Recognition. My guess is that it has more to do with image and recognition. White audiences kew about War because of Eric Burdon. They knew about Billy Preston because of The Beatles. They knew Stevie Wonder because of his 60s Motown pedigree. I'm not quite sure about Mandrill, though.
Why was I seeing red - I was angry at the tone of the first response to my question ("let's not talk about it ok?). Since I still don't know what you're talking about, I am not following what you are saying about controversy about what happened back then. Rather than stay angry, over the 20 or so hours that passed between my posts, I decided it didn't matter to me that I didn't know what you are talking about. I've got better things to worry about here in 2018. Wasn't really restricted in the sense that I was kept from listening to things, it's more that I wasn't really aware that there were other stations at that time. It just so happened I always heard "my parent's station". I didn't really get my own radio until 1975 or thereabouts, and it really wasn't until 1977 that I started listening to pop radio (spent 1976 listening to a lot of sports broadcasts). Time sweep -- if you remember the last hour of the History of Rock and Roll Radio Show, they did a montage of the pop #1s from "Memories Are Made of This" (late 1955) to "I Love a Rainy Night" (early 1981). (not sure what chart they used from late 1955 to Aug. 1958). I recorded it on cassette at the time and played it back for several years until the cassette broke. I identified as many songs as I could, but I didn't finish the job until Joel Whitburn published Billboard Book of Top 40 hits in 1983 or thereabouts. That came at a perfect time for me as I was right in the midst of really expanding my musical horizons at that point. At one point I found the entire 1978 version of the History of Rock and Roll radio show online, so a good bit of that montage is probably posted on the Internet somewhere. I remember finding it (the entire 1978 show) on the Internet a couple years ago, and spending a lot of time sending it to my CD burner. But then I wound up also buying the entire 1981 version of the show (all 50+ hours of it) from a place that sells such things. I now have both the 1978 and 1981 versions of the show. The 1981 version really cut back on the pre-1964 material.
The only tone I was using was let's not go there lest things get contentious and the mods step in. Surely you were around a month or so ago when the Pop thread got shut down because people were being offensive. Not that you would be one of those but these topics often attract folks who end up going too far.
Yes, I remember. Wasn't involved with that at all. I had been away for 48 hours, and when I came back the thread was locked. ====== So, yesterday I was flipping through looking at my list of early 1970s Billboard R&B #1s -- and noticing a lot of Johnnie Taylor songs. I don't know any of those #1s. I may know some more #1s (by anyone) later on when we get to the later '70s, when I was listening to the radio.
Manapua said that because he knows how unglued people can get whenever that certain banned topic comes up. Never heard of it. But, I did listen to American Top 40, and they also did a year-end montage of all the #1 hits.
It was the "ok?" part that felt a little condescending. I'm past it now. But you asked the question, so here's your answer.
Some Plastic Products 45 pressings at the point the CBS distribution kicked in, in late 1972, for a time mentioned "CBS, Inc." in the label copy.
There was a small window of time when some of the more progressive black acts were being played on album-rock stations. When Mandrill's earliest albums were released on Polydor, an effort was made to promote them to white rock audiences as well as the R&B audience.
It has always been a problem for Black rock artists, whether they be punk, progressive, metal, or folk. The record labels refused to market them to pop/rock (white) radio. And, when they did, many of the stations rejected them because of (there it is again) race. Not so much that they, themselves were racists or anything like that, but because they figured their audiences wouldn't like it, and sometimes they'd be right. MTV's Bob Pittman infamously used that same argument in the early 80s before Walter Yetnikoff threatened to pull all of CBS's artists off the channel until they played Michael Jackson. When Black rock artists did make albums, the labels shoved them off on the Black music divisions. Well, needless to say, they had no connection to the pop/rock stations, and Black radio didn't want them for fear that (again) the audiences would rebel. For many bands, like Mothers Finest, it was a no-win situation. RCA tried, though. Now, as for The Isley Brothers: they made the switch of their label T-Neck's distribution to CBS at just the right time. Black music was growing in popularity and diversity. The White audiences, steeped in 60s rock, were already used to Black rockers like The Chambers Brothers and Jimi Hendrix, so they should have been more accepting of the music in their realm, and, for a good while, they were. And, I do remember White audiences and rock radio picking up on "That Lady Parts. 1 & 2". But, after that, I really do think the music got a bit too R&B for them, especially at a time when bands like Grand Funk, Yes, Deep Purple, and Alice Cooper were having huge successes on the charts. After Clive Davis' departure from CBS, other heads took over who weren't so receptive to letting the bands do what they wanted, and demanded pop hits. Later corporate heads wanted to keep Black music Black, and that meant marketing only to Black radio. In that light, I think a case could be made that the disco fad saved Black music.
Since on one is talking about the last posted #1 (what was it again?), let's move on to... Angel - Aretha Franklin Beautiful song co-produced by Quincy Jones. That's all I can offer.
Never could get into "Angel." It doesn't have much of a hook and just sort of comes and goes, like a B-side. I've heard this a million times and still can't remember how it goes. "Sister From Texas" is just as unmemorable.
I love Angel and the album Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky). Quincy took her to a jazzier place although the mixing of her vocal on Angel sounds pinched in spots. I posted the title track previously so here's her version of Somewhere from West Side Story:
"I Believe In You" - Yeah! The Philosopher of Soul always delivers the goods. Just give him a solid groove and get out of the way. It slays me, the way he sings the first three words of the lyric several times ("I feel sorry") before getting down to business. The intro evokes "Respect Yourself" - not sure if the Muscle Shoals guys worked on this one. Those swooping strings got borrowed a lot in the disco era, but this may be one of the first tracks that used them. "Angel" - And enter the Queen. When she lets loose after the instrumental break, it just tears me up. The record's a real sister act - Carolyn wrote it and that's her and Erma on backing vocals. Makes it that much more beautiful. And Roger Hawkins on drums for the Muscle Shoals connection.
Made #20 on the "pops," and just missed being certified gold by some 100,000 copies. Still, some big pop hits also missed gold "by that much." Even with that, it shows she still "had it" to a degree on the charts.
On Mr. Taylor's record, yes, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section sure did lay down the basic groove (the strings were cut in Detroit). So if there's any resemblance to "Respect Yourself's" intro, it may not be coincidence.
Well, with one notable pop top 10 exception that will probably get a nod over on the #1 pop hits thread. Yeah, I assume I must have heard "Angel" before, but don't remember it and doubt I ever would. Sounds kinda pretty. "Sister From Texas" sounds dated for '73.
Certainly, the only parts I remember from the song are "Gotta find me an angel." and "...in my life.". But, the singing and musicianship is magnificent. Not to worry, Aretha will be back in a few months with a bona-fide, across the board hit.
I feel like I should already announce the next single. I know we're into a popular era for what was then called soul music, but, the vibe i'm getting from this forum is that they don't know the music, or don't care. The next several #1s are whoppers.
I think it's safe now to mention another song that came out around the time "Angel" had its run on the top. Remember "Super Fly Meets Shaft" by John & Ernest? Well, their producer, Dickie Goodman, once again came up with another "break-in" record, this one called "Soul President Number One": The songs, in order of first appearance, were (only those that didn't hit the #1 spot will have hyperlinks): - "Doing It To Death" by Fred Wesley and The J.B.'s - "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders - "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby" by Barry White - "Pillow Talk" by Sylvia - "Daddy Could Swear, I Declare" by Gladys Knight & The Pips - "Are You Man Enough" by the Four Tops - "Nobody Wants You When You're Down And Out" by Bobby Womack - "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" by the Spinners - "Will It Go Round In Circles" by Billy Preston - "Plastic Man" by The Temptations - "Hey You! Get Off My Mountain" by The Dramatics (I think someone linked this in a prior post here, so I'm not putting it here) - "There's No Me Without You" by the Manhattans (their first single for Columbia; we'll be hearing from this group again and again the next few years) - "Funky Worm" by the Ohio Players - "Time To Get Down" by the O'Jays As we wait for the next soul #1 to be brought up, it'd be fair to discuss any or all of the linked tracks which were active in the period the last few #1's had their day in the sun.
Good lord, I had totally forgotten about this record. It's hilarious! I really love the Dickie Goodman novelty/break-in records. As I recall, this one got a lot of play back in the day. I don't think I've heard it since the 70s. There's another one I really like about the 1968 election, I gotta try to locate that one.
Here's a little song I forgot about. Actually, I was mistaken about when it was released. It actually charted in 1972, but, this is as good a time to bring it up. It nationally offered the first taste of the Washington D.C. go-go sound. The Soul Searchers - We The People - Part. 1 I really love this song, and Chuck Brown's rapid-pace rapping. We will hear from this band again in about six more years, and they would have much bigger success.
