Chuck Cockerham [1969] - Have I Got A Right / Hey There [Mala #12,036]

After abandoning a six part series after the first episode we went looking for something else to watch last night and settled on a 2022 film starring Mel Gibson called "Bandit". It is based on a true story of a Canadian bank robber Gilbert Galvan Jr (aka The Flying Bandit) in the 80s.

All well and good, you say, but I nearly fell out of my seat when an extremely rare and highly regarded and sought after soul record by Chuck Cockerham "Have I Got A Right" was played around the twenty minute mark.

The song has been posted on the blog previously and featured in Richard Searling's Crossover Hot 100  at #3 recently. When last posted in Apr 2020 the going rate was around £2k but, having just checked Popsike, the last one listed for sale in Mar '22 went for $6k (£5,565). Not surprisingly, none have ever sold on Discogs. There are only around ten originals listed but there are also many same-sided 'carvers' listed and even these are beginning to fetch three figures now.

What surprised me further is that it 'Shazamed', as I needed to double check that I wasn't imagining it. As far as I can discover, it has featured on only one compilation, a UK 4 CD comp. "Keeping The Faith: 40 Years Of Northern Soul Memories & Souvenirs" released by Castle in 2007. So it's quite bemusing how this was featured in a movie in 2022 and was identified by Shazam.

Not long later in the film a previously unreleased song "With My Love" by Jimmy Radcliffe was also played. It was released in Oct '22 along with two other tracks.

We don't need any excuse to repost this classic and fortunately, since posting it several years ago, the flip side has now also been posted on YouTube (only a month ago). Which, having never heard it before, is also pretty good.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Crossover
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Mala
Cat No:	12,036
Date:	1969
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	c. £5k

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Chuck Cockerham ‎[1969] - Have I Got A Right [Mala M-12.036]

This would appear to be Chuck Cockerham's only 45. Very hard to find and only 11 on Popsike none selling below £1,000 and the latest one in Feb 2018 (only in VG condition) sold for £2,025.

He became a member of (and still is) Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters along with Bill Pinkney, Richard Knight Dunbar (of The Knight Brothers - Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me fame), Russell Henry and Roger Whitehead.

Many consider this modern soul, but it was released in Jan 1969 so surely far too early to be categorised as such, although the sound was way ahead of it's time.  I would class it more as crossover and certainly NOT Northern Soul.  It has a very similar feel to the sort of material Richard Caiton was releasing at the time i.e. I Like To Get Near You.

Written by Fred Tanner who wrote a couple of sides for Patti Austin - (I've Given) All My Love and You're Too Much A Part Of Me on Coral in 1967, and also for Sam & Bill - I'll Try, I Feel Like Cryin' and I Need Your Love To Comfort Me on Decca

Promo

The Nomads [2004] - Have I Got A Right [Ripete  R45-5001]

A 2004 'reissue/bootleg' credited to The Nomads (apparently due to rights issues), which is actually a different stereo take to the Chuck Cockerham original on Mala (he's on lead vocals on this version too), probably released for Carolina beach scene.  It contains Northern Soul track by Ellusions - Didn't Have To Leave on flip.

Chuck Cockerham ‎[1969] - Hey There [Mala  M-12.036]