Northern Tunes In Strange Places

[Guest CliftonHall1]

In a new Pub enjoying a Pint nattering to her in doors when low and behold mixed into the piped background music came out the Valentines "Breakaway".

Mixed in between other MOR fodder Abba, George Benson etc i thought this was the programmer digging a bit too deep! Ok Jackie Wilson, Erma Franklin but Valentines? a wonderful tune in its own right, but certainly obscure!!

Set me thinking of other instances i could recall of Obscure Northern in places where you wouldnt least expect.

So here's two more to get you started.

Valentino's "Sweeter than the day before" in a "Shells" Brandenton, Florida. (OK a minor USA hit in the 60's but.....)

Terry Callier "Look at me Now" on a Cruise ship in Bahamas.

[Pete S]

I think there's a topic already open with exactly the same title and subject!

[Guest moggy]

I was in Thai Restaurant a couple of months ago

and heard Tyrone Barkley : Man of Value

Asked them who"s was the tape,CD etc, couldn"t understand a word I was saying, just grinned and nodded there heads !

Fook all new there then

[Guest CliftonHall1]

I was in Thai Restaurant a couple of months ago

and heard Tyrone Barkley : Man of Value

Asked them who"s was the tape,CD etc, couldn"t understand a word I was saying, just grinned and nodded there heads !

Fook all new there then

superb taste! (ptp) Obviously run by old Clifton Hall regulars, were they CHEWING and nodding

[Codfromderby]

in about 1979 in the old romania, at a beach hut type bar on the juke box was "and get away" by the esquires

on a free cd from an indie music magazine mojo ? inbetween depressing guitar led things appears mary love you turned my bitter into sweet

when very pissed etc went to a bikers hells angel type party at a barn in duffield near derby about 25 years ago, after a while i noticed that the music being played had gone from rock stuff unknown to my ears to roscoe robinson, soul sisters, homer banks, i then went round all the people at the party asking who was into soul, cant remember though if i got a reply

[Jez Jones]

At my daughters wedding this afternoon -----but she don't know that yet . I have 'crossed the DJ's palm with silver' and he has promised to throw a couple in

however i shall retreive said silver back if he plays Frank and Al (wilson bros)

[Pauldonnelly]

A 5star hotel called the Flamingo in Sardinia, one night during evening dinner the piped music went from Vivaldi to The Ojays Lipstick Traces..

[Our Kid]

Sat in a backstreet pub in Scarborough about 2 years ago on a dull Sunday afternoon (you know the one -the Sunday when everybody looks like they're regrettin' the excesses of Saturday night!)

Anyway El Jukebox decides to lob out it's random play................................Whoa Williams & Watson Too Late!!!

Move them chairs quick - woke the place up a bit & the locals found a new dance style to practice!!!

Paul

[Dylan]

After the support act played at libertines gig in Birmingham last night Bobby Kline “say something nice to me” played….

and a few other more well known soul tunes.

 

the libertines were also fantastic great gig all round.

[Harrythedog]

Took my missus to Gleneagles for our 40th wedding anniversary. Sat in the bar at night and Eula Cooper blasted out. We both looked at each other thinking we had been set up. But no, just a suprise random play.

[Paul Capon]

In the late 90s I was in Toys’R’Us in Romford and Linda Griner ‘Goodbye Cruel Love’ came on via the store tannoy!!!! There was a young girl up a ladder stocking the shelves singing away! I had to ask her and she said one of the store managers was a soul fan and made up tapes from them to play in store. I heard a Bobby Womack song later in too.  

[Davace]

Tacky max in Leeds recently playing Anne Sexton-You've been gone too long.

[Mal C]

I think all the great music that lands on mass 'Northern' soul re issue LP's is very common place now. It's the lesser things that surprises me, I heard 'Rokk - Patience' the other week, and thought how the hell have they got hold of that?  and of course it's these SYNC license deals from labels like Numero et al.  

Always strikes me when you hear something really good in your local shop, you think, bloody heathens, these shoppers have no idea how lucky they are to get 'Rokk - Patience' on a trip to Sainsburys...

Should give em all 'Rat Race' get em moving and buying more! lol

[Monny1916]

Two Marston Pubs in Corby Northamptonshire have The Dynamics Yes I Love You Baby on their loop 

[Okehdownsouth]

Morrisons cafe, Weymouth was playing Bobby Hebb Love, Love, Love a month or so ago.

[Mgm 1251]

On 09/10/2024 at 11:17, Monny1916 said:

Two Marston Pubs in Corby Northamptonshire have The Dynamics Yes I Love You Baby on their loop 

The Two Watermills in Newbury(MARSTONS)also plays The Dynamics on their loop,along with The Spinners Sweet Thing,and plenty others,including Gordon Lightfoots' version of I Can't Make It Anymore ....

[Solidsoul]

Years ago I was in Marks and Spencers clothing dept and "Thank You Baby" - Matt Brown came on!

I think it's a fantastic record, and a favorite from the old Shotts Allanton allnighters up in Scotland, but it was very surreal to hear it there!

None of the normal customers took the slightest bit of notice, they just carried on browsing the tee shirts!

 

Edited Sunday at 16:17 by Solidsoul

[Okehdownsouth]

Ive also heard The Salvadors in Co-op Wareham and one Saturday afternoon around 5 years ago I walked past a Thai restaurant in Ringwood and almost broke into a dance to Tobi Legend!

 

Matt Brown is a 'modern' to y ears but a great choon

[Mikehump]

I have just moved offices at work. Each morning, I now get coffee at a new cafe. I was sitting in reading the paper when my ears pricked up. On came the pleading tones of Otis Redding - "Try  a little tenderness". OK, its not "Northern", but its also not the sort of tune you expect to hear at 08.30 in Finchley Central. The cafe owner is a nice chap so I explained I bought the Album (Dictionary of soul)  in 1967 and had never previously heard it played anywhere. The response was "Dunno mate, this is Amazon Music". Perhaps I tend to overthink things!

Hump

[Peter99]

It is rumoured than someone once heard a northern record in my kitchen.

Peter