Billy Ocean red light, Northern soul?

[Geeselad]

Just heard Eddie pillar and keb, debating on this apparently thorny issue, on the excellent mod cast radio show. I've always thought it's just a pop tune that might get requested by a certain type of less discerning punter at a soul/ Motown night. Surely it wasn't played at nighters as a new release, was it?.

Edited June 10, 2021 by Geeselad

[Mssoulie]

No

[Lambrettagp200]

It was played regularly at scooter rallies in the eighties when I was travelling all over the place.

[Soul-slider]

I remember hearing it out, in fact I bought it as a 'Northern Soul' tune, probably around 1980.

[Greedy Mick]

If this is Northern soul bring on soft cell. Proper Northern

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by Greedy Mick

[Tobytyke]

It is a pop/soul record yes.But it's a lot better vocally and easier to dance to than a lot of "rare" northern/modern/popcorn that go for hundreds of pounds on a daily basis. 

[Winsford Soul]

Never played at any Nighter that i have ever been or Soul night that i can remember, plenty of weddings , parties etc but thats it 

[Davey S]

Great record though.

[Timillustrator]

Aaahhhhh the debate rages on!

[Tomangoes]

Great sing along lyrics....

The sherberts are flowing of course...

Ed

 

[Timillustrator]

Impressive how he manages to stay on his feet though!

[Benji]

3 hours ago, Tobytyke said:

It is a pop/soul record yes.But it's a lot better vocally and easier to dance to than a lot of "rare" northern/modern/popcorn that go for hundreds of pounds on a daily basis. 

No it isnt a soul record. Just a crap pop record that happens to have the right beat and, to make it worse, a haunting chorus. I loathe it.

[Leicester Boy]

Its a decent record but no way northern, never heard it played anywhere ive been. 

[Whiskyagogo]

Pop record, never heard it played at any Northern do. Hope I never will.

[Tomangoes]

As the Pursuaders  wrote...its a fine line between norvun and pop...so to speak.

Most of Williams songs are great pop records. Going gets tough...always good for a wedding or the later divorce party:)

Had the pop madness just started to wain in 77? 

RLSD certainly has undertones of "the night"

I also hope I never hear it at a norther soul night...but with across the board anything goes....who knows!

In March 2018 I did hear December 63 played out, which I was totally shocked!

Ed

Edited June 11, 2021 by Tomangoes
Spello

[Amsterdam Russ]

11 hours ago, Lambrettagp200 said:

It was played regularly at scooter rallies in the eighties when I was travelling all over the place.

 

10 hours ago, Soul-slider said:

I remember hearing it out, in fact I bought it as a 'Northern Soul' tune, probably around 1980.

Likewise, I heard it out frequently around that time and also bought it. And I’ve also heard it played out here in NL, although no comment about that.

[Petered]

It's not even soul - in my opinion of course.  At the time it came out all you could hear on the radio was an unremitting stream of utter tripe - peddled mainly by the knuckle dragging cretins on radio 1 et al.  So frustrating that at a time when so much brilliant soul music was being made all we could hear was Mud, Abba, Q***n etc.  Never heard the likes of Latimore, Dramatics, Leroy Hutson for example just crap and more crap.  Been boiling my piss for almost 50 years now - time for a lie down!

[Mr Fred]

I've as much soul in the soles of my shoes as Billy Ocean was Northern soul. Regards Fred.

[Jim Elliott]

A great record of its time that helped bring alot of people onto the scene, me included as an 11 year old, along with Motown chartbusters vol3, Mr Bloe, Soul Limbo and Chairmen of the Board 45s...these were the only 45s and lps available in the early 80s for spotty soul lovers starting out.....so beggars couldnt be choosy.

 Ive heard far worse but varying opinions are what make it all such fun eh?

Give me Billy over Bill Bush anyday

Stay safe all

Jim

[Davey S]

Let's face it if the Scene can play Fascinating Girl it can play Red Light imo.

 

 

[Martyn Pitt]

Pop record, never a soul record in any shape or form ... certainly never played at any soul event I have attended over the last 45+ years, thank goodness.

 

 

[Scooterboy]

Not Northern, but a great tune IMHO.  A staple of the scooter rally scene and one that's always guaranteed to get me singing out of tune at the top of my voice after a few beers on a rally.

Love the record...hold on, heaven guide me!

 

 

[Dobber]

Surely his “love really hurts without you” is more “northern” than the red light! I recall youth club days and at the local disco if someone said “put some northern on” it was “love really hurts without you” invariably came on!

[Cunnie]

Apologies in advance if it looks like I'm name dropping but my Wife has met Billy several times via a very close friend who always drives his coach when he tours in the UK.
She asked him this very question & he was flattered to hear of the interest.
He said it was released as a Soul record for the UK market as was Love Really Hurts Without You & he never expected them to be the massive hit that they were.
He also classes himself as a Soul singer (rightly so IMO) so there you have it from the horses mouth so to speak.

[Roblufc]

A decent pop record but never a Northern tune, not in a million years for me.

Never heard it played out at any Soul Night or Nighter I have attended since 1979.

Rob

[Wayoutgirl]

Was out last Saturday at a small 5Oth outside party(all correctly sat at our tables I might add) and the singer during his stint shouted "Now for some Northern Soul" as he sang this. Loads saying "Hey Sandra singing  this for you!" Soon had them stand corrected as I quickly sank into my chair.

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by Wayoutgirl

[Greedy Mick]

2 hours ago, Roblufc said:

A decent pop record but never a Northern tune, not in a million years for me.

Never heard it played out at any Soul Night or Nighter I have attended since 1979.

Rob

Totally agree.  Nice record to listen to on radio in the van driving around.  But definitely not a niter tune. Even at a  soul nite I'd be cringing lol 

[Tomangoes]

Instead of making a perfectly good NS record like Tainted Love into a pop tune...maybe somebody could make RLSD into a good NS tune...

Ed

[Geoffp]

8 minutes ago, Tomangoes said:

Instead of making a perfectly good NS record like Tainted Love into a pop tune...maybe somebody could make RLSD into a good NS tune...

Ed

Why exactly ?

[Geeselad]

1 minute ago, Geoffp said:

Why exactly ?

11 minutes ago, Tomangoes said:

Instead of making a perfectly good NS record like Tainted Love into a pop tune...maybe somebody could make RLSD into a good NS tune...

Ed

 

I bet there's someone playing around with an edit as we speak.

[The Yank]

This is described as a "Northern Soul cover" on you 

tube. What do ya think ? ? 

 

[Tomangoes]

Her dads a better singer...

Ed

[Roblufc]

1 hour ago, Tomangoes said:

Instead of making a perfectly good NS record like Tainted Love into a pop tune...maybe somebody could make RLSD into a good NS tune...

Ed

Oh I really hope not.

There's been far too much interference from the outside media world as it is and it never does the scene any justice and generally makes us look or sound dimwits.

Rob

[Ageing Face]

I have to admit; it’s in my box (although for some credibility it’s a US demo) & the next scooter rally I play, I can guarantee a sea of boots, bellies & braces bouncing along in a Northern Soul stylie. 
 

[Amsterdam Russ]

1 hour ago, The Yank said:

This is described as a "Northern Soul cover" on you 

tube. What do ya think ? ? 

 

I love how she sings it in a country & western style - sort of Dolly Parton with a sore throat.

[Geeselad]

38 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

I love how she sings it in a country & western style - sort of Dolly Parton with a sore throat.

That'll be bonny Tyler then

[Mssoulie]

14 hours ago, Petered said:

It's not even soul - in my opinion of course.  At the time it came out all you could hear on the radio was an unremitting stream of utter tripe - peddled mainly by the knuckle dragging cretins on radio 1 et al.  So frustrating that at a time when so much brilliant soul music was being made all we could hear was Mud, Abba, Q***n etc.  Never heard the likes of Latimore, Dramatics, Leroy Hutson for example just crap and more crap.  Been boiling my piss for almost 50 years now - time for a lie down!

You missed out Showaddywaddy and Darts. They were my meat and potatoes until I was 11yrs old and could go to the Youth club in 1978. Then my eyes got opened.....

.

[Joesoap]

I can remember overhearing this EXACT same debate from fellow passengers in a train carriage on the way to an alldayer in about 1985!

[Hooker1951]

Billy Ocean together with Hot Chocolate seemed to bridge a gap between Soul and pop, their records touched on Soul without going all the way, very decent artists in that field though , full marks to them.

ML

[Benji]

As mentioned before this is a classic on the scooter scene. It's been a huge record at least since my first scooter run in 1989. Infact, along Melba Moore's Magic Touch this is a "in case of empty dancefloor break the glass and play this" type of record.

Can we move on to another record please?

Edited June 12, 2021 by Benji

[Lilbeatnik]

On 10/06/2021 at 19:44, Geeselad said:

Just heard Eddie pillar and keb, debating on this apparently thorny issue, on the excellent mod cast radio show. I've always thought it's just a pop tune that might get requested by a certain type of less discerning punter at a soul/ Motown night. Surely it wasn't played at nighters as a new release, was it?.

Ha! I don't consider myself a pro, just went to all the London Northern nights throughout the noughties. I wouldn't class it as Northern Soul, but I bloody love the track :)

[Sooty]

...just popped back to answer some pms and saw this!x Never heard it spun on the Northern scene UK wide through the 90s/2000s...BUT...when I djd at the Skeggy Scooter rally several years back....it was the most asked for tune across the weekend!!!! I felt obliged to get a copy...'old gold' copy...50p! Sadly it was the most played tune upon request at the next Scooter rally I did... sigh. Great pop tune to my ears....but doesn't get me on the floor....but I have packed floors with it!x So a must have in the collection...if your venturing out there across factions of Soul...Northern and Motown lovers!x I think it has more appeal these days on the Soul Night scene as many of the regular Soulies going to doos nowadays aren't too serious about the music anymore....just out for the social 'love in'....which is why I don't go to them anymore X Look at fb groups and the vast majority of songs posted in major forums....is pop and chart hits in the main!!! Not heard nowt new in many of them...and have to venture to obscure groups to find stuff to get me going...and fortunately I have found a few x 

Oops...sorry...the Malcolm and the Fovargues tune would get me off my seat....but that's it in the last 10 years of disco and pop!x

LUV

SOOTY

X

[Hill868]

The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum.

[Hooker1951]

2 hours ago, Hill868 said:

The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum.

They took over ages ago and there are more of them than us, Don’t Panic, !Don’t Panic !  Just remember all the Good times , 

[Ian Parker]

On 11/06/2021 at 10:34, Jim Elliott said:

 

Give me Billy over Bill Bush anyday

Stay safe all

Jim

or jerry naylor ...   paul anka, when we get there ?    horrid horrid horrid.    i'd take red light , any day !

[Dobber]

On 10/06/2021 at 19:44, Geeselad said:

Just heard Eddie pillar and keb, debating on this apparently thorny issue, on the excellent mod cast radio show. I've always thought it's just a pop tune that might get requested by a certain type of less discerning punter at a soul/ Motown night. Surely it wasn't played at nighters as a new release, was it?.

Good topic geeselad,I’ve often wondered what was played early on,or what may have been played if not a pop release?

billy ocean-love really hurts without you

foundations,now that I’ve found you

freda Payne-band of gold

these 3 off the top of my head,there will be many more!

 

[Jessie Pinkman]

During one of the Cleethorpes weekender Sunday night finales I was triple decking with Roger Banks & Shifty and Shifty decided to play Billy Ocean, Maxine Nightingale & Footsie, he was trying to wind up the 100 club crowd and it worked because Ady came on the stage and told him to cut it out, so Billy Ocean has been played at Cleethorpes albeit just as a wind up.

[Chatty]

Interesting reading the comments that the song isn't Northern or even soul in a million years.

If that had been Billys only ever cut, never sold a bean, had died the death and left him unheard of and then some enterprising DJ on the scene had come across it and played it out regulary would it then be considered a kosher "must have" top notch find?

Exact same song but seen in a completely different light..

I think what I am trying to ask is the old age question... "is it what's in the groves that count"?

Or the history of how those groves got there and how many people knew/bought it at the time?

 

[Benji]

If it was an one-off uncredited acetate, it would be a one-off uncredited acetate of a pop song.

[Dobber]

Personally I don’t hear anything “northern soul” with the red light song,however his “love really hurts without you” is well worthy of northern soul status,more so if it was an unknown?