Oldies (rock, soul, r&b - late 1940s-60s)

mcherry

mcherry

🥑
Here’s another thread from the other place I think should live on. As the title says, this is about oldies. The stuff you’d hear on a designated oldies radio station if you grew up in the 80s and 90s. Mostly 50s and 60s stuff but early rock and even blues-on-the-cusp-of-rock-and-roll from the late 40s works, too.

I’ll start.

Freddie Scott was a soul singer that didn’t quite make it big but he had a few enduring hits. Recording in the 50s and early 60s didn’t pan out so he did some work as a songwriter in the famed Brill Building. He got asked to help songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin on their song “Hey Girl” they planned to pitch to a different singer, singing on the demo. When that dude didn’t show up to the recording session, Scott stepped in and when it was finally released in 1963, he had his first top ten hit.

“Hey Girl” is one of my favorite soul songs. There’s a haunting quality to it, the backup singers repeatedly singing bye bye baby as Scott belts out his heartbreak about not wanting his lover to leave. I just wish it was longer. :)



Scott had a few other hits but never totally broke out to soul stardom. But he did have this 1968 song you might be familiar with.



What are some of your favorite oldies?
 
Just bought a used masterdisk 2LP of "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook" for $6.99. It sounds wonderful, and I'm really enjoying listening to it.

It looks like there was a recent reissue of this last year as part of Verve's "Vital Vinyl" series, which looks like it was pressed at GZ. I'm curious about how that one would compare, but I'm definitely fine just keeping the copy I have.

Has anyone checked out any of her other "songbook" albums? I kind of want to check out her Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Harold Arlen, and Duke Ellington songbook albums.
 
Oh my gosh, I let this thread die. Well, I’m resurrecting it. Until I let it die again lol.

J.J. Jackson - “But It’s Alright”



I randomly heard this song the other day and it brought back so many childhood memories. One of my longtime favorites and I never knew the artist until I looked it up right then. J.J. Jackson also co-wrote the song. I remember hearing the cover by Eddie Floyd when we got that VMP classic but it doesn’t have the oomph of this original.

Listen to it. Listen to the guy just growl it out about not caring about this girl who wronged him.

First released in 1966 on Calla Records, one of the few black-owned labels of the time, it did very well on the mainstream charts. So well, after Warner Bros acquired the catalogue, it was rereleased in 1969 and again hit the charts.

I tried to get more background on the guy. Basically grinding away as a singer, and songwriter for other artists.

But this song, man. I would always sing along when it played on the radio. Such a great soul track.
 
Dinah Washington performing two songs at the Apollo: "What a Difference a Day Makes" and "Makin' Whoopee". I love how you can see her facial expressions here even though the picture and sound quality aren't all that great.

Bonus points for having a young Ronald Reagan as the emcee introducing her, haha.

 
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