Prophets And The Originals

[Mark Jones]

Can you clarify someting for me.

I attended various nighters (Oddfellows in Leicester. Stafford TOTW etc) during the '80's when this record first came to the fore when a few DJ's had a few unreleased acetates of The Prophets and this was certainly the version that was played the most at the time.

I didn't know there was another version until I heard (I think it was Keith Minshull) play The Originals at The Rotherham Clifton Hall.

I then later thought that my pressing of the Prophets was just a speeded up vesion (a la Epitome of Sound) of The Originals, but listening to both versions I can hear that this is not the case, as both vocal styles are different.

Can you get me up to speed on this 'cos it's been bothering me for nearly 20 bloody years!

[Pete S]

I think there's about 4 versions. The original one is easily the best (the one they called The Detroit Prophets but it is very slightly speeded up I think).

[Simon T]

I think there's about 4 versions.  The original one is easily the best (the one they called The Detroit Prophets but it is very slightly speeded up I think).

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(How many times can you get the word original into a post!)

The "original" version played out was off emi disks cut from the original studio acetate. There's a picture in Kev Roberts's top 500, I seem to remember, but I can't remember if it's accredited to the 'Prophets' or 'Originals', but the title was originally "Baby have mercy on me" which is what it was originally registered with BMI.

I think it was speeded up a little for the sake of a few chemically enhanced dancers at the time. It was pressed at the time on a UK boot with Eddie Holman -'' Where I'm not wanted'' on the reverse.

A different Original's version was issued on the CD "This is Northern soul! Volume 2" with a different vocalist and slightly different words, but at the correct slower original speed.

Motown then released a comp of Original's tracks, the first one being the original version at the slower speeed, but titled 'Suspicion'

There's another vocal by F. Knows, but it's funky with a whaa whaa guitar on it!

There's also an U/R instrumental of the original take.

[Pete S]

The instrumental is on the back of the latest bootleg version of it, which is a different take to the one that's on official cd!

Also, bit daft calling it Baby Have Mercy On Me, they don't appear to sing that at all. But I've seen the disc, it was originally printed in the very rare Simon Soussan price guide

[TheBigO]

And I have a tape with another more finished version lurking somewhere upstairs, slightly more 'crossover' in feel, just to confuse things (is this a carl Willingham tape?)

[Guest]

Can you clarify someting for me.

I attended various nighters (Oddfellows in Leicester. Stafford TOTW etc)  during the '80's when this record first came to the fore when a few DJ's had a few unreleased acetates of The Prophets and  this was certainly the version that was played the most at the time.

I didn't know there was another version until I heard (I think it was Keith Minshull) play The Originals at The Rotherham Clifton Hall.

I then later thought that my pressing of the Prophets was just a speeded up vesion (a la Epitome of Sound) of The Originals, but listening to both versions I can hear that this is not the case, as both vocal styles are different.

Can you get me up to speed on this 'cos it's been bothering me for nearly 20 bloody years!

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It would have been Rob Smith. Minshull never worked at Clifton Hall.

[Mark Jones]

It would have been  Rob Smith. Minshull never worked at Clifton Hall.

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Thanks....bloody 'ell, memories starting to fade