Disc of the day
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
Magnificent late-'50s singles round-up that keeps on giving.
Features Disc of the day
The Dells
It’s Not Unusual: The Very Best Of The Vee-Jay Years 1955-1965
(Charly, 2006)
Oh What A Night and Stay In My Corner: so nice they recorded them twice.
For months and months my youngest daughter has been enchanted with the soundtrack to a fairly cheesy TV advertisement for beds, which for one so reluctant to actually go to bed is more than faintly ironic. However, her fascination is just the latest example of a classic soul tune successfully re-purposed as a sales tool. The Dells first recorded Oh What A Night in 1956, when the Chicago quintet were at the intersection where a definable style, doo wop, morphed into the new and equally distinctive vocal group format of soul. The difference? Well, certainly a harder gospel edge to Marvin Junior's (left) lead vocals, while the traditional harmonies retain a sweeter frisson of romantic promise. Written by the two leads, baritone Junior and tenor Johnny Funches, its vocal arrangement, with Verne Allison and Michael McGill adding harmonies and producer Calvin Carter depping for absent bass singer Chuck Barksdale, is a performance of exceptional maturity. Add understated instrumental accompaniment - piano, drums upright bass, a fine sax solo by Lucius Washington - for an epic of emotional fulfilment. Nine years later, after Johnny Carter's expressive falsetto replaced road-weary Funches, Stay In My Corner was an even more eloquent single. Still celebrating love, here Junior's tough voice sounds a touch uncertain as he pleads for constancy. "There'll be times when I may fail... bitter days may prevail," he admits, but just one kiss will make the days sweet. Looks like tosh on the page (screen?) of course, but the intricacies of vocal interplay and the strength and sheer beauty of the delivery make it all so utterly convincing. After 10 years on Vee-Jay, The Dells moved to Chess, who'd originally recorded then rebuffed them, but by the end of the '60s they had re-recorded both Oh What A Night and Stay In My Corner. Their reworking of the latter, in particular, stood comparison. The vocal arrangement had evolved into an even more baroque beauty with Junior Marvin holding one note for 17 breathtaking seconds. Hear those versions on The Great Ballads (Chess, 1998). But seek out the Vee-Jay takes first.
Geoff Brown
Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 9:58 AM GMT 19/05/2009
Further Listening
The Moonglows – Their Greatest Hits (MCA/Chess, 1997)
The Impressions – The Impressions (ABC Paramount, 1963)
Donny Hathaway – Everything Is Everything (Atlantic, 1970)
Previous Disc of the day
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Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
Magnificent late-'50s singles round-up that keeps on giving.
6:00 AM GMT 20/11/2009
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Isley Brothers - The Brothers: Isley
The Cincinnati siblings bed into their heavy period.
6:00 AM GMT 18/11/2009
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Lee Morgan - Search For The New Land
The trumpeter's most soulful excursion entrances MOJO messageboarder.
6:00 AM GMT 16/11/2009
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An absolutely fantastic vocal group! Very glad to see you highlighting them like this. My favourite of theirs and indeed one of my all-time faves by anyone, was Wear It On Our Face which they recorded for Chess I believe. A real classic!!!
Posted by Diz at 4:40 PM GMT 19/05/2009 Report Abuse
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