Nothing Special?

The Emotions - Runnin' Back (And Forth)

The five-year tenure of the Emotions on the Volt label (1969-74) yielded little in terms of hits - outside of their Volt debut, "So I Can Love You," which made a splash upon release, it would take an affiliation with Maurice White, who took them to the top with tunes like "Best of My Love" in the latter half of the '70s, to accomplish that - but did result in some good femme soul sides, my favorite being the funky "Blind Alley." "Runnin' Back (And Forth)" had two single releases on Volt in 1973, once as an A-side and then as the B-side to the Wattstax tie-in single of "Peace Be Still." An All Music Guide reviewer stated that "Runnin' Back," an Eddie Floyd-Mack Rice composition, "should have been cut by someone else." I think that's a bit unfair, as the group did a competent reading of the tune. It's true that it is nowhere near their best recordings, but it's a nice uptempo thing that is of some value, as Sheila Hutchinson and the group lay down some sass and their usual good harmony work.