GREAT ONES THAT GOT AWAY!!!!!

[buckaroo]

A quick list of a few choonz that I reckon shoulda done better in the charts:

Phyllis Hyman "Don't Tell Me Tell Her"
The Dukes "Mystery Girl"
Maxine Singleton "Don't You Love It"
The RAH Band "Rock Me Down To Rio"
Lesette Wilson "Caveman Boogie"
The Jones Girls "Night Over Egypt"

Although us fans are familiar with these tracks, you average punter wouldn't be.
By coincidence, all of the above are from 1981, an awesome year for black music.

I've shown you all some of mine, let me see some of yours.

[SandraDee]

buckaroo, you saucy thing; I have all those tracks u listed above except for Maxine Singleton. I do agree about '81 being a great year for music; I remember wishing that MFSB's 'Mysteries of the World' & Carol Jiani's 'Hit & run Lover' did better in the pop charts than they did, but I s'pose considering one was a classy instrumental & the other was a Canadian record that mainly got played in gay clubs in the UK they did better than was expected commercially!
There are literally dozens & dozens of tracks that I wished had done better commercially over the years, but one has to remember that the majority of the buying public wouldn't know a decent classy record if it hit them in the gob, so just 'cos it doesn't do well in the pop charts doesn't mean its not good.

[Noman]

81 was a Great year..

The Jones Girls was adapted by a lot of national radio stations It has had a lot of airtime since then, they still play it on the air, especially in late night broadcasts.

[buckaroo]

buckaroo, you saucy thing; ....the majority of the buying public wouldn't know a decent classy record if it hit them in the gob, so just 'cos it doesn't do well in the pop charts doesn't mean its not good.

Always saucy... that's me

[Leatherman]

buckaroo, you saucy thing; I have all those tracks u listed above except for Maxine Singleton. I do agree about '81 being a great year for music; I remember wishing that MFSB's 'Mysteries of the World' & Carol Jiani's 'Hit & run Lover' did better in the pop charts than they did, but I s'pose considering one was a classy instrumental & the other was a Canadian record that mainly got played in gay clubs in the UK they did better than was expected commercially!
There are literally dozens & dozens of tracks that I wished had done better commercially over the years, but one has to remember that the majority of the buying public wouldn't know a decent classy record if it hit them in the gob, so just 'cos it doesn't do well in the pop charts doesn't mean its not good.

I was just listening to MFSB "Mysteries..." the other day. I remember it well from the period and how popular it was - first as an LP cut, then as a 12" (which stupidly left of the lovely slow ochestral intro). Though I still like the track it sounds so light and undynamic it is quite it is hard to believe that it was once one of the biggest floor fillers in the cooler UK clubs; and that it only just missed out on the national top 40. How things have changed!!

[buckaroo]

buckaroo, you saucy thing; I have all those tracks u listed above except for Maxine Singleton. I do agree about '81 being a great year for music; I remember wishing that MFSB's 'Mysteries of the World' & Carol Jiani's 'Hit & run Lover' did better in the pop charts than they did, but I s'pose considering one was a classy instrumental & the other was a Canadian record that mainly got played in gay clubs in the UK they did better than was expected commercially!
There are literally dozens & dozens of tracks that I wished had done better commercially over the years, but one has to remember that the majority of the buying public wouldn't know a decent classy record if it hit them in the gob, so just 'cos it doesn't do well in the pop charts doesn't mean its not good.

I was just listening to MFSB "Mysteries..." the other day. I remember it well from the period and how popular it was - first as an LP cut, then as a 12" (which stupidly left of the lovely slow ochestral intro)...

That intro is fantastic!!!! It reminded me of Battlestar Galactica which was on TV at the time :lol: , I could imagine a voice-over too "Deep in outer space..." etc, etc. It was so classy. I hadn't heard anything like it before then - or since. And..."Manhattan Skyline" which I think was the B side, was just as good. I had to get the album once I was on a decent wage.

[QUINNY]

There are soooo many, but if I had to pick one track it would be.......
Wilbert Longmire - Black Is The Colour

Just listening to this track makes me want to weep....it's that good. Whenever I do, I have instant visions of a room full of dancers just getting down and going for it, BIG time.
This was pumping Jazz Funk Disco music at its sublime best.
An 8 minute plus track that just begs to be played from beginning to end as there's never a dull moment. Even the slightly tricky turnarounds just keep on, keepin' on.
Jeez, this should have been enormous, instead of halfway forgotten. A unique record, that I emplore anyone who doesn't know it, to check out.
PLAY LOUDLY AND ENJOY!!!

[Leatherman]

There are soooo many, but if I had to pick one track it would be.......
Wilbert Longmire - Black Is The Colour

Just listening to this track makes me want to weep....it's that good. Whenever I do, I have instant visions of a room full of dancers just getting down and going for it, BIG time.
This was pumping Jazz Funk Disco music at its sublime best.
An 8 minute plus track that just begs to be played from beginning to end as there's never a dull moment. Even the slightly tricky turnarounds just keep on, keepin' on.
Jeez, this should have been enormous, instead of halfway forgotten. A unique record, that I emplore anyone who doesn't know it, to check out.
PLAY LOUDLY AND ENJOY!!!

It is funny (and I'm really not saying this to be argumentative) but this to me is an example of a record that hasn't stood the test of time too well. The only people I know who like "BITC" are those who were around in the late 70's on the UK Jazz Funk scene, where it was undoutably massive. I'm sure there are certain songs I like which you could argue the same of, at the end of the day it's all about personal taste anyway. But I do think being a DJ or punter on a scene were you are hearing certain tracks blasted out loud creates such strong memories and associations that can never be seperated from the actual music.

[QUINNY]

Leatherman: Now that's a funny thing. I actually enjoy it more now than I used to and can almost see it being danced to more by todays dancers. Yep, we're all different.