(The Drifters – The Bells Of St Mary’s)
One of themusicologist’s personal Christmas favourites. Been with me for as long as I can remember. Recorded and released on an Atlantic 78/45 in 1954. Over half a century old and still as fresh as spring daisies..(the cracks and hisses aside !!), Of course it’s Clyde McPhatter on lead just after he had left Billy Ward’s Dominoes to form the first incarnation of the Drifters.
SuchIsLife #5
(Jackie Wilson – No Pity In The Naked City)
Day five..bit later than intended but Such Is Life..
Today’s cut is from one of the greatest singers to have ever recorded….Jack Leroy Wilson Jr known simply as ‘Jackie’ who ranks right up there with the best. Jackie, Sam Cooke and Curtis Mayfield were instrumental in fusing Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and ‘Popular’ music into what became known as Soul. Of course there were others who deserve recognition but without these three it wouldn’t be the same.
Jackie’s recording career begun in 1951 but really begun to take off after replacing Clyde McPhatter, (who left to form the Drifters), in Billy Ward’s Dominoes. In 1957 Jackie, (possibly inspired by his greatest ‘rival’ Sam Cooke), went Solo and begun his unfortunate lifelong ‘bondage’ with ‘manager’ Nat Tarnapol who is reported to be the one most responsible for robbing Jackie blind for his whole career. But the least said about him the better. Jackie racked up many hits and was quite possibly the world’s greatest performer whose stage shows are the stuff of legend. He could dance and almost sing anyone under the table but as so often seems the case died broke due to his manager’s ruthless greed and exploitation. This one from 1965 was recorded and released on the Brunswick label. No Pity In The Naked City…who knows that better than Jackie?
Cats…Hold This F*&%^$G Slice of highest quality musicology and listen Jackie’s plea..
vocalgroupaction2 #3
(The Drifters - Oh My Love)
while scouring the vaults looking for vocalgroup cuts it occured to me that there are many practitioners of the art that deserve a musicologist representation…but there are two who are essential. The Miracles..and this group who epitomise the genre.
originally formed in 1954 by Clyde McPhatter, the Drifters have been through many line up changes, first it was Clyde singing lead followed by Johnny Moore and then Bobby Hendricks.
in 1958 the whole group was fired and replaced with one that was going under the name of the Five Crowns, (featuring the unmistakable pipes of Ben E King), who soon delivered national success in 1959 with ‘There Goes My Baby’ true to form the line up didnt last and after an altercation between the two managers Ben E King, (eventually), went solo.
this is the B side to the aforementioned hit from 1959 featuring Ben E King singing lead in the year that ‘doo wop’ was being challenged by the emerging sound that became known as Soul.
