Jimmy James - A Man Like Me

[Guest Simon]

I like the other side.

So do i Ken, heard it for the first time in the last few days, nice tune.

Simon

[Dayo]

Hi Simon,

To the best of my knowledge this was never played in the main room at Wigan Casino.

I know some of you may not believe this, but the early days of the Casino, from 73 to around 75/76, before the invasion of the younger element, was possibly the coolest place to be, and certainly had a great track record of uncovering great new sounds, and in many ways was a Torch spin off.

You had to know who to avoid, you never went to the bogs on your own due to the many rollings that took place, and the average age was around 21-23.

Obviously, as the pace to discover new, danceable tracks became paramount, the musical quality suffered.

But I never heard this played then. It was a divvy-do record and would have been laughed at.

All true - well said. It was even regarded as divvy by the divs at our divvy youth club, where, asa new release, it was hammered along with Mitch Ryder's Breakout, Out on the floor, Scrubboard, John Miles One minute every hour and Shakers One wonderful etc.

[Guest OldKingSoul]

I am a deep southerner, who, although old enough to have gone to the Wheel missed the whole scene because I was in the Forces 1970 - 1982. I now go to every do around here and the fact that "A Man Like Me" is still played in 2018 speaks volumes. We don't care what clubs up north it was or wasn't played in, none of us went to them. We don't care who says its 'divvy' (which really means unfashionable and we have learnt the cyclical nature of this beast). We don't care if its commercial (which means it sold well and could be a good thing) we don't care if its 'pop' because yesterdays pop can be 'rare' now. We certainly wouldn't care which label it was on if we were just listening/dancing to it because it would sound the same (obviously). We just go out and enjoy ourselves and listen to great sounds like Jimmy James.

[Suinoz]

On 25/01/2007 at 13:48, Bazza said:

 

I have always thought of it as a pop record ,I feel sure it was a minor hit in the charts around 71/72.as for a "nothern" tune,nah never was or will be,many tunes were played in the early years that would not be classed as "northern" these days,then again,none of the tunes were known as "northern" back then,

I recone it would go down like a led balloon if it was played today,I have been known to be wrong tho'

Bazza

Madness avatar??? Excuse me, but isn't it now Worldwide Soul, and to be enjoyed by whoever wants to listen, and or dance to it??? I don't think anyone on the thread has called it a genuine "Northern record", and honestly isn't Northern soul something that happened in the North of England in the 70' and 80's. It's getting played everywhere from Australia to Greenland. B.T.W. not to be a smartie, but that is not how to spell reckon!! (recone).  T Bone.

[Colnago]

27 minutes ago, suinoz said:

Madness avatar??? Excuse me, but isn't it now Worldwide Soul, and to be enjoyed by whoever wants to listen, and or dance to it??? I don't think anyone on the thread has called it a genuine "Northern record", and honestly isn't Northern soul something that happened in the North of England in the 70' and 80's. It's getting played everywhere from Australia to Greenland. B.T.W. not to be a smartie, but that is not how to spell reckon!! (recone).  T Bone.

My god you’re replying to a post from 11year ago , I’m with bazza though ! Lol , but it might be popular now , but that probably explains why I don’t go anymore

[Frankie Crocker]

Great tune. I bought it in 1974, sold it a few years later then bought it again for £20 in 1990 when getting back into collecting. Always regretted selling it. Saw Jimmy and the Vagabonds perform in Anglesey and Eastbourne - very good too and plenty of other tracks to enjoy. A ‘Man Like Me’ is heavily Motown influenced and went on to be ‘borrowed’ by Dexey’s ‘Come On Eileen’. The track is a real slice of history and deserves spins for those who can appreciate its quality.

[Neal Bull]

I agree totally

[Leicester Boy]

42 minutes ago, FRANKIE CROCKER said:

Great tune. I bought it in 1974, sold it a few years later then bought it again for £20 in 1990 when getting back into collecting. Always regretted selling it. Saw Jimmy and the Vagabonds perform in Anglesey and Eastbourne - very good too and plenty of other tracks to enjoy. A ‘Man Like Me’ is heavily Motown influenced and went on to be ‘borrowed’ by Dexey’s ‘Come On Eileen’. The track is a real slice of history and deserves spins for those who can appreciate its quality.

Fully agree great record, let the haters hate. Gets played at plenty of n/s events i go to and is enjoyed, maybe were all divvys eh or maybe not. 

[Leicester Boy]

Don't know if its true but Kevin rowland fron dmr is supposed to have attended wigan.

[Local]

On ‎01‎/‎02‎/‎2007 at 16:41, Dayo said:

 

 

All true - well said. It was even regarded as divvy by the divs at our divvy youth club, where, asa new release, it was hammered along with Mitch Ryder's Breakout, Out on the floor, Scrubboard, John Miles One minute every hour and Shakers One wonderful etc.

As previously mentioned in this thread, as a new release this was played several times at the Torch, it was not considered to be "divvy" by anyone that I knew.

I doubt that Mitch Ryder would have been considered "divvy" at the Wheel ,The Shakers, "Out on the Floor" and the Tramps were certainly not considered as such at the Mecca.

With regard to John Miles I never heard it played anywhere so I cant comment. 

I suspect that you are basing your comments on what was happening in the youth clubs circa 74/75, where re releases of the afore mentioned tunes would have been easy to acquire and therefore considered to be a bit cheesy by true aficionados such as yourself.

A lot of records can be added to the list, obvious ones being the Invitations classic ….Skiing in the Snow, Millie Jacksons A Man like Me, The Devonnes,

April Stevens, Bobby Hebb, Bobby Paris etc etc

The scene has constantly moved on, which is the reason it survives, however, I can't condone the ridiculing as "Divvy" tunes that are an important part of our heritage.

Remember...………...  "To know where you are going" "You must first, know where you have been"

Edited September 8, 2018 by local

[Ian Parker]

Bobby Goldsboro, ,  Aquamen,  Helen Shapiro ,  Bobby Paris,  all part of the 'scene' 

    play a Soul record the world goes crazy ....  Give me Jimmy James anyday

[Jim G]

Jimmy James “A Man Like Me” was played at the Torch, I was there. I then bought it from Record Corner the week after I heard it. It was originall release on Stateside and then re realeased on EMI due to its popularity. 

[Dave Pinch]

The scene is a sorry state today... By all means give it the odd spin.... But don't play is 4 times a night

[Keithg]

On the plus side Jimmy still plays 'A Man Like Me' in his live set....he put it back in on my birthday last February,and was with him a few weeks ago and once again he sang it ......and don't forget he wrote 'I Feel Alright' the big play from Turley Richards..... here he is in a photo at 78yrs old autographing the Hungarian EP containing his live version whilst on tour there at the time...

[Leicester Boy]

8 hours ago, dave pinch said:

The scene is a sorry state today... By all means give it the odd spin.... But don't play is 4 times a night

A somewhat strange statement to say the scene is in a sorry state today for playing records that were part of the scene back in the day,I'm  confused. 

[Dave Pinch]

4 hours ago, Leicester boy said:

A somewhat strange statement to say the scene is in a sorry state today for playing records that were part of the scene back in the day,I'm  confused. 

What's strange about it.. Too many records played to death from back in the day.. There were much better days in the, 80s and 90s more records should be played from back in those days... As I say give it the odd play... Its a decent record.. A bit poppy but don't torture us with it

[Leicester Boy]

27 minutes ago, dave pinch said:

What's strange about it.. Too many records played to death from back in the day.. There were much better days in the, 80s and 90s more records should be played from back in those days... As I say give it the odd play... Its a decent record.. A bit poppy but don't torture us with it

Agree to most of what you say but really can't say its over played, probably hear it less than one in four dos i go to. All for rare and top 500 balance.  To be fair at a lot of dos now a good deal of records are almost seen as taboo and are never played. 

[The Happy Hooker]

Not the subject of the page but got utmost total respect for JJ & Vagabonds ALWAYS honoured booking here

when other supposedly top line acts never appeared...but thats another story

On 29/01/2007 at 10:52, Simon said:

 

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by the Happy Hooker