The Sight & Sound Of Philadelphia

4:41 PM GMT 30/01/2012

The cheese, the bell, Noam Chomsky, Schoolly D: we have much to thank Philadelphia for, but have any of the City Of Brotherly Love's contributions proved more lasting and beautiful than that nurtured by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the architects of the lushly orchestrated R&B style we call TSOP, or Philly Soul? The O'Jays, Harold Melvin, Billy Paul and Teddy Pendergrass were buffed for success by Gamble & Huff's '70s soul stable, and the music they made is hymned in the latest issue of MOJO magazine by house soul expert Geoff Brown. Cue an audio-visual companion...

Barbara Mason - Yes I'm Ready (1965)

Philly man Dick Clark introduces the molten velvet gorgeousness of the 17-year-old Mason's self-penned hit. Gamble & Huff were up and running...

The Intruders - Cowboys To Girls (1968)

The epiphanic breakthrough of the Gamble & Huff sound, featuring breezy lead vocal from doo-wop-trained Intruders tenor, Sam "Little Sonny" Brown.

Jerry Butler - Only The Strong Survive (1969)

Laid-back good advice from "The Ice Man" (and former Impressions leader), via his mum. A massive #4 Billboard hit, later picked up by Elvis Presley.

Dusty Springfield - Brand New Me (1970)

Typically classy treatment of a tune from the Kenny Gamble/Thom Bell/Jerry Butler brains trust. Parent album, Philly-enabled The Brand New Me, is the less-well-known sequel in Dusty's quest to ensnare America, after Dusty In Memphis.

The O'Jays - Back Stabbers (1972)

Soul Train's Don Cornelius introduces The O'Jay's core trio - Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and William Powell - delivering their timeless smash, co-written by Leon Huff, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead.

Billy Paul - Me & Mrs Jones (1972)

The sophisticated jazz/soul sensibility of Philly local Billy Paul gets the best showcase it could possibly wish for on Gamble & Huff's extra-marital slowie. A Billboard #1 single; thereafter, a standard.

The O'Jays - Love Train (1972)

The trio's sunnier side, soundtracking some serious Soul Train strutting. Don Cornelius uses his intro to deny he's OD'd. Phew!

The O'Jays - For The Love Of Money (1973)

Tough groove and more social realism from the Gamble & Huff backroom, this time augmented by low-end legend Anthony Jackson's phased bass riff. Watch as the Soul Train dancers wave their dead presidents.

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody (1975)

Sexual soul powerhouse Teddy Pendergrass gets conscious. The powder-blue-hued Blue Notes have nothing to do and look right pissed off. Something of an "issue", as MOJO's feature makes clear.

Teddy Pendergrass - If You Don't Know Me By Now (1979)

A solo outing for Gamble & Huff's classic plea for a bit of slack ("Oh don't get so excited when I come home a little late at night"), originally Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' first big hit in 1972. Even Simply Red couldn't ruin this (though they tried).

Teddy Pendergrass - The Whole Town's Laughing At Me (1982)

Ted went solo in 1977 and recorded this Sherman Marshall heartache on his debut. Here he is in London, February 1982, just a month before the car accident which paralysed him.

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 4:41 PM GMT 30/01/2012