Wednesday, 2 December 2020

The Dells & Dramatics / Chuck Cissel - Love Is Missing From Our Lives

Just listening to this on Shaun Evans superb Triple S Show podcast by The Dells & The Dramatics.  If you're open minded and like deep, crossover and modern soul then I highly recommend Shaun's weekly soul show which he posts as a weekly 2 hour podcast on Mixcloud. 

Back to the record, whilst the Dells/Dramatics version is superb, so is Chuck Cissel's version which is album only released on his second, and last, album If I Had A Chance in 1982.

The song was written by Detroit Northern Soul legend Tony Hester, it just builds and builds to a crescendo of deep soul wonderfulness!

Hester left as far too early in 1980, aged only 37, and wrote so many songs adored on the scene, but his most successful commercial period was the early 70s with The Dramatics - Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (1971 #3 R&B #9 Hot !00), In The Rain (1973 #1 R&B #5 Hot 100) and Hey You! Get Off My Mountain (1973 #5 R&B #43 Hot 100)

I'm not aware of anyone else covering this beautiful song. If you know of any others then please leave a comment.

The Dells & Dramatics [1975] - Love Is Missing From Our Lives [Cadet #CA 5710]

Features Ron Banks and Marvin Junior interchanging on lead.
It featured on The Dells Vs. The Dramatics album from 1974 in full 4:39 version and was also released on 45 as an edited 3:26 version.

Chuck Cissel [1982] - Love Is Missing From Our Lives [Arista #AL 9851]

Chuck Cissel's recording career was short spanning 1979-82, releasing 2 albums and a handful of singles.  He's probably best known for his disco hit Cisselin' Hot in 1979, the flip side 'Do You Believe' was played on the Modern soul scene.  The debut 45 released before this was 'Don't Tell Me Your Sorry' which has become a sought after item in more recent years, although has been played for a long time - I believe that Richard Searling played it in the later years of Wigan Casino, but it was much later before it became a big sound.  I was fortunate to find one years ago for the princely sum of 20p, but a copy now sells anywhere between £150-£200 such is the demand for it. It is a fine example of 70s Northern Soul.

3 comments:

  1. No another version but was sampled by John Legend on the fantastic "Live It Up" from his first album

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your comment and info ... I wouldn't have immediately recognised it ... but you're right which made me look into it further and there are another 3

    Nightmares On Wax [1995] Me + You
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w18jLIMCvw

    Tiro De Gracia [2008] Dedicado
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQaJi02BeY

    Fabolous Feat. PnB Rock, Gucci [2019]- Mane And 2 Chainz
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXh3xWX7lQU

    ReplyDelete
  3. ... and if you want to 'stretch' if further .. there's this one:

    Seo2 [2009] Vivi (Relativo & Absoluto LP)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsAs6meH6yA

    ReplyDelete

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