Soul Brothers Six, Soul Preachin'!

Soul Brothers Six - Don't Neglect Your Baby

Willie John Ellison and his group, the Soul Brothers Six, have graced this blog and the podcast previously, so I'll simply present today's selection, one of the group's first singles. "Don't Neglect Your Baby," a 1966 Lyndell 45, finds Ellison spending over half of the song's length preaching about how men need to get out of the street and take care of their homework over a slow, churchy groove and the groups' moaning background vocals. After explaining how such behavior results in good women going bad, he exhorts, "You'd better wake up before it's too late! Don't be like me! See, I overslept, so I ain't got nobody." After the message is thusly delivered, Ellison launches into song to carry the record home.

Soul Brothers Six Minus Five?

John Ellison - Lost the Will to Live

Willie John Ellison and the Soul Brothers Six joined the incredible list of immensely-talented footnotes in the annals of soul history with their 1967 Atlantic 45 "Some Kind of Wonderful," which just broke into the Billboard Hot 100 (#91) and missed the R&B charts altogether (in 1974 Grand Funk Railroad took a sleek rock-n-roll take on the song to #3 on the pop charts). The group had five 45 releases on Atlantic, with diminishing returns - although good, the uptempo numbers attempted too many times to revisit the "Some Kind of Wonderful" groove, but the ballads were stunning - before moving on to Phil.-L.A. of Soul in 1971, where a handful of unsuccessful 45s closed the door on the group's attempt to reach the big time. A slightly-different take of today's selection was released as a Phil.-L.A. of Soul single in 1974, but this take appeared on the Philadelphia Roots comp billed to Ellison alone. Over a rushed, bare groove, Ellison's high, quivering voice lays out the absolute despair a broken love affair can engender while the Soul Brothers and the horns provide responses. This is real soul - how can it not be with lines like "you were my reason for wanting to live, now you're the reason that I want to die"?

It's '70s Soul Time!

The new podcast is online, and it's a '70s soul spectacular, with an odd '69 record slipping in!

1. Soul Brothers Six - You Gotta Come a Little Closer
2. Bobby Powell - Question '71
3. Labi Siffre - Sadie and the Devil
4. Parliament - Little Ole Country Boy
5. "Dusk 'Til Dawn Drive-In Movie Marathon" Radio Ad
6. The Detroit Emeralds - You Want It, You Got It
7. Valerie Simpson - Drink the Wine
8. The Green Brothers - Can't Give You Up
9. The Rollers - Knockin' at the Wrong Door
10. Clarence Carter - Scratch My Back (Mumble in My Ear)
11. Ollie Nightingale - Sweet Surrender
12. Willie Henderson - Loose Booty
13. Luther Ingram - Ghetto Train
14. Detroit Emeralds Radio Ad
15. Wales Wallace - Forever and a Day
16. Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha - Gonna Put It on Your Mind
17. Sugar Pie DeSanto - Straighten It Out With Your Man
18. Wilson Pickett - Bumble Bee (Sting Me)
19. Louis King - Our Love Will Overcome Everything
20. Jackie Moore With the Dixie Flyers - Wonderful, Marvelous
21. Oliver Sain - Going Back to Memphis

Get on Down ... #29!

Now that the bar exam is out of the way, your ever-lovin' Stepfather of Soul is ready to get back in the saddle and to start sockin' soul power on a regular basis again! And what better way is there to do that than to roll out a new podcast?

1. Mitty Collier - Get Out
2. Sidney Barnes - Ember Furniture Song
3. Tee Fletcher - Down in the Country
4. Jimmy James Thomas - I Can't Dance
5. Eddie Floyd - Hobo
6. The Raelets - Leave My Man Alone
7. Soul Brothers Six - I'll Be Loving You
8. John R - James Brown "Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things" Radio Ad
9. Lou Johnson - Nearer
10. Little Hank - Mr. Bang Bang Man
11. Joe Simon - Put Your Trust in Me (Depend on Me)
12. T-Bone Walker - Party Girl
13. Alton Ellis & The Flames - Girl I've Got a Date
14. Earl Gaines - Been So Long
15. James Moore - Feet
16. Pauline Shivers - You Better Tell Him No
17. The Lollipops - Cheating, Is Telling on You
18. Carla Thomas - Coca-Cola Radio Ad
19. Clydie King - I'm Glad I'm a Woman
20. Bobby Womack - Lillie Mae
21. Lee Austin - Respect
22. Mel & Tim - I've Got Puredee
23. The Mad Lads - Monkey Time '69
24. Joe Haywood - Say You Will
25. The Pac-Keys - Stone Fox

Here It Is! Episode #2!

Better late than never!

Episode #2 of "Get On Down With The Stepfather of Soul" is now online! The playlist appears below:

1. Otis Redding, "Loving By The Pound"
2. Clarence Carter, "Thread the Needle"
3. Tammi Terrell, "Come On And See Me"
4. Gene Chandler and Barbara Acklin, "Anywhere But Nowhere"
5. Fontella Bass Coca-Cola Ad
6. Gloria Walker, "Talking About My Baby"
7. Jean Wells, "Have a Little Mercy"
8. Roy Hytower, "The Undertaker"
9. Hank Ballard, "Woman Is Man's Best Friend"
10. Howard Tate, "I'm Your Servant"
11. Francine King, "Two Fools"
12. Gladys Knight & The Pips Coca-Cola Ad
13. Harmonica George, "Get In The Kitchen And Burn"
14. The Stingers, "I Refuse To Be Lonely"
15. Cody Black, "I'm Slowly Molding"
16. James Brown, "Shhhhh! (For a Little While)" (background)
17. The Soul Brothers Six, "I Can't Live Without You"
18. Buddy Lamp, "You Got The Loving Touch"
19. Little Richard, "Poor Dog (Can't Wag His Own Tail)"
20. Reuben Bell & The Beltones, "Another Day Lost"
21. The Gospel Classics, "More Love, That's What We Need"
22. The Soul Twins, "Mr. Independent"
23. The Lafayette Leake Trio, "After Hours" (closing theme)

The show can be downloaded HERE; it's a big file (77.4 MB), but hopefully I can get an RSS feed going for it! If anyone knows anything about RSS/XML/Podcasting who would like to help me with this, your help would be welcomed!

Get on Down With Episode #18!

Episode #18 of the podcast is now online and can be downloaded from the links section! Here's the playlist:

1. Simtec Simmons & Band - Limber Up
2. Jimmy Holiday - I've Been Done Wrong
3. Homer Banks - A Lot Of Love
4. Johnny & Jake - It's A Mess I Tell Ya'
5. Rose Batiste - Come Back In A Hurry
6. Emanuel Lasky - Don't Lead Me On Baby
7. Otis Redding - "Stay In School" PSA
8. Jimmy McCracklin - My Answer
9. Little Johnny Taylor - Zig Zag Lightning
10. Wallace Johnson - Something To Remember You By
11. Albert Collins - Do The Sissy (background music)
12. Soul Brothers Six - Thank You Baby For Loving Me
13. The Valentinos - I've Got Love For You
14. Fontella Bass - Coca-Cola Radio Ad
15. Gino Parks - My Sophisticated Lady
16. Ike & Tina Turner - Tell Her I'm Not Home
17. The Gospel Stars - Have You Any Time For Jesus
18. Eddie Purrell - The Spoiler
19. The Kittens - Ain't No More Room
20. Ollie & The Nightingales - You're Leaving Me
21. Betty Everett - Your Love Is Important To Me
22. Lattimore Brown - Bless Your Heart (I Love You)
23. The Lafayette Leake Trio - After Hours (closing theme)