner Music compilation:

Sample here

The "co-singer" in the excerpt sounds a lot like the unique voice of the Stylistics main singer but the song credits is by a group called Blue Magic.

Am I audio-hallucinating or not?


- Marcus

[Disco Funk]

Whenever I have a minute, I go through some stuff that I have purchased a long time ago and never really had the chance to enjoy.

Lately, I have found a song on a 1975 Warner Music compilation:

Sample here

The "co-singer" in the excerpt sounds a lot like the unique voice of the Stylistics main singer but the song credits is by a group called Blue Magic.

Am I audio-hallucinating or not?


- Marcus

What?!!! You've never heard of Blue Magic?!! Come on, you're kidding, right? One of the greatest Philly vocal groups of the 70s. Teddy Mills was awesome, because he not only sang in a masculine sounding falsetto, he sometimes sang at a 'normal' level, and he wrote a lot of the Blue Magic songs. He was also a zen buddhist, so if you listen to some of the song lyrics or even check out the later album covers (specifically Mystic Dragons) you'll see that aspect of him shining through.

I thought the Blue Magic were one falsetto group that did a great job with the uptempo numbers, better than their contemporaries like the Stylistics and the Delfonics (who kind of came apart just before they could really do disco). Little Anthony sang at a lower range than these other guys, I'd have to say. He was more like MJ with a slightly higher pitched voice, but not a falsetto lead. Eddie Kendricks is another great lead falsetto who did awesome uptempo Philly dance numbers.

Alright, enough of my Blue Magic gushing. Back to your regularily scheduled program.

Disco Funk

[canadiantire]

What?!!! You've never heard of Blue Magic?!! Come on, you're kidding, right?

Disco Funk

Please give me a break, I am only 17 after all!



...Just jokin'.

I have to admit that I was still quite young in '73, busy playing with my toys and listening to my parent's music who were more from the 50-60's era.

My true musical "awakening" came around 1976, so I have a gap to fill there.

Thank you all for the inputs.

This is what this forum is for, after all!

- Marcus

[Simon White]

Agreed DF !
When I brought Little Anthony into the frame I was thinking more along the lines of the certain quirkiness of Little Anthony's voice in common with Hart and Mills (but not in Kendricks somehow ?) and especially the hugely symphonic and dramatic ballad production style Teddy Randazzo used on the tracks the group cut with him on the DCP label in the 60's - "It's Not The Same" for instance. You can even include Dee Dee Sharp's wonderful "I Really Love You" on Cameo (1965 Gamble & Huff magic) in that same big style and that kind of leads to The Delfonics first record "He Don't Really Love You" recorded for but not released by Cameo and from memory produced by Tom Bell. The Delfonics did do some nice pre Disco dancers apart from the ballads but as you say DF the rise of the Disco sound was good time wise for the group.

Blue Magic dance recommendations from me for Marcus -
'Look Me Up', 'Love Has Found It's Way' and the great 'You & Me (Got A Good Thing Going)' with Margie Joseph

[qdearl]

Blue Magic dance recommendations from me for Marcus -
...and the great 'You & Me (Got A Good Thing Going)' with Margie Joseph
[/B]

Simon,

What LP is that song from?, I don't see it on any of the Blue Magic albums I have or Margie Joseph's:icon_eek:

I think along with Blue Magic, The Stylistics & The Delfonics both had a couple of nice up tempo tunes even though we mainly love their ballads.

Down is up, Up is Down -Delfonics
Funny Feeling - Delfonics
Keeping My fingers Crossed - Stylistics
Love is The Answer - Stylistics
You & Me - Stylistics
Point of No Return - Stylistics

Remember these groups were all recipients of those Thom Bell/Linda Creed compositions - and they were just as good with up tempo songs as they were with ballads..

...Just ask the Spinners:icon_cool:

[Simon White]

qd.. I'm not much of an album man but have it on a UK 7" and it's on a US 45 as well I think. Its Norman Harris on the controls ! I'll play it for you on next Fridays Metropolitan Soul show !

Simon,

What LP is that song from?, I don't see it on any of the Blue Magic albums I have or Margie Joseph's:icon_eek:

I think along with Blue Magic, The Stylistics & The Delfonics both had a couple of nice up tempo tunes even though we mainly love their ballads.

Down is up, Up is Down -Delfonics
Funny Feeling - Delfonics
Keeping My fingers Crossed - Stylistics
Love is The Answer - Stylistics
You & Me - Stylistics
Point of No Return - Stylistics

Remember these groups were all recipients of those Thom Bell/Linda Creed compositions - and they were just as good with up tempo songs as they were with ballads..

...Just ask the Spinners:icon_cool:

[qdearl]

qd.. I'm not much of an album man but have it on a UK 7" and it's on a US 45 as well I think. Its Norman Harris on the controls ! I'll play it for you on next Fridays Metropolitan Soul show !

Thanx! I'll be listening out for it.