The Smiley Smile Message Board

"One of the many beauties of northern soul is its sheer unknowability. It’s a scene that has always thrived on the rare, the obscure and the undiscovered. Since it first emerged in the dancehalls of northern England in the late 60s, it has existed in direct opposition to the very concept of greatest hits."

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/aug/23/northern-soul-10-of-the-best

"The northern soul movement, however, generally eschews Motown or Motown-influenced music that has had significant mainstream commercial success. The recordings most prized by enthusiasts of the genre are usually by lesser-known artists, released only in limited numbers..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_soul


The Kaldirons, 'To Love Someone Who Don't Love You': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZsngrASJxg

Chuck Wood, 'Seven Days Too Long': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlLutsqYfGk

Al Wilson, 'The Snake': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULx9k2QkL94

Dobie Gray, 'City Stars': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKJZ_T-samg

Edwin Starr, 'Time': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bFC-5UC-A

Good call, JL. There are some fantastic 45s that made it onto the Northern Soul circuit...

We had this Northern Soul freak on my other other forum for a while, who was even a DJ----maybe he still is. He's got a channel on YouTube, where he calls himself rsouls. :lol

I'll dip into some of the stuff he listed for us. This is high on that list: Frank Wilson (these Wilsons get everywhere) with "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvpeYiQwss

Here's another NS biggie, so I'm told: Freddie Chavez and "They'll Never Know Why":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3MMX5FyJNs

RIP Jimmy Beaumont of The Skyliners:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt_ASQIt8aM

R.I.P :(

And JK, nice songs! That Freddie Chavez song definitely has that Northern Sound to it. It reminds me of a Four Tops song.

Of course, Frank Wilson! He was an excellent songwriter/producer for the Tops and Supremes, but not many know that he was a pretty good singer himself.

Tony Clarke - Landslide!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVjUUnq_-y0

Very cool! I like the comment that it was stolen from a Sugababes song. :lol

This is another rsouls recommendation, Larry Clinton and "She's Wanted":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=vYeY2Cz0fMQ

This is my wheelhouse. Great songs so far! Here's my first entry, the great "Tainted Love" by Gloria Jones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U

Nice! Still the best version.

When I first heard The Fascinations' "Girls Are Out To Get You" I really thought girls were out to get me. Brilliant record anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHc7RWONz8E

Here's a stonker from '66 by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

"Break Out" ends with one of my all-time favourite screams. Mitch never failed to deliver!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk7I0f8LPrA

These are The Dalton Boys and "Take My Hand":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kVrC4Ddi7I

Up next, The Majestics (one of umpteen groups of that name) and "I Love Her So Much (It Hurts Me)", with distinctive backing by the Ralph Ventura Mariachi Band: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCJYwroDpLo

Time to breathe a little life back into this topic. The Newbeats are perhaps best known for "Bread
And Butter" but "Run Baby Run" was their ticket to the Northern Soul circuit. RIP Larry Henley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlgkoqDsGhQ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Newbeats 

I heard the Newbeats’ Everything’s Alright on the radio yesterday. Sounds like it’s got that Boy/Girl From NYC riff in it.

It has indeed. And Larry H's falsetto never sounded so outrageous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hZ3ewBkzxQ