Walter Heath [1974] - You Know You're Wrong Don't Ya Brother (Selected Tracks) [Buddah #BDS 5615]

Inspired by the new 20 track Modern Soul compilation released today (posted yesterday) from Outta Sight, I thought that today, for a change, I'd post all vintage stuff as a break from a lot of 'samey' new material. Most, if not all, of the tracks will be from the 'So Soulful 70s'.

To kick things off, and set the tone, here are a couple of album only tracks from Walter Heath from his only album "You Know You're Wrong Don't Ya Brother" on Buddah, 1974. The album spawned two 45s (including one for the title track) and that seems to be his total output. I thought that strange as it's a very good album and I hadn't realised, until putting this post together, that he went on to record gospel, which is unsurprising as he was the son of a preacher and raised on gospel, so this looks like his only venture into secular music. He released two gospel CDs in 2009 and 2010 and appears to be still alive and well as he has his own YouTube channel and posted on it only in May.

I was only going to post one track, but may as well post all the good modern soul tracks from the album: "Put Your Love In My Hands", "You Know You're Wrong Don't Ya Brother" and "I Thought You Might Like To Know".

I've had the album for many years and it's still easily and cheaply available (prices on Discogs vary from $5-$50 - interestingly none for sale from UK - no one here wants to sell it! - so shipping costs could be a factor). I don't believe that it has ever been reissued (on vinyl or CD).

Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album Tracks
Media:	LP
Label:	Buddah
Cat No:	BDS 5615
Date:	1974
Value:	$5-$50

Walter Jackson [1973] - Let Me Come Back [Brunswick #55502]

Walter Jackson was signed to Columbia in 1962. After a few releases on the main label he was switched to the OKeh subsidiary in 1964. His best three sides on the label were his Northern Soul favourite "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", the haunting "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom" and his rendition of the Jimmy Radcliffe's "My Ship Is Comin' In" (also done by The Walker Brothers before Jackson recorded it). 

He released a couple of singles on Epic before moving to Cotillion for another two, then a couple of one-off releases on USA and Wand. Two more singles were released on Brunswick in 1973, the second of which is the featured tune, a modern soul track "Let Me Come Back" on the flip side of "It Doesn't Take Much". Original copies are now selling for around £100 but it is being reissued next month by Outta Sight with Wales Wallace "Somebody I Know" on the flip.

In 1976 he joined Chi-Sound, releasing around half a dozen singles until 1979 before re-joining Columbia in 1981 for another two singles. Finally, he released two singles on Bluebird in 1982 and 1983 before his passing in 1983.

In those two decades, although doing a lot of covers, he left us with a fine legacy of music, around 40 singles and 8 albums. I've put together a playlist below of what I consider to be his best recordings.

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Brunswick
Cat No:	55502
Date:	1973
Value:	£100 (approx.)

Oscar Perry & The Love Generators [1975] - I Got What You Need / Come On Home To Me [Peri-Tone #45-101674]

Played  as a new released on the Northern Soul scene in 1975. "I Got What You Need" by Oscar Perry & The Love Generators was (and still is) a huge sound. Another biggie by him around the same time was "Mainstring".

It's a great double-sider with the superb, mellow stepper, "Come On Home To Me" on the flip (sounding very like Walter Jackson on this track). It was also later released as the flip to "Gimme some" in 1976. Peri-Tone was Oscar Perry's own label on which he released seven singles between 1974/76.

His first recording was in 1962 and he'd released around a dozen singles on various labels, including Back Beat and Mercury, before setting up Peri-Tone in 1974. He released five albums, four in the 70s between 1977-79, and continued recording through the 80s with his last release a blues album in 1993. He passed in 2004 aged 61.

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Details

Rating:	9.5
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Peri-Tone
Cat No:	45-101674
Date:	1975
Value:	£150 (approx.)

Gloria Jay / Sandra W. LeCounte [1977/1984] Know What You Want [Stage Productions #STM-1008-4 / SP5065]

The only recording by sixteen year old Gloria Jay (Gloria J. Jennings) released on Stage Productions in 1977. Stage Productions was a Chicago label owned by Willie Nance which only released half a dozen singles in the late 70s. It was reissued by Melodies International in 2017. Original copies now sell for between £200-£300.

"Know What You Want" was re-recorded in 1984 on Stage Productions by Sandra W. LeCounte which appears to be an extremely scarce record. UK rare soul dealer John Manship listed it in Feb 2021 and believes it to be a one-off (read the comments on the YT clip below).

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Stage Productions
Cat No:	STM-1008-4 / SP5065
Date:	1977 / 1984
Value:	£100+ (approx.) / £??? never sold

Touch Of Class [1976] - I Love You Pretty Baby [Midland International #BKL1-1821]

"I Love You Pretty Baby" is/was an album only track by Touch Of Class from their 1976 debut album "I'm In Heaven" but a 1975 RCA 10" acetate was later discovered and it was also released on 45 in Germany only in 1976 as a B side. 

It's pretty cheap to pick up on album (you'd probably get one for around a tenner). The acetate is, 'presumably', a one-off and the last German issue to sell went for £68 and there is only one currently for sale on Discogs for £75.

Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Midland International
Cat No:	BKL1-1821
Date:	1976
Value:	£10

Version Excursion - It Only Happens When I Look At You

"It Only Happens When I Look At You" is a song written by British songwriters Ken Gold and Michael Denne and recorded first by Aretha Franklin on her 1975 album "You". 

It has become a sought after item by Jackie Wilson as it wasn't released on 45 in the US, only UK, Spain and Turkey. 

Australian singer Rene Geyer also did a live version (only?) with Doug Williams on a 1976 album "Really Really Love You". It was featured in the soundtrack for a 1999 New Zealand movie "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted".

UK band (from Birmingham) Delegation recorded it 1976 on the B side to their debut single "The Promise Of Love".

The Majors, who I think are from The Netherlands,  released it in 1976.

I've also found a few more recent versions, one from 1996 by a Japanese producer Little Big Bee (aka Eitetsu Takamiya), Aloha Feat. Pati from a 2010 album titled "Take Me Home" and finally a live studio version (which has probably not been released) by Aussies Tame & Lee recorded in 2014.

I also found some footage of  a very glamorous looking Aretha singing it live.

The Jacksons [1976] - Living Together [Epic (CA)#8-50420]

This may surprise many!  "Living Together" by The Jacksons is only available on a Canadian 45 tucked away on the B side to "Dreamer", otherwise album only from "The Jacksons". It's from their mid 70s Philly period. 

"Living Together" was written by Dexter Wansel and reminds me of elements of Archie Bell & The Drells "Everybody Have A Good Time", which came out the same year, so I had a look to see if Wansel also wrote it but it was Bunny Sigler. 

"Dreamer" was written by Gamble & Huff and was only released as a promo in US but charted at #22 in UK (but didn't have "Living Together" on the flip before you rush out to find one!).

Prices are rising on this one now that the cat is out of the bag, so expect to pay upwards of  around £60 if/when one becomes available as there are currently none for sale on Discogs, or just buy the album for a few quid as there are plenty of those around!

Whilst we are here I may as well post a couple of other Jacksons tracks. "Blues Away" (written by Michael) was the flip side to "Show You The Way To Go" (so can be picked up for literally pennies) and was also on The Jacksons album. "Even Though You're Gone" (another Gamble & Huff composition) was a UK 45 only and charted just before "Blame It On The Boogie" in 1978.

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Details

Rating:	8.9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Epic (CA)
Cat No:	8-50420
Date:	1976
Value:	£60

Personal Touch / Donna McGhee / Rainbow Brown [1976/78/81] - It Ain't No Big Thing

"It Ain't No Big Thing" is a song written by Patrick Adams and Brenda Cahree which was the first release on Adam's label PAP in 1976 by a female group called Personal Touch (which was their only release). It was also recorded two years later by Donna McGhee on her only album "Make It Last Forever" and again in 1981 by a female group Rainbow Brown formed by Adams which included Fonda Rae on lead vocals with Yvonne Lewis, Lucy Martin, Ullanda McCullough. They released it on their only, self-titled album and also a B side to their only single "Til You Surrender" which is quite hard to find as it didn't appear on the 12" version or the 7" promos so is only available on issues and there are none listed on Discogs, indicating it's scarcity.

The Personal Touch 45 sells for around £200-£300 with only four currently list on Discogs ranging between those prices. 

The Donna McGhee album is also quite sought after fetching up to £200 on US vinyl on Red Gregg and up to £120 on UK Anchor. 

As a bonus I've thrown in the Jay Negron's  extended version of Kenny Dope's 2006 re-edit as, surprisingly, there is no 12 " or extended version of this track, although Donna McGhee's album version is 6:30! Danny Krivit did a Re-edit of it in 2012 which I've also included below.

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Re-edits

Jay Neron extended Personal Touch Kenny Dope re-edit

Danny Kriviit Donna McGhee re-edit

Jay Player [1982] - Love Is The Answer [ Bevnik #JP 556 / #JP 21556]

"Love Is The Answer" is the only recording (known) by Jay Player. It's a song written by W. Butler Jr. (Billy Butler), who also produced it, and Alan Harris and arranged by Al Johnson. I don't think it's 'the' Billy Butler of "Right Track" fame (incorrectly linked on Discogs) as his writing credits are attributed to William E (Earl) Butler and this one is William Butler Jr who was a guitarist from Philadelphia.

Allan Harris recorded it with Perpetual Motion which Arthur Fenn played recently on a live  stream but I can find absolutely no reference to it anywhere on the web, so his version must be hen's teeth rare! I've subsequently discovered (from the horse's mouth on Soul Source) that he plays it off an 7" acetate cut from an unissued album and slows it down a bit as the original is faster. It as published by Exact Change Music which appear to be owned by William Butler Jr based in Baltimore.

Jay Player's 1982 version was released on 7" and 12" on Baltimore label Bevnik who released about six records in the early 80s.

Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"/12"
Label:	Bevnik
Cat No:	JP 556 / JP 21556
Date:	1982
Value:	£300 (approx.)

Ronnie McNeir [1975] - Wendy Is Gone [Setting Sun / Prodigal]

Ronnie McNeir is a Detroit legend in Northern soul circles especially for his 1966 rarity "Sitting In My Class". "Wendy Is Gone" This is a later recording from 1974. It was originally on Setting Sun (which I believe was his own label as all releases are either by him or written/produced by him (coincidentally one of those releases was from Jim White & The Motor City Orchestra. Jim White has been reissuing material in recent weeks under his JWE Group label) but was reissued on Prodigal the following year and also got a UK release on London, so prices are cheap for this one.

Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Setting Sun
Cat No:	RS-101
Date:	1974
Key/BPM:	1A
Value:	£10-£15