Best From Artist 53 - Ashford & Simpson

**paul** · August 3rd, 2003, 09:58 PM

I guess this topic has had a good rest and now it's time to resume it, esp. for one requester

I'll pick one ballad and one uptempo. My uptempo is "It Seems To Hang On." I remember doing "the rock" to that song all night long. My ballad is "Send It." They sound so magical doing that song.
Oh, it's been so long I hope I've the count for the artist correct :roll:

**K-Bee** · August 4th, 2003, 12:52 AM

I'm sorry but my Ashford & Simpson choices are very obvious :lol:

Bourgie Bourgie
Found A Cure

**FrontPage22** · August 4th, 2003, 01:06 AM

"Bourgie Bourgie" & the amazing "Stay Free"

**jazz_pilgrim** · August 4th, 2003, 01:35 AM

I'll pick just one song:

Don't Cost You Nothing

**efunk_adelic** · August 4th, 2003, 01:45 AM

Ashford & Simpson had better luck writing songs for other artists on the Motown Label... My choices are:

Solid
Found A Cure
It Seems To Hang On :D

**Forrrce** · August 4th, 2003, 07:38 AM

'Found A Cure' is completely lost on me, but seems to do it for many.
'Don't Cost You Nothing' funks hard!
'It Seems To Hang On' for sweetness!
'Bourgie, Bourgie' is not a long-time fave at all, but I find it pretty atmospheric.

**Bernie** · August 4th, 2003, 10:14 AM

Enjoy "Found A Cure" and "By Way of Love's Express."

**NickNack** · August 4th, 2003, 10:21 AM

Bourgie, Bourgie - Classic instrumental track
It Seems to Hang On - This song just makes you hot
Found a Cure - I hear the people screaming :D . Joyous club music: "Oooh, love'll fix it!"
Don't Cost You Nothin' - Exactly!
Gimme Something Real - Thank you, Art. I still have the lp. :)

Honorable Mentions:
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs
Love Don't Always Make It Right

...and Valerie doing "Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow" her way!

**Boodikka** · August 4th, 2003, 11:54 AM

A Goddess-like vote for "Bourgie Bourgie".

**paul** · August 4th, 2003, 02:08 PM

Wow! Boodi and Bernie participating in the "Best From Artist." Satan must be freezing his ass off :lol:

**efunk_adelic** · August 4th, 2003, 02:21 PM

Originally Written by NickNack

It Seems to Hang On - This song just makes you hot

Nick, I'll make sure i'm not around when this song is on. :lol:

Paul, Bernie is participating in the best of section :o , I think that is cool

**markydefad** · August 4th, 2003, 02:37 PM

Surprisingly nobody's mentioned my fave "Nobody Knows"!!! Don't "nobody" know it???? :P

"Nobody knows the answer, to where all your little secrets lie.. Nobody knows the answer.....I ain't got no magic mirror"!!!!

Loved that one!!! Bobby V. worked this at Troc!!!! :D

PLUS, "Found A Cure". Terrific mid-tempo, joyous disco!!!

Their best stuff, howeve IMHO, were the classic duets they composed for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell.

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
"You're All I Need To Get By"
"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"
"Your Precious Love"
"If This World Were Mine"
& others.

CLASSIC LOVE SONGS!!!!

**NickNack** · August 4th, 2003, 04:45 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Surprisingly nobody's mentioned my fave "Nobody Knows"!!! Don't "nobody" know it???? :P

You're right --- this should have been on my list. Great track.

**HustleBaby** · August 5th, 2003, 03:27 AM

Hi Paul :P

You're not gonna believe this - I was at a dance studio monday evening and the dj was playing "It Seems To Hang On" (btw a favorite) and I said to myself that they haven't played this song in a loooooooong time. AND I thought about your best artists thread - my inner suggestions were saying that Ashford & Simpson should be your next pick and LOW and BEHOLD there they were at #53 :o :D !!!!!!!!!!!!! It's amazing how this came up.....maybe I have sixth sense" :lol: :lol: !

another fave is
"Bourgie Bourgie" :P

I can't stand :x "Solid" and "Found A Cure". I never understood the hoopla over these two songs :-?

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**efunk_adelic** · August 5th, 2003, 03:43 AM

Originally Written by markydefad

Their best stuff, howeve IMHO, were the classic duets they composed for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell.

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
"You're All I Need To Get By"
"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"
"Your Precious Love"
"If This World Were Mine"
& others.

CLASSIC LOVE SONGS!!!!

Finally!! somebody agrees with me :) I have this Ashford & Simpson composer series released by Motown to justify this.

1. Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
2. Marvin & Tammi - You're All I Need To Get By
3. Temptations - Love Woke Me Up This Morning
4. Diana Ross - Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)
5. Marvin & Tammi - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
6. Gladys Knight/Pips - Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime)
7. Diana Ross - Remember Me
8. Marvin & Tammi - Your Precious Love
9. Diana Ross/Supremes - Some Things You Never Get Used To
10. Marvelettes - Destination: Anywhere
11. Diana Ross - Surrender
12. Marvin & Tammi - What You Gave Me
13. Diana Ross - I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You
14. Blinky - I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is
15. Diana Ross/Marvin Gaye - Just Say, Just Say
16. Valerie Simpson - Silly Wasn't I
17. Diana Ross - The Boss
18. Marvin & Tammi - Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By
19. Diana Ross - It's My House

**Art Figueroa** · August 5th, 2003, 05:15 AM

Originally Written by NickNack

Gimme Something Real - Thank you, Art. I still have the lp. :)

You're welcome Nicky. I remember you playing that at The Anvil one morning as your last song...one of those memorable moments.

Art

**paul** · August 5th, 2003, 03:56 PM

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Hi Paul :P

You're not gonna believe this - I was at a dance studio monday evening and the dj was playing "It Seems To Hang On" (btw a favorite) and I said to myself that they haven't played this song in a loooooooong time. AND I thought about your best artists thread - my inner suggestions were saying that Ashford & Simpson should be your next pick and LOW and BEHOLD there they were at #53 :o :D !!!!!!!!!!!!! It's amazing how this came up.....maybe I have sixth sense" :lol: :lol: !

another fave is
"Bourgie Bourgie" :P

I can't stand :x "Solid" and "Found A Cure". I never understood the hoopla over these two songs :-?

*DISCO DELIGHT*

Hey Delight :P
I do believe it. I said this before but we are "right there."

I didn't get into "Solid" and "Found A Cure" the way others on this board have. I guess I can see the liking for "Found A Cure" if I look at the bigger picture but "Solid," heh. To each his own.

**NickNack** · August 5th, 2003, 08:37 PM

Paul,

Please forgive the diversion but my curiosity is killing me :) .

I am really surprised at the number of you who don't care for "Found a Cure". I just always assumed it was one of those 'universally' loved club favorites. I can not ever remember a dance floor not filling when this thing was played. People just loved to hear that intro creeping up under whatever the dj had on the other turntable. That dramatic first scream, "FOUND A CURE!", would have the dancers screaming, hands in the air. The vocals are tight, the rhythm is strong, the beat is hard, the tempo is right there in the mid 120's, the break and the 'endless' break-to-fadeout just drive this baby home. Isn't this the song that inspired Dan Hartman to write "Vertigo/Relight My Fire"? It's gotta have something going on. :D

So, non-fans, tell me what's missing in your opinion. What hits you the wrong way about this song. Also tell me if the patrons in the clubs where you hung out were in agreement with you and if this song didn't get alot of playtime. As I said, just wondering... :o

**HustleBaby** · August 6th, 2003, 12:05 AM

Hi NickNack :P

All I can say is that "FAC" and "Solid" never hit the spot. I had enough years of enduring those two songs thanks to my mom and other relatives - now she has my sister digging "FAC" :roll: :-? . Let's not talk about the airplay it receives, more than its share!!! Meanwhile "It Seems To Hang On" is played once in a blue moon and "Bourgie Bourgie" is totally non-existant on the radio. I know that they are crowd pleasers but IMO, I don't know how it made the top ten list back in the days. As a matter of fact, I have a compilation with "FAC" and I skip it ALL THE TIME.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**Forrrce** · August 6th, 2003, 02:16 AM

Not too sure what puts me off, though it may be the rather mundane melody. Something a bit too happy about it too...I don't particularly dislike the song, it just annoys me a bit.

Oh, its (undeserved) nu-school classic status as entry-level A&S distances me even further. :-? The disco trendies I know champion it now.

**jazz_pilgrim** · August 6th, 2003, 06:43 AM

Hmm - I don't even remember Found A Cure! :oops:

In which year was it released?

**paul** · August 6th, 2003, 01:17 PM

Hey Nicky.
You...change a topic...you wouldn't do that :lol:
Hey, FAC was one of those songs that I really can't recall getting much play in the clubs I attended. I heard it a lot on the radio though. The song for all the reasons you mentioned should have worked for me but the sum of all those lovely parts never added to something that moved me to get on the floor or to remain enthused about dancing to it.
I wish i could put a better finger on it and you know what, I'll see if I have it on a compilation cd somewhere and give it a listen again.

**markydefad** · August 6th, 2003, 01:27 PM

I don't understand why anyone wouldn't like "Found A Cure"--this is a terrific record. :P

But then again, some people love "Cocomotion"...soooo, ya just never know. :roll:

**NickNack** · August 6th, 2003, 01:40 PM

Paul: If you have the CLUB FLOOR CLASSICS compilation from Warner Bros. it's on there. Thanks for the input. For you it seems like it's just one of those songs that didn't work for you and on top of that the dj's/clubs you attended weren't pushing it.

Jazz: "Found a Cure" was released the summer of 1979. It reached #1 on the club charts, #2 on the r&b charts and # 36 on the pop charts. (I'm reading the notes off the compilation.) This as Ashford & Simpson's biggest single for WB.

Forrrce: I guess this is just one of those 'different strokes' deals. Both Marky and I said the music was "joyous", you find it "too happy". I also disagree about the melody being mundane but hey, it's all good. What I'm really trying to grasp is your last paragraph. What is "nu-school classic status" (deserved or not) as entry-level A&S? Are you saying newbies or younger people finding out about disco think this is the Ashford & Simpson track? If so, then yes, they would be mistaken.

Delight: Sounds like you suffered overkill syndrome. Can well understand and I do agree with you about "Solid". I never really got into it though I would hear it all the time. A&S's Capitol years don't do a great deal for me.

**Forrrce** · August 6th, 2003, 02:20 PM

Originally Written by NickNack

[i]Forrrce: What is "nu-school classic status" (deserved or not) as entry-level A&S? Are you saying newbies or younger people finding out about disco think this is the Ashford & Simpson track? If so, then yes, they would be mistaken.

Exactly, NickNack.
I didn't know the track first time 'round (barely into my teens and despite being tall, too chicken to attempt sneaking into clubs) though I've heard it more through my colleagues' continuous airings of the Paradise Garage CD from a couple of years back. I just find it a bit lightweight and obvious. All the praise it receives puts me off just a little bit more.