Poll: Vocal or Instrumental Battle - Luther Ingram

[Mike]

Luther Ingram - Exus Trek

Luther Ingram - If It's All The Same To You Baby

this time around going for a straight forward bit of fun instrumental v vocal battle

so here in 2019 which version do you prefer...

 

[Mike]

 

 

here's a bit of background from a old soul source topic...

Robert remembers the recording sessions well. The main one was done at Golden World Studio with the Funk Brothers playing. Richard Wylie came up with the lyrics and worked on the track with Robert. They had a history together with Luther Ingram via "I Spy For The FBI".

Robert, without Popcorn, then took the tapes to New York where he pulled a favour of Shelby Singleton and got use of the Mercury Studio where he added on the manic strings we all love so much. The Orchestra was in fact just two violinists, who Robert overdubbed and overdubbed until he got the sound he wanted ("I learnt to do that when I was at Motown").

We all think of Northern Soul classcis as being flops, but Robert tells a different story. Luther was popular in St. Louis and "If It's All The Same To You Babe" got regular radio plays there, and Robert's first pressing sold out and he had to supply more to deal with the demand. He sold about 5,000, his distributor in St. Louis wanted more and at that point Robert got concerned about the costs he was running up. He told the distributor his dilema and they said they would get someone to contact him who could help. Shortly afterwards Jerry Wexler from Atlantic rang him and arranged a distrtibution deal, hence the Atco credits on later copies.

So Robert sold around 5,000 copies himself, and got an advance from Atlantic that covered all his costs/made him a profit, so he certainly does not see it as a flop.

 

 

[Petesi]

From The Torch So Gotta be Exus trek

[Ficklefingers]

Whilst I loved a lot of instrumentals way back when I have to admit that vocals to the instrumental became my preferred sides as life and the scene progressed..

Not just the Luther Ingram track... the likes of the M-S Records release of 'The Stride' eventually gave way to my preference for 'I Can Get Along Without You Now', as another example, so..

'If It's All The Same To You' gets my vote

[Mick Holdsworth]

Of all the choices, this one is the most difficult for me. Whichever way I go it will only be 51% against 49%.

Think I'll go fo the instrumental.
No wait, I mean the the vocal.
Yes, the instrumental for me.

Voted for the Vocal

[Guest Shufflin]

the vocal version is magic, both great tracks

[Monny1916]

EXUS TREK all day long

[Soul Shrews]

Vocal for me. I guess because thats the version I heard 1st

Cheers Paul

[Guest]

Got to be Exus Trek. One of the all-time classic instrumentals, from probably the greatest year the Northern scene ever had, 1972. I can still remember the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end the very first time I heard it played. 

I never heard the vocal played anywhere before leaving the scene early 76, only on returning in the 90's. And quite honestly, I never had the urge to play it at home either. 

Anyone on this forum who was active on the scene back in 72-73 will almost certainly opt for the instrumental. It's all about the memories! 

[Guest Polyvelts]

Getting into northern in 1980, the grapevine LP ‘this is Northern Soul’ was like my soul bible and had both versions on it, both were played extensively but I’d opt for the vocal just for the line, “I must confess, I’m in distress”.

 

[Stevegods]

25 minutes ago, Joey said:

Got to be Exus Trek 

Anyone on this forum who was active on the scene back in 72-73 will almost certainly opt for the instrumental. It's all about the memories! 

Got to be .. but I guess it kind of depends how old you are and when you first heard something .

 

 

[Soulfusion]

For me the excellent vocal from Luther Ingram takes the track to a different level. I do have one question though; how come the vocal version has a single writers credit - Wylie but the instrumental has four writers credits - Aikens, Ingram, Frye & Bateman?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Stevegods said:

Got to be .. but I guess it kind of depends how old you are and when you first heard something .

 

 

Completely agree.  I fully expect the vocal to win out in this poll, as from what I've been able to gather, the majority of forum members started out on the scene well after the demise of the "classic" clubs such as the Wheel, Torch, Junction etc.  So, their experience and memories will be vastly different than yours and mine. They'll have heard the vocal first, not the instrumental, and therefore Exus Trek will never resonate with them in the same way it does me. But Jesus, that feeling when you first heard it, and it hit you square between your saucer-like eyes, and lifted you two feet off the bloody floor! Happy days! 

[Twinroots]

Exus trek for me..storming instrumental

[Okehsoul1952]

Exus Trek for me too....and great memories of the Torch!!

[Bruv]

Exus Trek for me, Superb Instrumental, that's what I play with the dj-ing unless the Vocal is requested... 

[Daved]

Vocal for me. It's what I heard first from the Detroit A Go Go LP. Mind you, I used to like the way Nick Driv Brown used to play the instrumental and mix in the vocal at Scenesville. 

[Zoomsoulblue]

Exus trek - didn't know there was a vocal

 

[Smartzie]

On 19/08/2019 at 15:38, Mike said:

Luther Ingram - Exus Trek

Luther Ingram - If It's All The Same To You Baby

this time around going for a straight forward bit of fun instrumental v vocal battle

so here in 2019 which version do you prefer...

 

I love dancing to instrumentals,though, my imagination takes over.

[Kev G]

Vocal for m8

[Rick Cooper]

This is one of a handful of records where the backing track is so strong, having a lot of instruments, top session musicians and solid production that even the best vocalist struggles to compete. Same goes for Crying Over You and Festival Time.

Like others have mentioned Exus Trek brings back memories of The Pendulum and The Torch so that tips it for me.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Rick Cooper said:

This is one of a handful of records where the backing track is so strong, having a lot of instruments, top session musicians and solid production that even the best vocalist struggles to compete. Same goes for Crying Over You and Festival Time.

Like others have mentioned Exus Trek brings back memories of The Pendulum and The Torch so that tips it for me.

Funny, but I was just thinking about Duke Browner, for exactly the same reasons. Like Exus Trek, it was the instrumental to Crying Over You that was originally played. And like Exus Trek, I never heard the vocal "played out" until I returned to the scene mid nineties. Festival time, ditto. Even though Laura Lee's vocal also got played, it was definitely Festival Time that was played the most, everywhere. 

Oh, to be back in '72 again! 

[Westender]

Vocal for me, though its a close run thing as the instrumental track is so beautifully arranged and stands up in its own right.

[Davenpete]

Defo the vocal.

Dx