Well, I love this tune. It's one of their best IMO. Very atmospheric with a soaring melody and production.
I always liked this one. Definitely remember it from the time. Another proto-disco record with that thumping beat, sweeping strings and chorused vocals.
Another one of my favorite labels gone (the ochre A&M). At least three of my favorite labels had bit the dust in the past year (this one, Decca, and the Capitol target label (in late 1972)). At least the yellow Atco one held on for a few more years. It was interesting for me -- in my particular situation we had a lot of late '60s 45s and LPs, but then when all my older siblings moved away and nothing new was bought for a few years (that's one reason why these mid '70s years are a bit of a "black hole" for me). It wasn't until about 1977 that I started buying my own things. Not knowing what had happened in the intervening 8 to 10 years, I was surprised (and dismayed) that many of the labels I liked had changed.
Issued on Aug. 30, 1973, #ZS7 3533 had two label copy variations - one mentioning "Music by: MFSB" on the label, the other not. On the latter, the (Part 1) and (Part 2) times were mixed up. Natch', I have the non-MFSB reference label: The mono version of the mono/stereo promo of this single appears to be a fold-down, as there was a 33⅓ RPM promo-only copy (AE7 1079) with the full version on both sides - and the mono side having, in the intro with only the Wurlitzer organ and guitar, accompanying strings that weren't on the stereo, up to the point the rest of the band kicks in. I may've said this before, but if I did I'll say it again: Philadelphia International's color scheme for their labels (which from what I could gauge from Pantone swatches of equivalent vintage to these original-issue 45's, were PMS 104 for the olive yellow and PMS 234 for the burgundy/plum) appears to be derived from the colors of Pimento olives. I know the design ain't everyone's cup o' tea, but for some reason I preferred the 45 version of the label design to the LP version. The arc line of the rim print (set at 3.3125" diameter) appears to be in-between the recommended text safety for 3.5" diameter labels as this, and that for 3.625" labels.
Yeah, R&B songs fell into this category quite a few times, especially in the 70s when loooong songs became fashionable. I do remember a rock tune, Sky Pilot by Eric Burdon & The Animals , was presented this way although the single mix differs from the LP.
Although I'm sure they worked out their differences, I can't imagine Isaac Hayes was that happy about Barry White's rise, especially from 73-74 when Isaac's work was failing.
In the same vein, Cream's "Spoonful" was presented as Part 1 and Part 2 on the single, with the break occurring at a guitar solo about halfway through the track (which had a total length of 6:30). That was in 1967. Is that the earliest example?
"We loved each other / we just couldn't get along". I heard that!!! It's ridiculous how good these Gamble and Huff productions were. Black and Blue, the album this comes from, kicks off with their version of "Cabaret". These guys took showmanship seriously! Just dig the straw hats:
Isaac Hayes' work wasn't failinjg. He was doing quite well on the charts, too. I'm still surprised at how well his hit "Joy" did, and later he would have a cool hit with David Porter (of Sam & Dave) that was all over pop radio as I recall.
I.I.N.M., Dave Prater was the other half of Sam & Dave; David Porter was Mr. Hayes' collaborator on many of the songs Sam & Dave performed. But if Hayes was "failing," it was more a reflection of parent Stax which was slowly sinking by this point, rather than his music. That Joy did as well as it did, was apparently in spite of Stax' being screwed royally at that point.
I should know better! maybe it's a good thing this thread has no footprint. Oh yeah! STAX was still getting hits at this point, but it was in deep doo-doo by this time. The label started releasing all manner of material, good and bad. Just throwing everything out there to see what would stick. By this point, they has entered into a distribution agreement with CBS that was supposed to help them, but became part of the label's demise.
I don't think Truck Turner or Tough Guys did well, this was during a time when Barry White got a #1 album with Can't Get Enough and he had 3 hit albums from 73-74. Hayes rebounded by 1975 but even with the label issues, those two albums weren't successful IMO especially jutaxposed to White's career.
So it wasn't just on the pops that some artists did better on albums charts than singles in this period. People do tend to forget this . . .
I remember Hayes as an album artist. I missed Shaft by a year or two, and then never heard him have a pop hit until he did a cover of "Don't Let Go" in 1979.
I'm not understanding the way you worded your comment. Do you have a Joel Whitburn chart book? He had three top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. he did even better on the R&B singles chart. I guess some people don't count the R&B chart, which is what this thread is based on.
Three singles in the hot 100, sounds like an album artist. I know this is an R and B topic. It doesn't sound like there were a lot of those r and b hits either, or you would say how many?
Isaac had 14 Hot 100 entries. 8 went Top 40 and 1 went #1. ("Shaft", of course). He had 32 R&B 100 entries. 21 went Top 40, 5 went Top 10 but no #1s.
I guess you didn't read very carefully. I said three TOP 40 singles. That means top 40, not the top 50 or the top 20, it means the top 40. He had many more singles in the hot 100. That is on the Hot 100 pop. Again, he did even better on the Billboard R&B Hot 100 singles chart, and within it's top 40 tier. I am OCD, so I worded it very carefully.
We're getting near the end of 1973. Two more #1's left. So... If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) - Staple Singers The first family of secular gospel (is there such a thing?) strikes again with gold. A fine song with similar lyrics that harken back to "I'll Take You There". It also got to the top 10 of the Billboard Top 10 singles too. I remember this being played a lot of the radio back then, but I never bought the 45. @W.B. I decided to use the album length for the video. The single just fades earlier, that's all. Correct me if i'm wrong, but this is also the first Staple Singers single distributed under CBS.
