Eddie Finley [2022] - Sad Honored Night / Treat Me Right Or Leave Me Alone [Hit and Run #HR 1536]

Hit And Run Records is reissuing two little-known sides from Dallas, TX, by Eddie Finley who released only two known singles. One billed as simply Eddie Finley, "Sad Honored Night" (a stunning deep soul ballad which you would do well to find a better one) and the other as Eddie Finley & The Cincinnati Show Band., "Treat Me Right Or Leave Me Alone". In fact Garry commented on Richard Marks release notes that the flip to that was "possibly one of the greatest deep soul couplings ever released". I think I'd 'challenge' him on that as personally, I  believe that this coupling is even better!

It is not known for sure which was first as the Rapturea catalogue numbering sequence is different but the latter is dated as 1970 on Discogs and 1971 on 45Cat (which is generally more reliable).

Rapturea had a sister label Hosanna which was exclusively gospel recordings and Eddie Finley's two singles are two of only a few secular recordings on Rapturea. The flip side of "Sad Honored Night" was an instrumental "Heavy Hips" by The Creations Band whilst the flip to "Treat Me Right Or Leave Me Alone", "Clean Up Man" is a raw early 70s funk tune. 

The last copy of "Sad Honored Night" listed on Popsike went for almost $3,000 and I could only find two listings for his other 45 with one selling for $1,250. Both sides of the Eddie Finley & The Cincinnati Show Band single have featured on compilations by Now-Again Records but, as far as I'm aware, "Sad Honored Night" hasn't so this is a very welcome release for us mortals who have no way of acquiring the record otherwise.

"Sad Honoured Night" is actually a misnomer as what Eddie actually sings is Sad Autumn Night", so it is a label misprint and, as Garry notes, what chance did the single have with so little attention to detail?

This is what deep soul aficionado John Ridley at sirshambling writes about Eddie Finley:

On the obscure Rapturea label from Dallas, TX comes the screaming Eddie Finley. I’ve absolutely no idea which disc was issued first but I’ll take them in numerical order. Sad Honored Night is the sort of deep soul that the heavy hitters go for. No concessions to sweetening or a pretty melody, this is as raw and as tough as they come. Eddie’s voice is cracked with emotion and he breaks into an almost uncontrollable passion as the song reaches its climax.

Treat Me Right Or Leave Me Alone is very much in the same vein, but without quite the same authority or intensity. The “wah wah” guitar rather distracts attention, but Eddie is still a notch or two above most other vocalists when it comes to the sheer force of his of fervour and excitement. Just check out those screams! In your face just doesn’t cover this sort of soul music. The very funky flip (not the Jimmy “Bo” Horne song) has found favour with some devotees of the genre.

Finley performed often with the unrecorded Apollo Commanders (a Dallas band). The Cincinnati Show Band who back Finley on his Rapturea records were actually from Cincinnati, as members Allen Perry and Larry Lesley (formerly of the New Dapps) relocated to Texas in the early 70s. The CSB would later become the Conspiracy (with a 45 on True Soul from Little Rock, AR) to some extent.

An update to the last paragraph because, as of 2003 (I've no idea when the above was written), there is a compilation "The South Dallas Funk Festival' 1970" which includes several recordings by The Apollo Commanders, two of which feature Eddie Finley, released by those good fellas at Now-Again.

You can buy from your favourite purveyor of vinyl or direct from Hit And Run by sending £12 + £3 P&P (UK only and good for 3 records) via PayPal (Friends & family) to hitandrunsoul45@gmail.com

Details

Rating:	9.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Hit and Run
Cat No:	HR 1536
Date:	11/03/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£12 + £3 P&P (UK)