Dayo

That's how I remember it. Really stratospheric backing vocals. I'm certain that the phrasing of the lead vocal is different here and there too. The 45 is a much better take or mix (IMHO) Thanks to all. Glad I haven't lost it completely!

Was listening to that chess/checker/cadet Northern Soul comp "Just Keep On Dancin" in the car this morning. Was wondering if there is more than one mix of the Radiants, Hold On? The version on the CD is not quite how I remember it; especially the backing vocals. Could be my addled brain though. Any info? Thanks Colin

Agree. Inspiration is a corker!

I'm certainly a latecomer to this incredible track. Been playing it non stop for a week now and I can't believe I'd never given it serious attention. Thinking "Bout You is fast becoming my fave Dells recording; although, Always Together is very special. Can anyone tell me when the former first got played out? What's your fave Dells song? Anyone else had a similar experince with a tune that's been around for yonks, and you've only just got into it? Colin

Damn! why do ther peoples posts remind me of the records I missed from my own top five. I didn't even consider Archie Bell. Should have! Elgins should have been a contender too. Great stuff.

Jackie Lee - another one of my bubbling unders! Shoulda made it ten!

Proof if you need it that it's crap lounge music!

I've been listening to Brian Mathew off and on for years. I'll never forget hearing the Saphires Gotta Have Your Love on his show about 5 years ago. I NEVER thought I'd hear that on the radio! The appeal of the show is that you never know what you'll hear next. It could be anything from an ultra obscure skiffle B - side, to Flowers in the rain, to a Chuck Jackson classic. The guy must be at least 200 years old, but keep it coming Brian!Here's the playlist from saturdays's show, if anyone's interested. Saturday, 4 March 2006 Title: 'SUGAR AND SPICE' Artist: THE SEARCHERS Album: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION Label: CASTLE Title: 'THREE DOLLAR BILL' Artist: BEVERLY ANN GIBSON Album: SOUL UNDERGROUND VOL. 2 Label: SEQUEL RECORDS Title: 'HOUSE OF BAMBOO' Artist: DENNY SEYTON & THE SABRES Album: UNEARTHED MERSEYBEAT Label: VIPER Title: 'DOOR YOU CLOSED TO ME' Artist: THE BOXTOPS Title: 'CRY LIKE A BABY' Artist: THE BOXTOPS Album: THE BEST OF THE BOX TOPES - SOUL DEEP Label: BMG Title: 'IF I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU' Artist: CLIFF RICHARD Album: THE EP COLLECTION - BALLADS AND LOVE Label: SEE FOR MILES Title: 'TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA' Artist: THE MARVELETTES Album: MOD FAVE RAVES VOL. 1 Label: SPECTRUM/UNIVERSAL Title: 'OH BOY' Artist: BUDDY HOLLY Album: WORDS OF LOVE Label: MCA Title: 'LOVE'S MADE A FOOL OF YOU' Artist: THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR Album: CHARTBUSTERS USA VOL. 2 Label: ACE Title: 'AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG' Artist: THE TEMPTATIONS Album: THE TEMPATAIONS AT THEIR VERY BEST Label: MOTOWN Title: 'I'M A MAN' Artist: THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP Album: THIS IS THE MODERN WORLD Label: UNIVERSAL Title: 'DIZZY MISS LIZZY' Artist: THE BEATLES Album: LIVE AT THE BBC Label: APPLE Title: 'UNIVERSAL SOLDIER' Artist: DONOVAN Album: 1965 - THE SOUNDTRACK Label: CASTLE Title: 'SHERRY' Artist: THE FOUR SEASONS Album: THE VERY BEST OF THE FOUR SEASONS Label: MUSIC CLUB Title: 'I'M JUST A BABY' Artist: LOUISE CORDET Album: MUSIC OF THE YEAR Label: SPECTRUM Title: 'WHEN I GROW UP TO BE A MAN' Artist: THE BEACH BOYS Album: THE BEST OF ... Label: CAPITOL Title: 'THAT'S WHAT LOVE WILL DO' Artist: JOE BROWN AND THE BRUVVERS Album: 1963 - THE SOUNDTRACK Label: SANCTUARY Title: 'BATMAN THEME' Artist: NEAL HEFTI Album: CHARTBUSTERS USA VOL.2 Label: ACE Title: 'GETAWAY' Artist: GEORGIE FAME Album: THE FIRST 30 YEARS Label: CONNOISSEUR COLLECTION Title: 'SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE' Artist: CREAM Album: THE VERY BEST OF CREAM Label: POLYDOR Title: 'CASINO ROYALE' Artist: HERB ALPERT Album: SOUNDS LIKE.... Label: HIGH COIN Title: 'MEET ON THE LEDGE' Artist: FAIRPORT CONVENTION Album: STRANGELY STRANGE BUT ODDLY NORMAL Label: ISLAND Title: 'LONDON LOOK' Artist: HERMAN'S HERMITS Album: THE LONDON LOOK Label: SANCTUARY Title: 'SUNDAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME' Artist: SPANKY AND OUR GANG Album: GREATEST HITS Label: MERCURY Title: 'SUNNY' Artist: BOBBY HEBB Album: CHARTBUSTERS USA VOL. 2 Label: ACE Title: 'REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE' Artist: THE FOUR TOPS Album: MOTOWN'S GREATEST HITS Label: MOTOWN Title: 'BABY DON'T YOU DO IT' Artist: MARVIN GAYE Album: THE MASTER 1961 - 1984 Label: TAMLA MOTOWN Title: 'LISTEN TO MY HEART' Artist: THE BATS Album: THE NORTHERN SOUL SCENE Label: DERAM Title: 'OUR DAY WILL COME' Artist: RUBY & THE ROMANTICS Album: EBONY EYES Label: OLD GOLD Title: 'ALL YOUR LOVE' Artist: JOHN MAYALL AND THE BLUESBREAKERS Album: 100% BLUES & SOUL Label: TELSTAR Title: 'YOU'VE BEEN SO WONDERFUL TO ME' Artist: DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES Album: LOVE CHILD/SUPREMES A GO GO Label: MOTOWN Title: 'HERE COMES THE NIGHT' Artist: THEM Album: THE BEST OF VAN MORRISON Label: POLYDOR Title: 'FOOT TAPPER' Artist: THE SHADOWS Album: THE SHADOWS 20 GREATEST GREATS Label: EMI RECORDS

Bessie Banks was bubbling under my top five. It's so girlie, but so deep and dramatic. Great choice! Thought I might have seen more deep soul tracks mentioned in this thread...

Great taste Dan. Totally agree, would love to have had an Impressions track in my top 5. You Oughta Be In Heaven (love the sax solo) would have just shaded it over Gypsy Woman. Colin

Ok, here's mine (could have been fifty!) Yes, they're all well known, and for good reason! In no particular order... Linda Jones - Just Can't Live My Life So, I'm at Va Va. It's 1973 and I'm just a kid. In my y-fronts is an enourmous bag of blueys (they'll never search you Col, you look too young). We'll divvy 'em up in the loo. The loo is chocka with people doing the same. Half an hour later I'm flying and the dance floor is rammed. Searling drops the needle on this and I'm in orbit. My first time with Linda. The harp intro, the backbeat, the lyrics, the breakdown... the pain drenched vocal. What a memory, what a record! It's A Shame - Spinners Probably the first soul record I bought. The jangly guitar intro has never been bettered for taste or sheer style. The vocal arrangement still blows me away and I just adore the way it builds in intensity. I rate the Spinners so highly that Sweet Thing is also in my top ten. Never tire of it and, like everyone, I've heard it a zillion times. You Better Go - Derek Martin Bought a UK demo of this blind back around 1980. Funny it had escaped the dragnet till then. Sublime vocal performance from one of the most under-rated guys in soul. The tortured "I love you" in the fade out is probably my fave part. Definitely good to the last drop. Just Walk In My Shoes - Gladys Knight and the Pips It's appropriate to credit the Pips on this track, because their contribution to this magical production is immense. In fact, everything about this record is so perfect to me, that I can hardly bare to play it, just on the off chance that it's not as awesome as I remember it is! My fave track, from my fave singer. Our Love Is In The Pocket - J.J. Barnes It's the very epitome of Northern Soul. And that's why it's here. A representative track from the golden era. Could have picked a hundred other Torch or Wheel classics, but this one sums everything up. Perfect beat, perfect tempo, perfect lyrics. Of course, I love D. Banks; it's the one I heard first. But over the years I've really grown to appreciate the slightly cooler phrasing and vocal texture that J.J. brings to the party. Going Out Of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials Perfect soul music that is almost operatic in scale and almost too gorgeous to listen to. A heavenly experience from the first note to last. Time to push the button. I just know I'll regret leaving out the Salvadors! Have a nice weekend Colin

Thanks for kicking it off Chris. Great selection. I'm guessing Open the Door will turn up in more than one list! Don't know the Sonny Childe track at all. Must try and dig a soundfile or something. I'll post mine shortly, but it's what to leave out! I started with a list of ten and now it's down to seven...

My girlfriend reckons I've got at least 50 records in my all time top five! So it set me thinking, and I've almost narrowed it down. Will post mine in a day or two. Meantime, if you've a spare few minutes, how about sharing your all time top five soul records? Might take some thinking about - that's why I'm not being hasty in posting mine. Would be great to get a short note from you about each one too, why it grooves you so much, memories etc I'm certain the comments would be as interesting as the choices themselves. I'll bet anything that someone will post more than five! Discipline yourself! In an ideal world we'd all comment on eachother's selections (ooooh that's a corker etc) - in practice there is never time, but I'll certainly read them all with interest, I'm sure most of us will be nodding silently in appreciation too. Thanks in advance Colin

Definitely beans. Dave Godin printed the lyrics in an ancient issue of B&S. It's a great album; Caviar and Chitlins.

Wasn't taking issue Mark - you may well be right. And I totally agree, NS of the highest order!

Had NO idea that Little Ritchie was white! Paul Anka = probably the epitome of Northern (soul!?) That's a can of worms... Mitch Ryder does it for me everytime. You get your kicks and Breakout.

I'm so jealous. Love to see her live. LMDE - One of me all time faves. Great pole dancing record too! Or, so i'm told, by people who dance with poles! Good call on Walter Jackson... a big fave with the early mods. So was his soulful version of Where Have all The Flowers Gone. Colin

I dug out Roy Lee Johnson's Boogaloo No. 3 last night. Hadn't heard it decades. UK Action copies were quite easy to come by and it was one of the first things I ever bought. I never heard it played out (in my day) - the beat was just a little too funky and perhaps it didn't rack up against instrumentals of the quality of Bari Track, Exus Trek, Festival Time etc. Maybe it's been a hit on our scene at some venues, I've been away tooooo long. I know a few so called rare groove jocks jumped on it. However.... Has this record aged well or what?! Boogaloo No. 3 If you haven't heard it in a while, crank it up loud. You might be glad you paid it another visit - I was. Colin

Sounds I'd lurve to hear out again.... They call me Jesse James (+ the flip Charge) - Jesse James & the Dreams Band Do the 45 - Sharpees You're not lovin a beginner - Jesse Fisher Uhuru - Jomo (never heard this anywhere!) It's also been a zillion year since I heard Mary Love's Turned my bitter into sweet.... but it's such a classic I'm sure someone is still hammering it. Colin (penchant for Wheel sounds) Day!

Miff - you're spot on. I've always considered the Clapping Song to be a rap record. Surely Shirley Ellis though?

I'm certain that never got the plays it deserves.

Don't know that track. Funny how the backing vocalists are so distant...

1973. Year of my avatar pic. Er... been downhill since ! lol

Anyone else think Nico is here to wind us all up!? C'mon.... Tony Joe White, Rick Astley, Elvis.... Respect to you and your music taste Nico but someone needs to play you some quality soul. Best wishes Colin

Well I'd be first in the Q for that. Where's Ady when we need him!?